Next Friday, April 27, Kelty employees will play hooky as part of Ditch Day, a company-approved day for employees to eschew their work responsibilities and get outside. Ditch Day is part of the company’s Built for Play campaign that encourages more outdoor adventuring.
Author: SGB Media
Huffy CEO: Batch Bicycles To Target ‘Underserved’ Market
Huffy’s new brand, Batch Bicycles, is a higher-end line of bikes to be sold only in independent shops. In a Q&A with SGB Executive, Huffy CEO Bill Smith (left) said the new products will target an underserved market—customers who want a bike priced somewhere between big-box and specialty store offerings.
TomTom Margins Soar As Consumer Segment Sales Slip
TomTom consumer segment sales—which includes PNDs, navigation apps and sports watches—decreased 28 percent in the first quarter, but gross margin increased thanks to 70 percent of revenue now derived from data, software and services.
Local Talent Program Boosts POC’s Global Branding Efforts
When Olympic silver medalist Alex Ferreira (left) was 15, he joined the Local Talent Program run by Swedish helmet and goggle manufacturer POC. The program helps increase sports participation and improve product development—and it promotes the company’s branding efforts around the globe.
‘Keeping The Tribe Together’: Industry Praises OR + Snow Show Date Change
Outdoor Retailer’s announcement that OR + Snow Show is moving to the end of January for at least the next four years and will immediately follow Winter Sports Market has garnered high praise from snow sports and outdoor stakeholders alike.
M&A Insights: 4 Traits That Buyers Seek In Targets
Look for M&A to continue at a rapid pace in 2018, as companies like VF Corp. and others look to add valuable assets to their portfolio. But what are buyers looking for?
Carving A Niche: Behind Elan’s U.S. Growth Strategy
After doubling the company’s alpine ski sales in the U.S. over the last five years, Elan Skis is now doubling down on that recent success with the creation of Elan Sports USA.
Pentland COO Talks Endura Acquisition, M&A Strategy
Pentland has big plans for its newest asset Endura – the company plans to accelerate the cycling apparel brand’s growth around the world. “We’ve got really big international aspirations,” COO Chirag Patel told SGB Executive in a Q&A about the Endura deal and Pentland’s M&A overall strategy.
Where And When Will The Trade War End?
President Trump this week threatened additional tariffs on Chinese imports, prompting sharp criticism from outdoor and sporting goods brands that might not be directly impacted but generally view trade wars as “so last generation,” according to Jeff Turner of Kokatat.
March M&A Roundup
SGB Executive analyzes the month’s top sports, outdoor & lifestyle brand M&A deals, including JD Sports’ acquisition of Finish Line.
Good News On Tariff Front For Apparel, Footwear, Outdoors Industries
Apparel, footwear and outdoors products weren’t caught directly in the crosshairs of the escalating trade war with China on Wednesday, allowing those industries to take a “deep sigh of relief,” said Matt Priest, president and CEO of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America.
How New Equipment Standards Impact Sales, Production & Participation
Whenever a sport’s governing body announces new equipment standards – whether they’re merely suggestions or mandated because of safety concerns – it can have a major impact on the production process and sales cycle for that gear. It can even alter participation trends in that sport for years to come.
Sportsman’s Warehouse Hitting the Mark With Firearms Sales
Although Sportsman Warehouse Holdings Inc.’s fourth quarter’s net income was “impacted by an elevated promotional backdrop and a tax-reform-driven investment in our associates,” the company is poised to gain market share in firearms as its competitors scale back in that category, CEO Jon Barker told analysts Wednesday.
E-Commerce Bolsters Lululemon’s Q4 Earnings Surge
The Lululemon Athletica Inc. executives who handled the company’s first earnings call following last month’s resignation of CEO Laurent Potdevin didn’t focus on the leadership flux but instead on the chief drivers – e-commerce and site traffic conversion – that helped fuel a stellar fourth quarter.
Silver Lining in Continued Shift From Core to Casual Participation
Activity level trends saw a continued shift from core participation to casual participation across many sports last year, according SFIA’s 2017 Sports, Fitness and Leisure Activities Topline Report. On the surface, that is concerning, but there is a silver lining.
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