“Anglers have never seen live sonar images at depths like this or at this speed—truly a game-changer for deep-sea sportfishing.” —Dan Bartel, Vice President, Global Consumer Sales, Garmin
Author: SGB Media

EXEC: Champion’s Q4 Sales Fall 30 Percent in U.S.; Restructuring Hits Profits
Global Champion brand sales decreased 23 percent year-over-year on a reported basis, and 24 percent on a constant-currency basis in the fourth quarter.

Arvin Goods Sock Collection Leads Change in Sustainable Production
The latest launch features crew socks made from 79 percent recycled materials, including 43 percent recycled polyester and 36 percent Recover recycled cotton fiber, saves up to 18 gallons of water per pair compared to a pair made with conventional cotton.

EXEC: Sportchek, Mark’s and Helly Hansen all Down in Q4; Only Helly Up for Year
Canadian Tire’s SportChek segment, which includes the SportChek, Sports Experts, Atmosphere, Pro Hockey Life, Sports Rousseau, and Hockey Experts retail brands, saw comparable sales in the fourth quarter decline 6.4 percent.

Tennis Industry Association Rebrands as Racquet Industry Research Group
TIA rebranded to the Racquet Industry Research Group, noting, “It’s more than just a name change; this evolution signifies a broader mission to provide research and data to the entire racquet sports community.”

Hanesbrands, Inc. Cutting 159 Jobs, Closing NC Distribution Center
HBI plans to permanently lay off another 159 workers in April when it repurposes a DC in Winston-Salem, NC, according to a WARN notice sent to the state of North Carolina on February 5, with an effective date of April 5, 2024.

Forward Outdoor Under New Management with Industry Veterans
Industry pros Tony McWilliam and Lionnel Ducruet bring fresh vision to brand with new 2024/25 collection.

Hartford Sales Group Appoints New Rep for NorCal Coast
Mark Blesius joined the award-winning agency, covering the Northern California Coast. Blesius was, most recently, the senior regional account manager covering the Southwest region for Asics America.

EXEC: Brands Act Fast on PFAS Changes as EPA Proposes New National Rules
California-based Liberated said this week it deployed an initial assessment of its Spyder products resulting in a multiple-season plan to phase out PFAS from its branded skiwear, joining other brands making the hard choice in 2024.

Inov8 Drops Nex-Gen Trail Running Shoes
“The new shoes are neither over-engineered nor under-engineered, in the strong belief that nature knows best. We let your foot control the shoe, not the shoe control the foot.” —Inov8 Founder Wayne Edy

VF Corp. Aligns with Activist Investor, Appoints New Indie Board Member
VF will appoint another independent director to the Board in the near term, mutually agreed with Engaged Capital and will prioritize considering the candidates identified by Engaged Capital.

Outtech Hires Regional Manager for Independent Channel
Outtech Sales Services hired Dyson Renn as a regional manager for its independent channel, working with retailers in Pennsylvania and Western New York.

Sitka Gear to Open First Southeast Store
The brand will open its third brick-and-mortar store in The Battery Atlanta with a grand opening for the community on February 24.

EXEC: Topgolf Callaway Sees All Segments Grow in Q4 But Loss Widens
Revenue grew 7 percent at Topgolf, 5 percent in the Golf Equipment segment and 3 percent in the Active Lifestyle segment. The company’s net loss increased 6.1 percent on a GAAP basis and 10.6 percent a non-GAAP basis.

Shoe Carnival Acquires Rogan Shoes; Pre-Announces FY Results on Solid Holiday Gains
The acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to the company’s fiscal 2024 earnings and generate approximately $84 million in sales and approximately $10 million in operating income, excluding transaction and integration costs.