EXEC: Callaway Unloads Topgolf at $1.1 Billion Valuation

Topgolf Callaway Brands sold the majority of the Topgolf business to Leonard Green & Partners L.P. at a steep discount from what the company had paid for it. Some analysts saw the move as helping to simplify the business and allowing management to concentrate on its core golf equipment platform, but others wanted Callaway to sell the entire Topgolf stake.

EXEC: SFIA Study Finds Pickleball Attracting Rabid Player Base

The SFIA released the findings from a special study, which found that pickleball engagement remains strong among avid players, with over 90 percent playing at least twice a week, 48 percent wanting to increase their play frequency and 57 percent planning to participate in more organized pickleball over the next 12 months.

EXEC: Nike Earns Stock Upgrade from Wells Fargo on Improving Visibility

Wells Fargo upgraded its rating on Nike to “Overweight” from “Equal weight” and its price target to $75 from $60. Wells Fargo analyst Ike Boruchow cited reduced headwinds from Classics footwear franchises (Air Force 1, Air Jordan and Dunk) and an uptick in growth in non-Classic footwear styles as part of the reason for the upgrade.