Author: SGB Executive

On a conference call with analysts discussing the Sweaty Betty acquisition, Wolverine Worldwide officials said the U.K-based women’s activewear brand is expected to help Wolverine’s own brands, including Saucony and Merrell, to further expand in apparel and across digital channels. However, the biggest opportunity it sees is tapping into the growth potential of Sweaty Betty and the overall women's activewear market. (Read More)

Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp. reported its fifth straight quarter of record earnings as the chain continues to benefits from changed behaviors tied to the pandemic. The West-coast chain cautioned that gains would moderate in the current quarter as it starts to anniversary year-ago surges. (Read More)

Clarus Corp. significantly lifted its outlook for earnings and sales in 2021 as its bullets business led by Sierra and Barnes showed continued strength and Black Diamond accelerated to triple-digit growth. Officials said strong relationships with suppliers and prioritizing core products are helping the company offset supply chain challenges. (Read More)

Continued momentum at Coleman and recovery at its Contigo and Marmot brands helped Newell Brands’ Outdoor & Recreation segment grow 28.3 percent in the second quarter, marking its second straight quarter of growth. (Read More)

On an analyst call, Dick Johnson, chairman and CEO of Foot Locker, said the acquisitions of WSS and Atmos “fill in some of the white space” available to Foot Locker beyond its core sneaker and sport culture segments. WSS provides a deeper reach into the classics footwear category and the Hispanic demographic. Tokyo-based Atmos provides a strong foothold in boutique streetwear that could kick-start expansion in Asia. (Read More)

VF Corp. raised its outlook for its fiscal year after reporting results in the first quarter ended June 30 came in well ahead of expectations, helped by signs of recovery at Vans and continued strength in digital. The outlook reflects stronger-than-expected order books for its four primary brands, which also include The North Face, Timberland and Dickies, and strength at two emerging brands, Altra and Smartwool. (Read More)

Sales grew 80 percent at BOA Technology and more than four-fold at Marucci Sports to lead the branded consumer portfolio gains at Compass Group Diversified Holdings in the second quarter. CODI officials also announced it is exploring an IPO for 5.11. (Read More)

Led by Merrell and Saucony, Wolverine Worldwide’s second-quarter results came in well above Wall Street estimates. Wolverine officials now expect the current year to show “meaningful” over 2020 and 2019 as many of its categories are trending. (Read More)

Led by healthy double-digit growth across all segments, Garmin Ltd.'s earnings shot up in the second quarter as sales catapulted 53 percent. Garmin officials significantly increased guidance across segments with growth now pegged at 17 percent for both the Fitness and Outdoor segments. (Read More)

Winchester’s sales slightly more than doubled in the second quarter. Scott Sutton, chairman, president and CEO of Olin Corp, Winchester’s parent, told analysts on a conference call that the ammunition brand is looking to capitalize on the 57 million new recreational shooting participants that have arrived since the pandemic emerged. (Read More)

Omega Sports has filed a reorganization plan that calls for the North Carolina-based retailer to reemerge from bankruptcy proceedings around its seven remaining stores and pay off creditors over the next three years. (Read More)

Crocs Inc. significantly hiked its guidance for the year as robust demand across its clogs, sandals and Jibbitz segments easily offset logistics challenges in part tied to temporary factory closures due to spikes in COVID-19 cases. (Read More)

At the recently-held NRF Retail Converge, Ken Voeller, director, circular commerce, REI and Karen Campbell, strategic planning and new business development director, Arc’teryx, discussed the ways their expanding resale programs are helping to reach their sustainability goals and customers. (Read More)

In its mid-year report, StockX revealed another period of explosive growth with the help of expansion into categories beyond sneakers. The report also details the fastest-growing brands across core categories including sneakers, electronics, collectibles, apparel, and accessories. Said StockX CEO Scott Cutler, “There are strong synergies between our core sneaker enthusiasts and those customers who are passionate about apparel, accessories, collectibles, and gaming." (Read More)

A new study from the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) found that first-time fishing participants climbed to 4.4 million in 2020, a surge of 42 percent year-over-year. Like patterns seen in other outdoor activities, fishing reached new and diverse audiences as individuals picked up the sport as a remedy for COVID-19-related stress and anxiety. (Read More)

The IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association) estimated that the U.S. fitness industry lost $20.4 billion in revenue in 2020, just one year after generating an all-time high of $35 billion, according to the organization's recently released 2021 IHRSA Global Report. However, the report outlined reasons to be optimistic for the industry's prospects partly as health became a higher priority during the pandemic. (Read More)

Deloitte's 2021 Back-to-School Survey*, found that back-to-school spending at Kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) will grow 16 percent this year, reaching its highest level in recent years as clarity surrounding the upcoming school year and consumer sentiment rise. Deloitte joins a chorus of others forecasting a strong rebound in back-to-school selling. In a separate survey, Deloitte found a more modest recovery for back-to-college spending, up 5 percent. (Read More)

Goldman Sachs on Wednesday initiated coverage of the Apparel and Brands sector, rating Lululemon its “top idea” and initiating a “buy” rating on Yeti. In the active lifestyle space, the investment firm has a “neutral” rating on Canada Goose and Gap and a “sell” on VF Corp. (Read More)

Hydro Flask resumed its strong growth rate in the first quarter ended May 31 after being disrupted by changing behaviors and store closures during the pandemic, according to the quarterly report of its parent, Helen of Troy. The water bottle brand also saw significant gains in market share in the period. (Read More)