Bain suggests in its report that retailers face a pivotal moment in 2025. The firm said that for retailers to thrive in 2025 it will require fresh strategies around emerging technologies, customer loyalty, operations, and adaptation.
Author: SGB Executive

EXEC: REI Greensboro Employees Unionize; SoHo Ski Workers Get PPE Agreement
RWDSU said in a statement that REI Greensboro workers first began organizing in the wake of REI’s October 2023 round of layoffs, which cut the jobs of 275 of “the most experienced workers.”

EXEC: Kappa Retail Stores in China Moderate Decline in Fiscal Q3
Same-store sales for the Kappa-branded stores, which have been in operation since the beginning of the same quarter last year, were down in high-single-digits on a year-over-year basis.

EXEC: Saucony Posts 60 Percent Retail Growth in China
The MS (China) Sports Company Limited, a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Xtep International Holdings Limited, operates under licensing and royalty agreements for the Merrell and Saucony brands and subsidiaries in China.

EXEC: Megabass is Latest Outdoor Brand to Partner with L Catterton
The deal positions the Japan-headquartered fishing gear manufacturer for further expansion by leveraging L Catterton’s operating capabilities and industry network on the back of rising demand for its products.

EXEC: KMD Saw Holiday Turnaround for Rip Curl; DTC Gives Lift to All Brands
The company said in its preliminary report that the total sales result was driven by improving trends in the direct-to-consumer channel for all brands. Wholesale sales have taken longer to recover and continue to decline year-over-year.

EXEC: Puma SE Shares Fall Over 20 Percent on Analyst and Investor Concerns
Puma SE shares opened 16 percent lower in Europe on Thursday morning, January 23, after the company’s pre-announcement of 2024 fourth quarter and full-year results caused a stir overnight.

EXEC: Tern Bicycles Creates European Distribution Company
This transition also marks the end of Tern’s long-standing distribution partnership with Hartje. Tern ZE will stock Tern’s complete product line and will partner with i:SY GmbH & Co. KG to manage sales for its Tern dealer network in Germany, Austria and Benelux.

EXEC: ISPO Group Shuffles Show Leadership After Tobias Gröber Sets Departure
The ISPO Group expects limited disruption as Exhibition Director Lena Haushofer and her team assume Gröber’s responsibilities, with Christoph Rapp, head of Sales and Marketing, and Saskia Rettenbacher, head of Event Management.

EXEC: Puma Comes Up Short on 2024 Bottom Line; Sets Cost-Cutting Program
For the foruth quarter, Puma reported that preliminary sales increased 15.5 percent on a reported basis to €2.29 billion. The company saw sales growth of 9.8 percent on a currency-adjusted (ca) basis for the quarter.

EXEC: REI Names Mary Beth Laughton as Next CEO as Eric Artz Plans Exit
Laughton, a former REI Board Director and seasoned retail leader, will join REI as president on February 3, 2025, before assuming full CEO responsibilities on March 31.

EXEC: Winchester Ammo to Acquire Ammo Inc.’s Small Caliber Manufacturing
Olin Corporation, the parent of Winchester Ammunition, has entered into a definitive agreement with Ammo, Inc. to acquire the company’s small caliber ammunition manufacturing assets for a purchase price of $75 million.

EXEC: VF Corp. Confirms New Global Cuts; Analysts React to ICR Presentation
The parent company of The North Face, Vans, Timberland, Jansport and Dickies, among other outdoor and street lifestyle brands, continues to take action against the goals set out in its Reinvent turnaround plan.

EXEC: Adidas Preliminary 2024 Report Reveals Double-Digit Growth to €23.7B
In euro terms, the company’s revenues grew 24 percent to €5.97 billion in the fourth quarter, or 19 percent in currency-neutral terms versus Q4 2023. Excluding Yeezy for both years, currency-neutral revenues increased 13 percent.

EXEC: Authentic Taps Sports Casuals as Reebok Golf Apparel Partner
With SCI as Reebok’s apparel partner, the brand now has a head-to-toe softgoods offering, with Reebok Design Group, the brand’s global hub for design, development and innovation, handling the creation and distribution of golf footwear.