Amer Sports reported a slightly higher loss on a modest sales gain in the second quarter, the company’s smallest quarter of the year. Amer still expects a “solid” second half, driven by up to double-digit pre-order growth in Winter Sports Equipment, Arc`teryx, Sports Instruments and strong expected order position in Precor, which just won the company’s largest ever customer contract.
Category: Apparel

U.S. Road Race Participation Numbers Hold Steady For 2017
For the vast majority of road races of all sizes across the U.S., participation held steady in 2017, according to an analysis of road race participation trends released by Running USA.

Mammut Enhances Digital Capabilities By Acquiring Mountain Hub
Swiss-based apparel brand Mammut added to the company’s capabilities with Wednesday’s announcement that the brand had acquired Mountain Hub. SGB spoke with Joe Prebich of Mammut and Brint Markle of Mountain Hub (pictured) for a behind-the-scenes look at the deal.

Wall Street Cheers Lululemon’s CEO Hire
Shares of Lululemon Athletica rose slightly on Wednesday as Wall Street analysts unanimously applauded the hiring of Calvin McDonald, the CEO of the Sephora cosmetics chain, as its next CEO.

TYR Sport Signs Simone Manuel
TYR Sport announced the signing of 4x Olympic Medalist, 9x World Championship Medalist and World and American Record Holder Simone Manuel.
Swiftwick Adds Olympic Gold Medalist To Athlete Roster
Swiftwick, the performance sock company, announced the company has signed Connor Fields, BMX Olympic Gold Medalist, as the company’s newest elite athlete.
Meridian Community College Reaches Deal With Under Armour And BSN Sports
Meridian Community College signed a five-year partnership with Under Armour through an agreement signed with BSN Sports.
Mammut Acquires Digital Outdoor Platform Mountain Hub
Swiss-based global apparel company Mammut on Wednesday announced the acquisition of digital outdoors platform Mountain Hub in a push to bolster the brand’s digital community, connection to consumers and integration of technologies across platforms. Terms were not disclosed.

Lululemon Appoints Calvin McDonald Chief Executive Officer
Lululemon Athletica Inc. appointed Calvin McDonald, who formerly led Sephora, to serve as chief executive officer, effective August 20, 2018.

What’s Behind Brooks Running’s Shop-In-Shop Initiative?
On June 16, Brooks Running announced the company was partnering with 30 run specialty shops in the U.S. and Canada to launch the company’s first shop-in-shop program. SGB Executive reached out to Mike Billish, VP of U.S. sales, to explore the new program.
Worldwide Distributors Names Sean Maygra President
Worldwide Distributors (Worldwide), the Kent, WA-based buying cooperative for independent retailers, has named Sean Maygra as president.

Starter To Sponsor Alliance Of American Football
Starter has signed as as the official on-field apparel and game-day uniform supplier to the Alliance of American Football when the alliance debuts in February 2019 as part of a multi-year deal with G-III by Carl Banks.
Unifi Unveils New Branding
Unifi Inc. announced the launch of the company’s new ‘True Innovation Starts in the Fiber’ branding, which highlights Unifi’s commitment to the development of innovative and sustainable performance fibers backed by a flexible, global supply chain.
U.S. Polo Assn. To Outfit USA Team For Westchester Cup
USPA Global Licensing Inc. (USPAGL), the official licensing arm and national broadcaster of the United States Polo Association (USPA), announced that U.S. Polo Assn. will be the official apparel outfitter for the USA team as they compete against England in the 2018 Westchester Cup.
OIA Releases First-Ever Sustainability Report
Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) released the association’s first-ever State of Sustainability in the Outdoor Industry report surveying 120 individual small, midsize and large companies in the outdoor industry to quantify the outdoor industry’s long-time collaborative efforts to reduce the impacts of its products and processes.