Pure Fishing Hits The Selling Bock

Pure Fishing, the parent company of well-known fishing brands Berkley, Abu Garcia, Penn, Fenwick, Sterns, Mitchell, Pflueger, Shakespeare, Ugly Stik Spiderwire, among others, has joined Rawlings on the list of businesses Newell Brands is looking to divest.

Aisle Talk Week of April 30

Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week, including Nike Inc. CEO Mark Parker (pictured) holding a rare company-wide staff meeting at Nike headquarters to apologize for recent incidents at the company.

Vans ‘Nothing Short Of Outstanding’ in Q1

Vans delivered another record quarter for VF Corp., which rode the footwear brand and the rest of its portfolio to an outstanding first quarter. VF reported earnings of $252.8 million, or 65 cents per share, for the quarter ended March 31, up 20.9 percent from the same quarter a year ago.

April Retail Jobs Up 3,700 From March

Retail industry employment increased by 3,700 jobs seasonally adjusted in April over March and 48,900 jobs unadjusted year-over-year, the National Retail Federation said Friday.

Nike Holds Staff Meeting Over Culture Challenges

On Thursday, Mark Parker, CEO of Nike Inc., held a rare company-wide staff meeting at the company’s  headquarters to apologize for allowing a culture where staff members were excluded and workplace complaints of inappropriate behavior were dismissed, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Adidas AG’s North American Momentum Continues

Adidas AG said a slowdown in Western Europe and continued weakening the company’s key footwear franchises in the first quarter was more than matched by strong sales momentum overall in North America and Greater China, an accelerating apparel business and strong full-price selling.

Adidas Records Double-Digit Top- And Bottom-Line Growth In Q1

Adidas reported earnings climbed 17 percent in the first quarter as sales grew on a currency-neutral basis and gross margin expanded 150 basis points. Growth was particularly strong in North America, up 21 percent on a currency-neutral basis, and Asia-Pacific, ahead 15 percent.

Academy Sports To Open Two New Locations In NC

Academy Ltd., dba Academy Sports + Outdoors, will open the company’s first stores in Matthews, NC and Winston-Salem, NC, this summer. The company recently opened the first store in New Bern, NC, last month.

April M&A Roundup: What’s In Store For Volcom?

April was relatively quiet with fewer notable deals in the sporting goods, outdoor and lifestyle brand verticals, but some large companies such as Columbia and Nike acquired growth while some brands such as Volcom were put on the market.

Big 5 Wacked By Weather Woes In Q1

Big 5 Sporting Goods reported that a lack of cold weather crushed its winter business early in the first quarter while the arrival of chilly weather restrained its spring business later in the quarter.