Newell Brands’ board of directors mailed a letter to the company’s shareholders on April 6 arguing that activist investor Starboard doesn’t understand the company and “has no plan.”
Category: Apparel
Decathlon Launches First U.S. Lab Store In San Francisco
Decathlon USA hosted the company’s official grand opening event at its new U.S. lab store in San Francisco.

Where And When Will The Trade War End?
President Trump this week threatened additional tariffs on Chinese imports, prompting sharp criticism from outdoor and sporting goods brands that might not be directly impacted but generally view trade wars as “so last generation,” according to Jeff Turner of Kokatat.

What Can JD Sports Bring To U.S. Sneaker Retailing?
While British retailers generally have a poor track record finding success in the U.S. retail marketplace, JD has the potential to create a strong number two beyond Foot Locker in U.S. sneaker retailing with its pending acquisition of Finish Line. That’s at least according to a few analysts in the U.K. who closely follow JD.

Retail 10-K Round-Up For 2017
A scan of just-released 10-K filings shows Under Armour’s sales fell sharply at both Dick’s Sporting Goods and Hibbett Sports in 2017, Adidas rebounded at Hibbett, Nike continued to dominate open-to-buys for Foot Locker and more insights into vendor allocations.

Aisle Talk Week Of April 2
Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week.

Trump Proposes $100 Billion In New Tariffs On Chinese Goods
President Donald Trump threatened to slap an additional $100 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods. In response, China warned it would fight back “at any cost” with fresh trade measures if the U.S. continues on its path of protectionism.
Decathlon Sets Opening Date For First Store In Canada
Decathlon will open the company’s first Canadian store on Saturday, April 21, at Mail Champlain in Brossard, just outside of Montreal.

Bigtruck Earns B Corp. Status
Bigtruck, the headwear firm, earned the B Corp Certification from non-profit B Lab, joining the global movement of businesses inspiring all businesses to compete not only to be the best in the world but to be the best for the world.

Kitbow Cycling Apparel Appoints Blum and Herrick To The Board
Industry veterans Paul Blum and Andrew Herrick have joined the board of privately-held Kitsbow Cycling Apparel.

Newell Brands’ Proxy Fight Still A Go
Believing the company’s recent partnership with famed billionaire investor Carl Icahn will be enough to fix the company, activist investor Starboard Value LP said it has no plans to drop its proxy fight against Newell Brands.

Nike Admits To Diversity Shortcomings
Coming a few weeks after allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior led to changes in the executive ranks, Nike Inc. in a memo to employees admitted to shortfalls in hiring and promoting more women and minorities to senior-level positions.

REI Co-op To Open In Kalispell, MT
This fall, REI will open a new store in Kalispell in Montana, the third store in the state.

Nike Inc. Makes Up Two-Thirds Of Foot Locker’s Sales In 2017
Foot Locker said 67 percent of the company’s merchandise in 2017 was purchased from Nike Inc., slightly down from 68 percent in 2016, according to its recently-released annual report.

A.D. Starr Becomes Official Ball Supplier Of The Little League World Series
Dick’s Sporting Goods and Dick’s Team Sports HQ announced the retailer’s bulk baseball and softball equipment business A.D. Starr has been named the Official Ball Supplier of the Little League World Series. The deal goes into effect during the 2018 season.