Walmart Names New Chief Merchant In Exec Shuffle

Walmart appointed Charles Redfield as chief merchandising officer. He is replacing Scott McCall, who is retiring. Chief Customer Officer Janey Whiteside is leaving the company, according to an internal memo attained by the Wall Street Journal.

Holiday Sales Grew 14.1 Percent

Retail sales during 2021’s November/December holiday season grew 14.1 percent over 2020 to $886.7 billion, beating the National Retail Federation’s forecast and setting a record despite challenges from inflation, supply chain disruptions and the pandemic, NRF said.

Report: StockX Exploring IPO

StockX has retained Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. to explore a planned U.S. initial public offering as soon as the first half of 2022, sources told Bloomberg.

Big 5 Sees Q4 EPS Well Above Guidance

Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation pre-announced fourth-quarter results for the period ended January 2 that showed earnings came in above company guidance due to margins coming in significantly ahead of plan. Steven Miller, the company’s CEO, said in a statement, “While issues surrounding the pandemic are ongoing, we believe the business is in a great position heading into 2022.”

Arc’teryx Closes 2021 With 21 Global Retail Openings

Arc’teryx announced it opened 21 stores internationally in 2021. The company also celebrated its first ReBird Repair and Service Center in New York with plans to establish more centers as the brand expands its ReBird circularity initiatives in 2022.

Soccer Shots Secures Investment

Soccer Shots, the youth soccer franchisor, has secured an investment from Susquehanna Private Capital. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Evo Acquires Rhythm Japan

Evo, the Seattle-based outdoor retailer, has acquired Rhythm Japan, a Hokkaido, Japan-based snow gear rental company, along with its winter apparel brand, Oyuki.

JD Sports Raises Outlook On Merry Holiday Results

JD Sports Fashion, which owns Finish Line, DTLR Villa and Shoe Palace in the U.S., on Wednesday raised its annual profit forecast for the second time in four months. Total revenues for the twenty-two week period ended January in the Group’s same-store businesses were more than 10 percent ahead of the same period in 2020 with an equally positive performance across the Black Friday and Christmas period.

Tecovas Secures $56 Million In Series C Funding

Tecovas, an Austin, TX-based Western footwear, apparel and accessories brand, announced that it has secured $56 million in Series C funding, bringing the brand’s total lifetime equity funding to approximately $120 million.