Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week, including Sears Holdings revealing 80 more Sears and Kmart stores it plans to close in late March 2019 but also winning a reprieve from liquidating.
Category: Outdoor

Callaway Golf Completes Jack Wolfskin Acquisition
Callaway Golf Company announced that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Jack Wolfskin for €418 million, or approximately $476 million. The acquisition furthers Callaway’s push into the active lifestyle category after its successful 2017 acquisitions of TravisMathew and Ogio.

December M&A Roundup: Marquee Views Dakine As “Billion-Dollar Opportunity”
The final month of 2018 didn’t provide a high volume of M&A in the active lifestyle space, but a handful of notable deals helped the year close on a strong note, including Marquee Brands LLC’s acquisition of Dakine (pictured). Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed but Marquee sees Dakine as a “billion-dollar opportunity,” said Nate Pund of Houlihan Lokey.

Nike And Under Armour Land On Piper Jaffray’s “2019 Ideas” List
In a note, Erinn Murphy, analyst for Piper Jaffray, listed Nike and Under Armour among her team’s “2019 ideas.” Also making the list were Crocs, Ulta Beauty and Funko.
Weber State To Host Outdoor Recreation Business Competition
Weber State University’s (WSU) Hall Global Entrepreneurship Center has announced its second annual Outdoor Weber outdoor recreation idea competition, sponsored by Camping World.
Darby Communications Announces 2019 Stand Up Initiative Partners
Darby Communications, a boutique public relations firm specializing in the outdoor, fitness and wellness industries, has announced selections for its 2019 Stand Up Initiative.
The Ski Monster Names Matt Berkowitz Brand Director
The Ski Monster, a Boston-based retailer, announced the hire of Matt Berkowitz as brand director. Berkowitz comes from a fifteen year tenure at Fischer Skis.
Big Rock Sports Outdoor Expo Will Be App-Driven Event
Big Rock Sports Outdoor Expo Nashville attendees will be able to guide themselves through the massive national event via the company’s mobile app.

2018 Year In Review: Top Ten Stories
2018 was a tumultuous and transformative year in the active lifestyle, outdoor and sporting good industries, and SGB was there to cover every political action and channel disruption, retail rebound and corporate change, merger and acquisition.

Active Stocks Deliver Humdrum Performance In 2018
Rewarded for its turnaround progress, Crocs saw its shares catapult 105 percent in 2018, pacing a group of stocks in the active lifestyle industry. Overall, however, the industry’s stocks delivered a mixed performance. Among the stocks losing considerable ground were Hibbett Sports, Big 5, Camping World, Skechers, Newell Brands and Vista Outdoor.
Columbia Announces Closing in Buyout of China JV With Swire Resources
Columbia Sportswear Co. on Wednesday announced that effective January 2, 2019, it has closed its buyout of the remaining 40 percent interest in Columbia Sportswear Commercial (Shanghai) Co., the joint venture in China with Swire Resources Ltd., a subsidiary of Swire Pacific Ltd.
Sherpa Adventure Gear Names Peter Novak As President
Adventure apparel and accessories company Sherpa Adventure Gear on Wednesday announced that Peter Novak will be joining the Sherpa team as president. In his role, Novak will oversee commercial strategy, sales, marketing and branding at Sherpa.
The North Face Relocating Downtown Manhattan Store
The North Face is relocating its store at 139 Wooster Street in lower Manhattan to a larger location nearby at 584-588 Broadway.
Camping World Announces Executive Management Realignment
Camping World Holdings Inc. said Roger Nuttall had resigned from his position as president of the company’s dealership group and his responsibilities will be divided up between Marcus Lemonis, chairman and CEO, and four tenured Divisional RV presidents with extensive experience in the RV industry,
Christy Sports Rolls Out ERP Program
Christy Sports plans to implement a new ERP (enterprise resource planning) program to support its expansion. The first phase of the implementation is complete with Financials, Merchandising, POS, Mobile, Gift Card and Loyalty modules currently operational across the Christy Sports BootDoctors storefronts.