Sports Engineering Inc. (SEI) announced that former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Joe Theismann has joined SEI to help advance SEI’s SmartSpring technology. SEI is continuing its efforts to make footwear and sports equipment safer for athletes and active people of all ages.
Category: Footwear

Brooks Brothers Files Counterclaim Against Brooks Sports
Brooks Brothers Group Inc. announced that it has filed a response and counterclaim against Brooks Sports, Inc. for breach of contract, trademark infringement, dilution and unfair competition. The lawsuit seeks to eliminate potential consumer deception or confusion caused by Brooks Sports by intentionally dropping its logo in association with its brand name.

The Buckle’s Comps Improve 6 Percent In February
The Buckle Inc. announced that comparable store net sales, for stores open at least one year, for the 4-week period ended February 29, 2020 increased 6.3 percent.

Under Armour’s Long-Time PR Chief Steps Down
Diane Pelkey, Under Armour’s long-time SVP of communications, has left the company. She joined Under Armour in 2007.

Nike Temporarily Closes London Headquarters Over Coronavirus
Nike has temporarily closed its London headquarters in Soho as cases of coronavirus spreads in the U.K. Another Nike office at Doxford Park near Sunderland was also temporarily closed.

Boardriders’ Debt Ratings Downgraded
Moody’s Investors Service downgraded Boardriders Inc.’s ratings, including the corporate family rating to Caa1 from B3, probability of default rating to Caa1-PD from B3-PD, and secured term loan rating to Caa1 from B3. The outlook is stable.

Ross Stores Sees 4 Percent Comp Gain In Q4
Ross Stores Inc. reported earnings per share for the 13 weeks ended February 1, 2020 grew 7 percent to $1.28 on net income of $456 million. Sales for the fourth quarter of 2019 were $4.4 billion, with comparable-store sales up 4 percent on top of a 4 percent gain in the prior-year period.

Urban Outfitters’ Q4 Earnings Slump
Urban Outfitters Inc. reported earnings on an adjusted basis fell 45.6 percent in the fourth quarter. Comparable Retail segment net sales increased 4 percent, driven by growth in the digital channel, partially offset by negative retail store sales

REI Closes Corporate Campuses Over Coronavirus Precautions
REI, based in Seattle, is temporarily closing three corporate campuses in Washington state to conduct a deep cleaning process after learning that two headquarter employees may have been exposed to coronavirus. REI’s King County and Alderwood stores are also undergoing a deep cleaning.

Decathlon’s Sales Grew 9 Percent in 2019
Decathlon, the French-sporting goods chan, reported sales rose 9 percent in 2019, to over €12.4 billion ($13.78 bn).

Kohl’s Q4 Earnings Top Wall Street Targets
Kohl’s Inc. reported a small decline in earnings in the fourth quarter on flat same-store sales but both EPS and sales exceeded Wall Street’s targets. Michelle Gass, Kohl’s CEO, said, “We are encouraged by the acceleration of traffic and new customer acquisition in our stores and online driven by the unprecedented level of new brands and partnerships we launched during the year.”

Dick’s Sporting Goods To Open Four Stores In March
Dick’s Sporting Goods set plans to open two Dick’s Sporting Goods locations in Chattanooga, TN; and Hagerstown, MD; as well as two Golf Galaxy locations in Warwick, RI; and Berwyn, PA.

Nike And Columbia Sportswear Take Emergency Coronavirus Precautions
Nike closed its Oregon headquarters over the weekend and is closing European headquarters in Amsterdam on Monday and Tuesday for deep cleaning in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Columbia Sportswear also over the weekend thoroughly disinfected its offices in Portland, OR.

Shaun White Ends Olympic Skateboarding Bid
Shaun White, the three-time snowboarding champion, said he won’t try to qualify for the U.S. skateboarding team in that sport’s Olympic debut later this year in Tokyo.

Coronavirus Threatens U.S. Mall Traffic
According to a survey from Coresight Research, nearly three-quarters of U.S. consumers would stay away from malls or shopping centers if the coronavirus outbreak worsens in the U.S.