
EXEC: Head Group Set to Acquire Aqualung Group in Move to Dominate Dive Market
Victor Vadaneaux has been appointed CEO of Aqualung Group to ensure a smooth transition and integration. He has been a member of the group’s Supervisory Board and an advisor to the company since 2024.

EXEC: Wall Street Reacts to Tariff News but Port Traffic Decline May Reflect a Sad Reality
The Dow and the S&P 500 both bounced on April 22 after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trump’s primary negotiator on tariff deals, said that he believes the Administration’s ongoing tariff war with China will de-escalate soon because the rift is not sustainable.

EXEC: Thule, Inc. Files Warn Notice to Eliminate 22 Positions in Colorado
The Sweden-based maker of rack systems and bags for active lifestyle activities indicated in its WARN Notice filing that the reason for the 22 terminations was “closure.”

EXEC: Rhone Takes Unique Approach to Engaging with Customers Over Tariff Issue
Rather than the possibility of dropping tariffs on customers down the road the company lays out expectations and engages with them. And if you sell a few more shirts, shorts and pants along the way, so much the better.

EXEC: Analysts Make Tariff Impact Calls on Footwear and Apparel Stocks
Those experiencing price target cuts included Birkenstock, Crocs, Inc., Foot Locker, Nike, On Holding, Skechers, VF Corp., and Wolverine World Wide. Some of those hit hardest included Boot Barn, Deckers and Under Armour.

EXEC: Largest Asia FW Factory Warns on Q1 Profit Decline as Margins Shrink
The expected decrease in profit for the quarter was reported to be mainly attributable to the negative impact on gross margin due to “an increase in unit costs for footwear manufacturing, amid a volatile operating environment led by a complex and dynamic global economic landscape.”

EXEC: Saucony Brand Exceeds 40 Percent Q1 Retail Growth in China
MS (China) Sports Company Limited, a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Xtep International Holdings Limited, operates under licensing and royalty agreements for the Merrell and Saucony brands and subsidiaries in China.

EXEC: Chinese Factory Group Blames Lower Q1 Sales on Sport Footwear ASPs
The Group’s non-Sports manufacturing facilities continue to operate at close to full utilization. Stella said it will drive quality growth through the ramp-up of new production factories in Bangladesh and Indonesia.

EXEC: Colt CZ Group Provides Insight of Tariffs Impact
For the time being, the company said it will not revise its guidance for 2025 until it evaluates potential scenarios, including developments in the commercial market in the U.S.

EXEC: Stone Island Q1 Sales Decline Cuts into Moncler Group Growth
The parent of the Moncler and Stone Island luxury sportswear brands, reached consolidated revenues of €829.0 million in the 2025 first quarter, up 1 percent on a constant-currency basis compared with the 2024 first quarter.

EXEC: Sports Direct Inks Retail Agreement to Expand in Australia and New Zealand
Accent Group plans to build a large Sports Direct business in Australia with an initial rollout of at least 50 Sports Direct stores plus online targeted over the first six years.

EXEC: UK-Based Passenger Outdoor Brand Hits Temporary “Pause” in U.S. Market
The action by the UK-based company is said to be both an effort to hit pause due to the issues surrounding the rapidly changing tariff situation in the U.S. and also due to a strategy to focus more on its fast-growing EU business.

UPDATED: NFL and NFLPA Helmet Lab Testing Results by Brand and Model
Notably, the NFL said the lab testing results are supported by recent on-field data — players who wore top-performing helmets had a substantially lower rate of concussions than players wearing lesser-performing helmets.

EXEC: Giant Group March Bike Shipments Turn Negative as Tariffs Hit
March shipments declined 5.3 percent year-over-year to NT$6.75 billion, reducing the year-to-date (first quarter) to a growth of 4.9 percent to NT$16.9 billion.

EXEC: Intersport International Will See Prodigal Son Tom Foley Return as CEO in July 2025
Tom Foley most recently served as CEO at Go Sport where led a chain of stores and a network of international franchises. Foley’s background also includes a stint as general manager for Intersport UK and Ireland, a role he served in for six years until 2017.