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Aisle Talk Week of December 31

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.

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.

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.

Gone…Not Forgotten

Friends who left us in 2018 included Nike’s Sandy Bodecker (above), The North Face’s Ann Krcik and Jason Hairston, founder SITKA and KUIU.

2018 Year In Review: Movers And Shakers Give Industry New Look

The active lifestyle, outdoor and sporting goods industries saw plenty of executive appointments and promotions in 2018, with companies like Nike Inc. and VF Corp. among those that saw the most announcements throughout the year, including G. Scott Uzzell (pictured) being named president and CEO of Nike subsidiary Converse Inc.

2018 Bankruptcy Blotter

Performance Bicycle and Sears led a number of companies that landed in bankruptcy court in 2018 although the case load was lighter than recent years and a major liquidation was avoided for a change. Others major filings included Rockport, Bon-Ton, Walking Company, Remington Outdoor and AcuSport.

2018 Year In Review: Most-Read SGB Executive Stories

SGB Executive covered an array of sporting goods, outdoors and active lifestyle stories in 2018, but clearly some topics resonated with readers more than others. Our list of the 25 most popular SGB Executive stories during the past 12 months ranges from channel upheaval to companies taking a stance on social issues to new executive appointments to brands’ financial success or sluggishness.

2018 Year In Review: M&A Goes Outside The Box

A healthy dose of straightforward mergers and acquisitions occurred in the sporting goods, outdoor and active lifestyle industries in 2018, but a handful of unconventional deals stole the spotlight. Outside-the-box transactions—which garnered much more attention than traditional ones—included a consortium of Chinese investors and a well-known active lifestyle name purchasing Amer Sports (pictured).

Wall Street Reacts: Nike Q219

With better-than-anticipated revenue and gross margins driven by a healthy innovation cycle, an acceleration of growth in North America and continued digital momentum, Nike reported second-quarter earnings and revenues that handily topped Wall Street targets and wowed many analysts. Here’s what some had to say. 

Nike North America Bounces Back To Near Double Digit Growth In Q2

Led by a continued resurgence in North America, accelerated growth in China and continued gangbuster digital growth, Nike reported Q2 earnings and sales easily topped Wall Street’s targets and lifted its guidance for the year. Said Andy Campion, CFO, “As we’re beginning to gain greater insight into fiscal year ’20, we’re seeing continued strong demand.”

Nike CEO Mark Parker: Company Focused On Digital Growth, Women’s Market

After Nike Inc. blew past earnings and revenue estimates in the second quarter, CEO Mark Parker had plenty to discuss on Thursday afternoon’s earnings conference call with analysts. Two distinct themes about Nike’s future path emerged in Parker’s comments: continued digital growth and a heightened focus on women’s footwear and apparel business.

Aisle Talk Week Of December 17

Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week, including Thule Group’s announcement of the acquisition of rooftop tent maker Tepui Outdoors Inc. for $9.5 million.

Holiday Reports Point To Merry Retail Haul

With a few days to go, reports continue to arrive indicating the retail industry is heading for record holiday sales. Here, the latest holiday insights around online selling, last-minute procrastinators, returns, BOPIS demand, millennial gifting and more.

OIA Webinar: Tariff War Likely Driving Extensive Supply Chain Changes

In a seminar presented by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), trade experts at KPMG said the U.S./China tariff war may end but the underlying geo-political issues impacting overall trade won’t any time soon. As a result, a holistic “intelligent supply chain” approach that encompasses both customs and supply chain planning will be required in the future.