SGB Executive Apparel
EXEC: REI Names Mary Beth Laughton as Next CEO as Eric Artz Plans Exit
Laughton, a former REI Board Director and seasoned retail leader, will join REI as president on February 3, 2025, before assuming full CEO responsibilities on March 31.
EXEC: VF Corp. Confirms New Global Cuts; Analysts React to ICR Presentation
The parent company of The North Face, Vans, Timberland, Jansport and Dickies, among other outdoor and street lifestyle brands, continues to take action against the goals set out in its Reinvent turnaround plan.
EXEC: Adidas Preliminary 2024 Report Reveals Double-Digit Growth to €23.7B
In euro terms, the company’s revenues grew 24 percent to €5.97 billion in the fourth quarter, or 19 percent in currency-neutral terms versus Q4 2023. Excluding Yeezy for both years, currency-neutral revenues increased 13 percent.
EXEC: Authentic Taps Sports Casuals as Reebok Golf Apparel Partner
With SCI as Reebok’s apparel partner, the brand now has a head-to-toe softgoods offering, with Reebok Design Group, the brand’s global hub for design, development and innovation, handling the creation and distribution of golf footwear.
EXEC: New Balance Rides Consumer Energy and Retailer Support to Reach $7.8B in 2024
Company CEO Joe Preston, speaking at the NRF Big Show, said sales at the 118-year-old company are poised to grow another 20 percent in 2025 after increasing 20 percent to $7.8 billion in 2024.
EXEC: Perfect Moment Names Two Additional European Sales Agencies
New Look Fashion Deal will manage Perfect Moment’s wholesale distribution in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg (Benelux) and Bernd Schürmann will focus on Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH region).
EXEC: 361 Degrees Owned-Retail Growth Accelerates in Q4 as E-Commerce Jumps
361 Degrees International, Ltd. reported brick-and-mortar retail sales of 361º core-branded product increased ~ 10 percent year-over-year for the fourth quarter of 2024. E-commerce product recorded sales growth of ~ 30 percent to 35 percent.
EXEC: JD Sports Fashion Reports 3.4 Percent Organic Sales Growth for Holiday
On a year-to-date (YTD) basis through January 4, comp sales revenue was flat, and the company said it expects full-year comp sales revenue to be at a similar level as the YTD trend.
EXEC: JCPenney Merges with Sparc Group to Form Catalyst Brands
The combined Catalyst Brands organization is a joint venture formed in an all-equity transaction between JCPenney and the Sparc Group, with shareholders Simon Property Group, Brookfield Corporation, Authentic Brands Group, and Shein.
EXEC: Anta Reports Fila Retail Sales in China Swings to Growth Mode in Q4
Retail sales for the Fila brand in China reportedly increased in mid-single digits for the 2024 full-year period, while Anta brand sales improved in the high-singles year-over-year and All Other Brands, including Descente and Kolon Sport, saw fourth-quarter retail sales increase in the 40 percent to 45 percent range.
REI Shuttering Experiences Business, Cutting 428 Positions
The closure of the Experiences business will affect 180 full-time and 248 part-time employees, which are primarily guides serving the business. REI said it will re-invest in the core Camp and Backpack, Run and Hike, and Outside Life businesses.
EXEC: SGB 2025 Look Ahead with Active Lifestyle Market Leaders
Leaders in the active lifestyle space expressed cautious optimism about 2025 with inflationary pressures easing, supply chains largely normalized and generally healthy interest in sports. Insights from Academy Sports, Brooks Running, Rawlings, Fleet Feet, Selkirk Sport and others.
EXEC: SGB 2025 Look Ahead with Trade Association Leaders
Trade associations representing the active lifestyle space shared their concerns with SGB Executive regarding potential tariffs, supply chain disruptions and the likelihood of an unstable economy in 2025. However, they were generally upbeat about the year ahead.
EXEC: SGB 2024 Year in Review Wrap Up
If you are just back from two weeks in Fiji, never fear as SGB Media has you covered on the people, brands and issues that made 2024 a year to forget for many retailers and brands in the active lifestyle space.
SGB 2024 Year in Review: Active Lifestyle Stocks Under Pressure Again in 2024
For the third consecutive year, stocks in the active lifestyle market were impacted by inflation woes, tepid consumer spending and the larger public companies, including Nike, Lululemon, Columbia Sportswear and Topgolf Callaway Brands, all lost sales momentum.
