SGB Executive Apparel

Aisle Talk Week of April 30
Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week, including Nike Inc. CEO Mark Parker (pictured) holding a rare company-wide staff meeting at Nike headquarters to apologize for recent incidents at the company.

Vans ‘Nothing Short Of Outstanding’ in Q1
Vans delivered another record quarter for VF Corp., which rode the footwear brand and the rest of its portfolio to an outstanding first quarter. VF reported earnings of $252.8 million, or 65 cents per share, for the quarter ended March 31, up 20.9 percent from the same quarter a year ago.

Adidas AG’s North American Momentum Continues
Adidas AG said a slowdown in Western Europe and continued weakening the company’s key footwear franchises in the first quarter was more than matched by strong sales momentum overall in North America and Greater China, an accelerating apparel business and strong full-price selling.

April M&A Roundup: What’s In Store For Volcom?
April was relatively quiet with fewer notable deals in the sporting goods, outdoor and lifestyle brand verticals, but some large companies such as Columbia and Nike acquired growth while some brands such as Volcom were put on the market.

Big 5 Wacked By Weather Woes In Q1
Big 5 Sporting Goods reported that a lack of cold weather crushed its winter business early in the first quarter while the arrival of chilly weather restrained its spring business later in the quarter.

Under Armour Elevates ‘Loud Brand, Quiet Company’ Focus
A mostly positive first quarter that saw Under Armour Inc. beat analyst expectations on earnings and revenue has the company doubling down on the “loud brand, quiet company” strategy announced earlier this year.

Champion Shines Again For HanesBrands In Q1
HanesBrands Inc. said Champion’s sales outside of the mass channel in the U.S. catapulted over 50 percent in the first quarter, driven by strong consumer demand, space gains in the specialty channels and growth in the online channel.

SGB Executive Q&A: Hibbett Execs Discuss New App, Digital Strategy
Jeff Rosenthal and Bill Quinn of Hibbett Sporting Goods spoke with SGB Executive about how the company’s newly unveiled app fits into the retailer’s digital strategy and was designed to meet consumers’ shopping and buying demands.

SGB Executive: Q&A with Matt O’Toole, President, Reebok
SGB Executive talked to Matt O’Toole, Reebok’s president, about the fitness-first brand’s headquarter’s move to the heart of Boston, the Muscle Up turnaround strategy, and untapped growth opportunities.

Aisle Talk Week Of April 23
Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week.

Columbia’s Strong Q1 Sparks $10M Investment Plan
An impressive first-quarter performance not only increased Columbia Sportswear Co.’s sales expectations for 2018 but also bolstered plans for the company to invest $10 million in e-commerce and other capabilities in the second half of the year.

Amer Sports’ Q1 Boosted By DTC, China And Arc’teryx
Amer Sports’ operating earnings before charges rose 14 percent in the first quarter, boosted by robust growth across its DTC channels and in China as well as strong momentum for Arc’teryx, Precor and Sunto.

Running Participation Declines Expected To Level Off
With race participation slipping in recent years, a big American win and the gnarly conditions at the Boston Marathon shined a much-needed spotlight on the sport of running. Yet race organizers and running industry execs still believe a renewed focus on delivering unique experiences will be necessary to again drive up race finishers.

Puma Prepares To Shift Production From China Over Tariff Concerns
While delivering robust first-quarter results and lifting its outlook for the year, Bjørn Gulden, CEO of Puma SE, spent the majority of the company’s quarterly conference call with journalists discussing the potential negative impact of tariffs on China.

New Digs Bolster Adidas Outdoor’s Growth Plans
Adidas Outdoor USA has opened a new office in Golden, CO, giving the company a strategic hub in the Rocky Mountains as it looks to gain share across trail running, cycling, hiking and climbing footwear and apparel categories.