SGB Executive Footwear
EXEC: VF Corp.’s Q3 Benefits From Chilly Weather, Vans’ Turnaround Still Up For Debate
VF Corp. is expected by several analysts to deliver third-quarter earnings in line or potentially ahead of guidance when it reports on Wednesday, January 28,, as cold weather likely helped fuel a strong holiday quarter for The North Face and Timberland. However, skepticism remains high on whether Vans’ recovery is gaining traction.
EXEC: Pacsun Posts 10 Percent Growth in 2025 as the Retail Brand Enters International Markets
Bieane Olson, CEO of Pacsun, in a presentation at the ICR Conference, said the Los Angeles, CA-based retailer’s sales reached $970 million in 2025, expanding by 10 percent in each of the last two years, according to a research note from Needham & Co.
EXEC: Nester Hosiery CEO Talks Fox River Acquisition, Socks Opportunity
Kelly Nester, CEO of Nester Hosiery, spoke with SGB Executive about last year’s acquisition of Fox River Socks; opportunities in private label, licensed properties, and Farm to Feet; and Nester Hosiery’s 33 years in socks innovation.
EXEC: New Era on Growth Path as Annual Sales Surpass $2 Billion
At the company’s ICR presentation last week in Orlando, Florida, company Co-President Jim Patterson and CFO Kevin Wilson also revealed the Buffalo, New York-based brand is generating solid profitability with EBITDA margins running above 20 percent.
EXEC: Next Buys British Footwear Brand Russell & Bromley
U.K.-based fashion retailer Next has purchased British footwear brand Russell & Bromley through an insolvency process, paying £2.5 million pounds ($3.4 million). Russell & Bromley is run by Andrew Bromley, the fifth generation of his family to hold the reins.
EXEC: JD Sports Sees North America Comp Positive for Holiday While UK and Europe Fade
The parent of the DTLR, Finish Line, Hibbett, and Shoe Palace banners in the U.S., and the Blacks outdoor banner, among others, in the UK, Europe and Asia, reported comp sales for the nine-week holiday period were down 1.8 percent year-over-year. North America comps were up 1.5 percent.
EXEC: Anta Brand Show LSD China Retail Decline in Q4 for Anta Sports, Fila Gains
In the full year, retail sales in China for Anta Sports saw low-single-digit positive growth, mid-single-digit positive growth for Fila, and 45 percent to 50 percent positive growth for All Other Brands.
EXEC: Schuh Hires Nike Agency’s Former Marketing Ace in New Gen-Z, Gen-Alpha Focus
Laura King has been appointed chief marketing officer at Schuh, signaling what the company said is a “renewed ambition to be an unrivaled fashion footwear destination for Gen Z and Gen Alpha.”
EXEC: Xtep Int’l Names New Malaysian Distributor
The China-based running brand formed a joint venture with Bonia, a distributor with over 50 years of market expertise in Malaysia, to jointly develop the Malaysian market.
EXEC: Footasylum Plans New Store in Leeds, England
The footwear and sportswear omni-channel retail company said the 12,000-square-foot store in Leeds, England, follows the “strong performance of its former store at The Core shopping centre and last year’s successful pop-up at Trinity Leeds.”
EXEC: Stella International Q2 Footwear Shipment Volume Flat In Q4
The manufacturer of footwear for Nike, Saucony, Under Armour, Merrell, Timberland and Ugg said Footwear Manufacturing shipment volumes were flat year-over-year in the fourth quarter and increased 3.8 percent in the full year. The gains in the year were led by the Sports segment.
EXEC: Li Ning Posts LSD Decline in China Retail Sales in Fourth Quarter
Li Ning Company, Ltd. reported that retail sell-through for the fourth quarter at Li-Ning POS, excluding Li-Ning Young, declined by low-single digits year-over-year.
EXEC: REI’s CEO Discusses “Unique Challenges” Facing the Co-Op
At a session at the NRF Big Show in New York City, Mary Beth Laughton, president of REI, talked about the retailer’s many “unique assets,” citing its co-op structure, outdoor mission and “green vests” in-store associates, but also the “unique challenges” that are behind its “Peak 28: Ascending Together” three-year transformation.
EXEC: VF Brand Presidents for “Big 3” Brands Talk Transformation
At a keynote session at the NRF Big Show, the global brand presidents of VF Corp’s top brands — Sun Choe, Vans; Nina Flood, Timberland; and Caroline Brown, The North Face — discussed the playbooks they are using to transform their brands to revive or accelerate growth.
EXEC: Adidas and Nike Fight for Top Spot in UBS Global Survey
In the athletic footwear category, Nike was the top brand global consumers planned to purchase within the next 12 months, at 49 percent; followed by Adidas, 41 percent; New Balance, 17 percent; Puma, 14 percent; Air Jordan, 13 percent; Asics, 12 percent; Anta and Skechers, both 10 percent; Li-Ning, 9 percent, and Converse, 8 percent.
