SGB Executive Footwear
EXEC: Saks Global Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy; Secures $1.75 Billion in DIP Financing
Saks Global Executive Chairman Richard Baker is stepping down from the CEO role he assumed this month, and Neiman Marcus CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck will guide the company through the Chapter 11 proceedings. He has appointed a new chief commercial officer and a chief of global brand partnerships.
EXEC: JD Sports Looks to Elevate Curation at U.S. Athletic Specialty
JD Sports’ North America business generates about $6 billion in annual sales following the add-on acquisitions of Shoe Palace, DTLR and Hibbett. Régis Schultz said that with the follow-up acquisitions, JD has “nice coverage” nationwide, and he said the North American operation has become a “very profitable business.”
EXEC: VF Corp. CEO Outlines Keys for Vans, TNF and Timberland Revivals
Speaking Tuesday, January 13, at the ICR Conference in Orlando, FL, VF President and CEO Bracken Darrell said Vans continues to find success with new product as the brand moves forward on its recovery while also spelling out significant opportunities for The North Face to expand in the U.S. and for Timberland to capitalize on the recent fashion revival in the Premium 6-inch boot.
EXEC: Top Asia Footwear Factories Finish 2025 on Another Down Note in December
Feng Tay Enterprises, one of the longest-tenured producers of Nike footwear, saw Manufacturing revenues dip slightly year-over-year in December, while outdoor and athletic footwear maker Yue Yuen factory output decline 3.7 percent year-over-year. Both companies reported revenue declines for the year.
EXEC: On Delivers Robust Holiday Selling on Premium Proposition
Speaking at the ICR Conference 2026, Martin Hoffmann, CEO and CFO at On Holding AG, said the Swiss footwear brand delivered a strong holiday performance, attributing it to efforts to establish a premium positioning and avoid discounting.
EXEC: Dick’s SG’s Ed Stack Eyes Big Opportunity in “Fixer Upper” Foot Locker
On Sunday, January 11, during a session at the National Retail Federation (NRF) 2026 venue, Ed Stack, executive chairman of Dick’s Sporting Goods, took a deep dive into the company’s leadership strategies which have paved the way for its success while also indicating that he remained bullish on Dick’s recently-acquired Foot Locker business which he described as a “fixer upper.”
EXEC: Needham Downgrades Nike, Replaces Deckers Brands with VF Corp. on Conviction List
Needham & Co. downgraded Nike’s shares due to sluggish progress on its turnaround while adding VF Corp. to its conviction list on expectations over a strong holiday quarter for The North Face and Timberland. Deckers was removed from Needham’s conviction list due to projected continued slowing growth at Hoka and Ugg.
Report: Anta Offers to Acquire Puma Stake from Pinault Family
According to three sources, China’s Anta Sports has offered to buy the Pinault family’s 29 percent stake in Puma. Anta has secured financing for the acquisition should a deal go through, two sources said. One source, however, said the situation had stalled.
EXEC: RG Barry Parent Marubeni Acquires Jacobson Group and Its Brand Portfolio
The Japanese conglomerate has acquired Jacobson Group, the owner of the British retro sneaker brand Gola. Jacobson’s portfolio of footwear brands also includes Lotus, Ravel and Frank Wright, along with licensed brands Dunlop and Lonsdale.
EXEC: Market Shrugs Off Adidas Downgrade; Analyst Sees Weaker Europe SG Space
It appears that BofA may see the Sportsyle trend slowing and the performance bump from the World Cup and the Winter Olympics may only result in a short-term bump – at least in Europe.
EXEC: SGB 2026 Look Ahead — Active Lifestyle Footwear Leaders
Footwear leaders in the active lifestyle space are hopeful that product differentiation and enhanced online engagement can help soften the sting of higher footwear prices in 2026. Forecasts for 2026 from industry leaders at AAFA, Altra Running, Brooks Running, Circana, Charm City Run, Diadora, FDRA, Fleet Feet, Gazelle Sports, Lowa, Playmakers, and RG Barry Brands.
EXEC: SGB 2026 Look Ahead – Active Lifestyle Industry Analysts and Advisors
This is the first installment in a series of articles from SGB Media exploring the industry’s outlook for 2026, with future reporting to include the viewpoints of vendors, retailers, component companies, and trade organizations in the active and outdoor lifestyle space. Insights from executives at Houlihan Lokey, RW Baird, Lincoln International, Karnan Associates, Wells Fargo, Stifel, BCE Consulting, and Outsize Consulting.
SGB 2025 Year in Review: Active Lifestyle Stocks Take It On the Chin Again
The wide majority of stocks trading in the active lifestyle space in 2025 sharply underperformed broader market gains for the fourth straight year. The lackluster performance was in large part due to disruptions from tariffs, as well as stalled turnaround efforts in several major stocks, including Nike, VF Corp. and Lululemon.
EXEC: Arklyz Completes Acquisition of Gabor Shoes
Arklyz, the Swiss parent of The Athlete’s Foot, has completed its acquisition of Gabor Shoes, a German brand known for its women’s shoes designed in Germany and handcrafted in Europe.
EXEC: Apple CEO Doubles Stake in Nike, Inc.; NKE Shares Move Higher
NKE shares rose in low single-digits overnight on news that Apple CEO Tim Cook took advantage of the lower share price and jumped in with a ~$3 million purchase of NKE shares on Monday, December 22.
