SGB Executive Footwear
North Face Amps Up Engagement And Storytelling In Williamsburg Concept Store
In a walk-through of North Face’s new Protoype concept in Williamsburg, Mark Parker, the brand’s VP of direct to consumer (DTC), said the store showcases North Face’s expansive lifestyle offerings, puts a major focus on community engagement and will serve as a testing lab for future retail ideas. Said Parker, “This is a place where we’re going to play and learn.”
Kohl’s Sees Q3 Comps In Active Segment Jump 10 Percent
The Active segment for Kohl’s, which has grown to represent about 20 percent of the retailer’s mix, saw comps climb 10 percent in the third quarter and Kohl’s officials believes the chain is increasingly being perceived as a go-to place for active apparel. Shares slipped on a weak guidance for the fourth quarter.
TJX Shares Slip On Q3 Gross Margin Dip, Earnings Miss
Shares of The TJX Cos. fell $2.14, or 4.4 percent, Tuesday as increased freight costs and supply chain expenses offset the company’s strong expense leverage in the third quarter, dropping gross margin 90 bps to 28.9 percent.
Recovery The Theme At NYC Marathon Expo
Products supporting recovery for runners dominated many of the offerings at the recent NYC Marathon Expo but an overall message of recovery for the industry was also heard from attending exhibitors. Said Luke Rowe, SVP at CEP, “The bottom was hit and they’re bouncing back.”
Nordstrom, Macy’s Stand Out In Disparate Q3 For Department Stores
Department stores are a mixed bag heading into Black Friday and the 2018 Holiday Season, as companies like Nordstrom Inc. and Macy’s raised guidance with hopes of closing out the year on strong footing while J.C. Penney and Dillard’s continued looking for ways to keep from stumbling.
Shoe Carnival Blasts Past EPS Targets On Robust BTS Selling
Shoe Carnival Inc. significantly raised its earnings guidance for the year after reporting third-quarter results beat plan due to robust back-to-school selling and fatter margins. Same-store sales expanded 4.5 percent with a mid-single-digit increase in both women’s and men’s non-athletic and a low single-digits in adult athletics.
Aisle Talk Week of November 12
Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week, including Tony Hawk announcing the launch of D/CAL, a hybrid brand consultancy and creative agency, with Adam Wilson, Jared Prindle and Ryan Maconochie.
SGB Executive Q&A: Scarpa North America CEO Kim Miller
Scarpa North America CEO Kim Miller sat down with SGB recently to discuss a wide range of topics, from the changes he’s seen in the footwear business over a long career to Scarpa’s success as a family-owned boot and shoe maker for 80 years to how the industry can raise its voice on such issues as public lands.
Canada Goose CEO: Baffin Is ‘Dream Acquisition’
Canada Goose Holdings Inc. President and CEO Dani Reiss couldn’t hide his excitement on Wednesday morning’s conference call with analysts when discussing the company’s recent addition of footwear maker and fellow Canadian and cold-weather brand Baffin Inc. “This is a dream acquisition for me as I’ve been watching and admiring Baffin for many years and I know them very well,” Reiss said.
New Iconix CEO Seeks More Global Approach
Noting that the majority of the company’s 29 brands “have more mindshare than closet share,” Bob Galvin in his first conference call as president and CEO of Iconix Brand Group Inc. promised to push collaboration among licensing partners in a more unified approach. Unfortunately, a bad debt charge from Sears’ bankruptcy stalled progress in the latest quarter.
4 Hot Topics From Outdoor Retailer Winter Market
Exhibitors and retailers offered mixed reviews of last week’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market—the first in November and first in Denver—with the majority of companies that SGB interviewed saying they lamented the show’s lack of attendees and overall dearth of energy but lauded the show’s new date.
Mizuno’s Americas Region Returns To Profitability In Six Months
Mizuno Corp. reported that sales in the Americas dropped 16 percent in the second quarter ended September 30 but the region returned to the black in the six months.
Bogs Impacted By Later Fall Shipments In Q3
Bogs’ sales were down 5.3 percent on a wholesale basis for the third quarter as shipments shifted later into the fall season. But parent Weyco Group still expects the outdoor shoe brand to deliver an increase in revenue for the year.
Jim Weber Discusses Brooks’ Renewed Momentum
In October, Brooks Running Co. reported a whopping 29-percent increase in global revenue in the first nine months of this year, representing a strong bounce back for footwear’s run specialty leader. Here, Brooks Running CEO Jim Weber discusses Brooks’ return to strong double-digit growth, the recovering run specialty channel, the challenges around potential tariffs and what’s ahead for Brooks in 2019.
Morgan Stanley Bearish On JD Sports/Finish Line Merger
In a report entitled, “Is the Finish Line a step too far?,” Morgan Stanley initiated coverage of JD Sports Fashion Plc with an “Underweight” rating largely due to concerns over its recent mega-acquisition of The Finish Line. Part of that concern is that the merger comes as Nike and Adidas are rapidly expanding their direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels.
