SGB Executive Outdoor

EXEC: Sports Direct’s Solid Full Year Performance Offset by Other Parent Company Factors
U.K.-based Frasers Group, the parent of Sports Direct, Everlast, and Evans Cycles, among many others, reported a 7.4 percent decline in sales for its fiscal year ended April 27, as continued sales growth from Sports Direct was offset by moves to right-size other sports banners and weakness in its luxury segment.

KeyBanc Q2 Footwear Survey Finds Nike, Adidas and Hoka Trending Up
The survey of 1,001 U.S. adults conducted between June 25 and July 7, explored respondents footwear ownership, preferences, spending, and outlook. Among demographics, the Top 2 favorite brands for men and women, in order, were Nike and Adidas.

EXEC: Mips AB Saw U.S. Tariff Changes Put a Damper on Q2 Growth
The Sweden-based maker of helmet protection technologies reported net sales increased just 1 percent to SEK 135 million in the 2025 second quarter, due to currency fluctuations. Organic sales growth was 12 percent, far below the 42 percent organic growth posted in the first quarter.

EXEC: Rivian E-Bike Spin-Off Sees $1 Billion Valuation in Latest Funding Round
Also, Inc., led by company President Chris Yu, the former executive of Specialized bike components, has been leading the skunkworks team for the last few years after joining Rivian in January 2022.

EXEC: Giant Group June Bike Shipments Exhibit Worst Decline Since October 2023
June shipments declined 30.0 percent y/y to NT$4.97 billion, bringing the six-month first half period to a decline of 12.4 percent y/y to NT$32.6 billion. The June decline further builds on a 29.3 percent y/y decline in May 2024 and a 17.1 percent y/y decline in April 2025.

EXEC: Thule Group CEO Talks Q2 Upside, 2025 Opportunities and U.S. Gains After Weak Q1
Thule Group President and CEO Mattias Ankarberg said the company’s 16 percent currency-neutral growth in the second quarter was driven by new products and categories, providing clear confirmation to him that the company’s high launch pace during the year has paid off.

EXEC: Eagle Creek Owner Travis Campbell Eyes Opportunities in Adventure Travel
In September 2021, Travis Campbell made a leap in acquiring Eagle Creek, a brand that its former owner and his former employer, VF Corp., had planned to discontinue. He talks to SGB Executive about the ongoing reset of Eagle Creek and the opportunities in the adventure travel consumer market.

EXEC: Osprey Grows, Hydro Flask Slows in First Quarter
Shares of Helen of Troy tumbled about 23 percent Thursday, July 10, after the company reported a loss in the fiscal first quarter ended May 31 on a 10.8 sales decline and issued guidance for the current quarter that was well below analyst targets. Of the sales decline, approximately eight percentage points was attributed to tariffs.

EXEC: Town of Nederland Acquires Eldora Mountain Resort from Powdr
Powdr will continue to support the Mountain for the first two winters and summers. The Town’s Board said it will partner with 303 Ski, a coalition of Front Range ski industry veterans, who have been instrumental in vetting operating plans, conducting financial modeling and assessing community programming.

EXEC: Former Brooks CEO Jim Weber Highlights Key Leadership Traits
At a keynote session held during Switchback Spring, which took place from June 16-18 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, Jim Weber, former CEO of Brooks Running, listed focus, curiosity and trust as his “winning” trifecta formula for leadership success.

EXEC: Cinelli Now Assembling High-End Road and Gravel Bikes in the U.S.
The models, including Pressure ADR (Road Endurance), Pressure II (Road Race) and King Zydeco II (Gravel Race), are now being built at the Cinelli Logistics Center in Ames, IA.

EXEC: Trump Looks to Make Public Lands Great Again
It is refreshing to see the work the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and its 50 national members have done to develop and maintain a bipartisan approach to issues that threaten to impact access, creation and expansion of Public Lands in the U.S.

EXEC: Trump Announces New Trade Deal with Vietnam
The revised deal includes the elimination of Vietnam tariffs on U.S. goods and a higher tariff on Vietnam shipments to the U.S, although it amounts to less than half of the 46 percent tariff imposed by the Trump Administration in early April.

EXEC: Accell Group Tracking Toward “Sustainable Recovery” After Tough 2024
The Dutch parent of the Babboe, Batavus, Carqon, Ghost, Haibike, Koga, Lapierre, Raleigh, Sparta, and Winora bicycle brands said sales dropped 22 percent in 2024 due to extensive discounting in the bike space but growth has resumed in the parts and accessories) business and certain key regions in early signs of recovery.

EXEC: Belgian Cycling Factory Opens UK/Ireland Distribution Office
The UK division is a partnership between Russell Merry, a long-time industry veteran with leadership roles at Hot Wheels, Cycling Sports Group and Frasers Group/Evans Cycles, and Jochim Aerts, CEO of Belgian Cycling Factory, headquartered in Beringen, Belgium.