SGB Executive Outdoor
What Would Anta’s Merger Mean For Amer Sports?
“What’s Anta Sports?” was among the questions heard from more than a few market observers after news arrived Tuesday that the Chinese sports powerhouse had made an all-cash offer to acquire Amer Sports. But Anta has spelled out the company’s ambitions to become a global superpower in sporting goods and is ideally-positioned to attack major growth opportunities in the company’s home market.
Peak Resorts Expecting Nice Return On Ski Area Investments
Continued progress with the ongoing construction of a new lodge at Mount Snow in Vermont and terrain expansion at Hunter Mountain in New York will soon pay off for ski resort operator Peak Resorts Inc., which on Tuesday reported Q1 revenue and earnings missed Wall Street targets.
August M&A Roundup: Implus Nets Sporting Goods Asset
The last full month of summer was again quiet on the M&A front, with only a handful of notable deals in the sporting goods, outdoor and active lifestyle industries. But August did get off to a strong start when Implus announced the company would acquire Pro Performance Sports LLC, dba SKLZ, a provider of multisport athletic performance and skill development training products.
Retail Reports Roundup
Studies arrived showing Nike and Lululemon ranking high among favorite retailers for millennial and Gen Z consumers; Outdoor Voices landing among LinkedIn’s top startups and research on visual search, online personalization, Walmart’s online share gains and voice assistant shopping.
Moosejaw’s CEO Addresses Walmart Concerns In Open Letter
On Linkedin, Eoin Comerford, Moosejaw’s CEO, wrote an open letter to the outdoor industry asserting that the development of the Premium Outdoor Store on Walmart was done in the spirit of “inclusivity” and he’s “surprised by the vehemence of the attacks by some of our industry’s leading retailers and the threats to drop brands that participated.”
Aisle Talk Week Of September 3
Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week, including the tragic death of Jason Hairston, the founder of the KUIU hunting apparel brand.
Zumiez Q2 Gets Boost From Vans
Zumiez delivered the company’s “strongest second quarter in several years,” according to Rick Brooks, CEO, with a big boost from Vans.
Duluth Trading’s Revenues Accelerate In Q2
Helped by a pickup in sales in the company’s direct business, Duluth Holdings Inc., the parent of Duluth Trading Company, reported sales grew 28.3 percent in the second quarter, accelerating from the 19.7 percent gain seen in the first quarter. Both earnings and sales topped Wall Street guidance although the apparel company maintained guidance for the year.
Dick’s Touts Strong Vendor Relationships
Despite aggressive shifts by many vendors to pursue growth in direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels and the widely-covered challenges the chain is facing with Under Armour, Ed Stack, Dick’s Sporting Goods’ CEO, told attendees at Goldman Sachs’ Annual Global Retailing Conference that the chain’s vendor relationship have “never really been better.”
SGB Exec Q&A: Decathlon USA’s COO Sophie O’Kelly De Gallagh
Sophie O’Kelly de Gallagh, COO of Decathlon USA, talked to SGB about Decathlon’s return to U.S.retailing with the company’s “lab” store in San Francisco, the retailer’s unique vertically-integrated model and expansion plans.
Aisle Talk Week of August 27
Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week, including Black Diamond Equipment Ltd. sending Walmart a cease and desist notice in response to the launch of a new outdoor website on Walmart.com curated by Moosejaw.
5 Takeaways From Paddlesports Retailer
Now that the sun has set on the second annual Paddlesports Retailer show, SGB is highlighting key takeaways from the event, including reaction to the new venue, the hottest trend in paddlesports and why the specialty channel remains a priority amid market changes.
Dick’s Blames Q2 Top-Line Shortfall On Under Armour
Dick’s Sporting Goods reported earnings that easily topped Wall Street’s targets but sales came in well below as weakness from Under Armour continued to place a drag on sales. On a conference call with analysts, Ed Stack, CEO, said the company is “repositioning” its Under Armour business, including gaining more exclusives from the brand while finding other product to fill traditional Under Armour space.
Superfeet: Taking Shape To New Realms
Superfeet has grown more than 40 percent in the last five years, moved into footwear and 3D-printing, become 100-percent employee owned and now has a new mission statement. John Rauvola, Superfeet’s CEO, discusses the new mission, emerging opportunities in new and old areas, and the company’s unique culture.
Moosejaw Brings Premium Outdoor To Walmart.com
In an interview with SGB Executive, Eoin Comerford, general manager of Outdoor, Walmart U.S. e-commerce and CEO of Moosejaw, said Wal-Mart’s “whole strategy” in acquiring several specialty e-tailers was to bring a “wider assortment” to the Walmart.com platform. A curated website distinct from the Moosejaw.com website was eventually seen as the best path for both businesses.
