SGB Executive

The CEO of a Denver-based oilfield services firm reportedly fired the latest salvo in a campaign to take on The North Face and its Denver-based parent, VF Corp., on its stand against fossil fuels. The latest campaign is apparently in response to TNF’s December 2020 denial of a jacket order from Innovex Downhole Solutions Inc., a Texas oil and gas company.

Tilly’s Inc. reported its best first-quarter net sales and EPS since becoming a public company in 2012 as the action-sport chain’s sales recovery coming out of the pandemic gains momentum. Tilly’s officials also said its expansion of hard goods is seeing a good response and the sustainability section on its website would expand to more than 1,000 products by the end of the third quarter.

Zumiez Inc. may be a leading indicator that the U.S. retail market is getting back to “normal.” The retailer interpreted that its first-quarter profitability reflected a shift to a more historical mix between its store and digital channels as customers are more comfortable returning to in-person shopping.

The Top National stories and the Latest headlines across the Active Lifestyle Market for the week of May 31, 2021 covered in the SGB Updates and delivered to your inbox every business day. This week’s Athlete is Dan Kosick. Merrell Ambassador Athlete whose motto is “I Train So I Can.”

In his first comments to the investment community since taking over as president and CEO of Duluth Holding, Sam Sato said he is seeking to better scale Duluth’s omnichannel assets and remains focused on building a multi-brand brand platform across Duluth Trading, Alaskan Hardgear, 40 Grit and Best Made.

Bill Gamber, co-founder and president, Big Agnes, updated SGB Executive on the brand today, the camping category and its sustainability initiatives post-COVID. 

For Body Glove, Nautica and Spyder licensee Surf 9 business is booming, especially for its rec- and family-friendly SUP line, headed by watersports division president Luke Hopkins who developed Body Glove and Nautica’s SUP lines.

A number of surveys arriving in recent weeks largely timed to Earth Day show concerns over climate change appear to have only heightened as a result of the pandemic. Many consumers, particularly younger ones, are increasingly highlighting sustainability as a key purchasing driver although some
admit to being confused over what sustainability means.

At Hanesbrands Inc.’s recent 2021 Investor Day, Jon Ram, group president, global activewear, highlighted four key “actions” designed to grow the Champion brand another $1 billion in sales globally over the next three years. Said Ram, “Champion competes in the land of giants, but we’re not trying to copy the competition. We’re forging a separate path.”

Alpacka Raft, a pioneer of the packraft category, is celebrating its 20th anniversary based in Mancos, CO. With the lightweight float craft category booming, the company has launched new models as it continues to define the category while opening up backcountry waterways for exploration. SGB Executive spoke with its president, Thor Tingey, for his view […]

Hibbett Sports hiked its full-year guidance after reporting first-quarter results that came in well above Wall Street targets with a boost from a resurgence in team sports categories. The gains came despite inventory shortages due to supply chain challenges. Hibbett’s comps are now projected to jump in the range from high-single digits to positive low-double digits for 2021, up from previous guidance of negative low-single digits to positive low-single digits.

Famous Footwear achieved record quarterly earnings and sales in the first quarter, boosted by improving in-store traffic trends with strong demand across athletic, seasonal and kids categories.

Athleta sales growth accelerated in the first quarter with the benefit of a 113 percent hike in online sales and strong full-price selling, said Sonia Syngal, Gap Inc.’s CEO, on a conference call with analysts. “Athleta drove outsized digital growth while achieving record full-price sales through gains in performance lifestyle products, particularly warm weather short, dresses, swim, and tanks, and it really differentiates us from the competition.”

The Top National stories and the Latest headlines across the Active Lifestyle Market for the week of May 24, 2021 covered in the SGB Updates and delivered to your inbox every business day. This Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start to the summer season, SGB Media would like to thank all the men and women who have died while serving in our U.S. military.

Boosted by strong demand for its casual offerings, Journeys saw a strong recovery in the first quarter and help its parent, Genesco Inc., deliver earnings and sales well above Wall Street’s targets in the first quarter. Mimi Vaughn, Genesco’s president and CEO, told analysts, “When fashion swings toward non-athletic or casual footwear, Journeys is especially well-positioned among its competition to deliver this assortment.”