SGB Executive

Brooks said they shipped over 50 percent more orders in the third quarter of 2021 versus Q3 of last year, but at the same time, the amount of product they received at the DC was up nearly 200 percent year-over-year. The congestion apparently made it difficult to keep up with the strong demand for the brands under the RCKY umbrella.

Boosted by a better-than-expected performance in North America and continued momentum at direct-to-consumer, Under Armour reported third-quarter earnings arrived well above Wall Street’s target and significantly hiked earnings targets for the year. Officials said the company is now on track to deliver record revenue and earnings results in 2021.

Emerald Holding Inc. said trade show attendance in the third quarter ran about half of pre-pandemic levels, but the organization was able to hold 33 live events, including Outdoor Retailer and Surf Expo; exhibitor satisfaction markedly increased, and rising vaccination rates are promising to elevate attendance going forward. 

LifeLabs recently introduced a thermally-efficient material. The company’s CEO, industry-veteran Scott Mellin, who drove the development of Futurelight product as global GM of The North Face’s Mountain Sports division, spoke about its thermal regulating properties with SGB Executive.

Newell Brands’ Outdoor & Recreation segment delivered modest revenue growth in the third quarter as strength at Coleman and Contigo helped offset challenging year-ago comparisons. Newell officials remain confident heightened interest in outdoor activities coming out of the pandemic will continue to be a tailwind.

Compass Diversified (CODI) reported BOA and Marucci Sports banged out strong double-digit gains in the third quarter. Velocity Outdoor’s sales were up 8.9 percent, while 5.11, which confidentially filed for an IPO, saw 12.9 percent growth.

Skechers USA reported strong earnings and sales gains in the third quarter but delays tied to supply chain constraints caused both to come in below guidance and the company’s outlook was slightly reduced for the full year. Skechers officials see the logistics challenges easing somewhat and remained upbeat on holiday selling.

Deckers Brands reported sales and earnings missed Wall Street’s targets in its fiscal second quarter ended September 30 as numerous supply chain challenges slowed Ugg’s growth in the quarter. However, the company still maintained its revenue outlook for the full year, driven by its projected 50-plus percent growth at Hoka One One.

After notching a strong second-quarter performance tied to the company’s ability to ship Q3 orders early for retailers Columbia Sportswear found itself on the deficit end of the supply chain issues impacting most companies in the third quarter.

With the Outdoor Retailer Snow Show scheduled to take place January 26-28, 2022, SIA’s President Nick Sargent and Emerald Expositions CEO Hervé Sedky hosted a webinar late this month related to the show’s evolution.

Boot Barn’s momentum continued in the second quarter ended September 28 with sales ahead running up 69.5 percent against the year-ago period and 67.1 percent against the 2019 quarter. Jim Conroy, president and CEO, attributed much of the gains to new customer acquisitions that benefited from a combination of operational strategies, marketing, aggressive inventory procurement and fashion trends.

SGB Executive spoke with C4 Waterman’s Vice President Bill Kueper to hear how its DTC model is working, which led to a conversation about other issues plaguing the once-thriving SUP category.

Puma SE lifted its sales and earnings outlook for the second quarter in a row despite the warning of shortages due to supply chain constraints. Sales continued to expand strongly in the third quarter, paced by the Americas and EMEA region.

Garmin Ltd. raised its guidance for the second consecutive quarter as third-quarter results topped Wall Street targets due to outperformance by its Marine and Aviation segments. CEO Cliff Pemble said, “Our vertically integrated business model and commitment to safety stock was a key factor driving revenue growth for the quarter. But supplies are tight and we expect freight costs to remain elevated as we rush to fill retail shelves in time for the important holiday selling season.”

The NPD Group reported total U.S. performance footwear sales grew 15 percent in the third quarter while leisure footwear sales climbed at a slightly lower rate. Fashion footwear sales continued to underperform, decreasing high-single-digits.