SGB Executive

Winchester’s sales grew 93.8 percent in the third quarter to $400 million from $206.4 million in the year-ago third quarter, boosted by strong hunting demand stemming from the pandemic experience.

Wall Street generally remained upbeat about VF Corp.’s prospects despite the company’s reported earnings and sales in its second quarter ended October 2 coming in slightly below consensus targets. Concerns include reigniting growth in China and Vans’ overall momentum.

VF Corp. said the wide majority of its brand portfolio performed at or above expectations in the second quarter ended October 2, including outsized gains at The North Face, Dickies and Timberland. Earnings and sales, however, were slightly below analyst targets due to the continued underperformance at Vans, its largest brand, as well as supply chain challenges.

Crocs Inc. reported sales jumped 73 percent in the third quarter and predicted a robust holiday selling quarter. However, the comfy shoemaker warned that continued supply chain challenges, largely tied to pandemic-related factory shutdowns in Vietnam, will hold back revenue growth in the first half of 2022. Planned investments include $75 million in air freight ahead of the 2022 spring/summer selling season.

Sixty specialty retailers can’t be wrong. In fact, taking the pulse of the 60-plus members of the Grassroots Outdoors Alliance provides a tell-tale barometer of the state of outdoor specialty retail heading into the upcoming winter season as well as the Association’s upcoming Connect retailer show in November, its first in-person get-together in more than 700 days.

Winnebago Industries Inc.’s sales jumped 40.4 percent and 54.1 percent in the fiscal year ended August 28 as healthy demand for outdoor recreation coming out of the pandemic boosted its RV and boat businesses. Said Michael Happe, CEO ““The pandemic has undoubtedly catalyzed accelerated powerful demand for outdoor experiences.”

Xero Shoes, Bombas, Stone Glacier, William Murray Golf, Vibe Kayaks, PXG, and JLab Audio were among several companies in the active lifestyle space that landed on the 2021 Inc. 5000 annual ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America.

According to the sixth edition of PwC’s Sports Survey, executives across the broader sports industry, including sports federations, broadcasting and marketing agencies, have become more optimistic about the sports industry’s prospects amid signs of recovery from the pandemic.

As autumn slowly yields to winter and consumers’ minds gravitate to winter goods, in particular outerwear, retailers and manufacturers are still consulting their Ouija Board to see what kind of sales season it’s shaping up to be 18 months into the pandemic.

There’s a new waterproof/breathable fabric coming out from Gore. In a heralded media presentation with company executives on September 30, W. L. Gore & Associates announced that it’s introducing expanded Polyethylene (ePE) membrane as a new complementary material platform to serve as the basis for its membrane technologies.

In August, the International Organization for Standardization confirmed its ISO standard 23223, Alpine Ski Boots with Improved Walking Soles, making Marker’s GripWalk technology an industry-standard beginning this year.

As a subset of the outdoor industry, the water filters and purifier category enjoyed robust growth during the pandemic, capitalizing on consumers’ growing desire to get outside.

Cowen’s fourth annual Gen Z and Millennial survey found that Nike, Air Jordan and Lululemon have solid traction by preference in the active lifestyle space among the younger demographic. The North Face and Amazon also ranked high by preference, and the overall survey suggested ESG and social commerce gained greater momentum in 2021.

In initiating coverage of Nike Inc. with a “buy” rating, Goldman Sachs noted that sportswear giant is facing more macro headwinds, including weakness in China, supply chain disruption and cotton inflation, “than it has in some time.” However, analyst Kate McShane said Nike’s underlying fundamentals remain solid, and the recent pullback offers some stock upside.

Aspen Institute’s just-released State Of Play 2021 survey found that most kids are back playing sports with their families feeling more comfortable about their safety amid the ongoing pandemic. However, challenges remain with more kids feeling less physically fit and mentally drained.