
EXEC: Safilo Saw Smith’s Q3 Performance Hurt by Still Cautious U.S. Market Environment
The quarterly performance showed lingering soft trends in North America and Asia, while trends proved more resilient in Europe, despite the slowdown of the sunglasses business. Smith’s performance remained affected by a still cautious market environment.

Rig Footwear Expands Sales Channels in East Asia Region
Japan-based Rig Footwear has entered into a new partnership agreement with Hong Kong-based Step Hill International Co. Ltd. to strengthen market development and distribution in East Asia (Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia).

New StockX Report Sees Performance Footwear Now Dominating Demand
The company released its latest trend report, Big Facts: 2024 Trends, highlighting the brands and products that have made a mark on the 20224 sneaker resale market.

EXEC: Thule Group Set to Acquire Aussie Phone Mount Company
Australia-based Quad Lock is expected to help to strengthen Thule Group’s position in the Asia-Pacific region, where the acquisition increases the share of Thule’s sales from ~5 percent to 10 percent. Direct-to-consumer sales will increase from ~7 percent to 15 percent of sales.

EXEC: Giant Group Continues Downward Spiral in October; Fails to Offset Sharp 2023 Decline
The Taiwan-based bike manufacturer reported a 6.5 percent year-over-year decrease in sales for the month to NT$4.87 billion. The decline comes despite an easy comp opportunity against a 34.4 percent decline in October last year.

EXEC: Asics NA Leans on Performance Run and SportStyle to Deliver DD Growth in Q3
The Asics North America region reportedly produced double-digit net sales increase in the period and maintains a nearly double-digit year-to-date (YTD) net sales increase.

EXEC: October FW Factory Shipments Tell a Divergent Tale as Key Nike Factory Declines
Yue Yuen’s manufacturing business, which boasts Adidas, Merrell, Asics and many others as key customers, posted a 21.3 percent increase in October while Feng Tay, a major Nike supplier, turned negative once again.

EXEC: Major Asia Footwear Manufacturer Continues to Cut Mainland China Production
The U.S. continues to be the No. 1 destination for deliveries for Yue Yuen, but the region is also losing share to product shipped to Mainland China and Europe. Indonesia is the largest country of origin this year, representing 53 percent of total production.

Vuori Nets $5.5B Valuation, $825M Investment in Latest Financing Round
The $825 million investment, led by General Atlantic and Stripes, along with a cohort of additional investors, is structured as a secondary tender offer, and raises the activewear’s brand’s valuation to $5.5 billion.

EXEC: Yonex Continues Solid DD Growth on Back of Badminton Trends in China
Consolidated net sales reportedly reached a record high for the cumulative H1 period, helped in part by the positive effect of yen
depreciation on overseas sales. Net sales increased 16.0 percent year-over-year for the first half to ¥66,942 million.

EXEC: Descente Ltd. Posts Another Record Second Quarter in Sales and Profits
Descente Ltd. reported that net sales for the fiscal second quarter ended September 30 increased 4.7 percent to ¥62,818 million, reportedly due to foreign exchange effects and growth of the Descente and Uumbro brands in Japan and South Korea.

EXEC: Asics Hikes FY Outlook As Q3 Revenues Climb 16 Percent
Asics raised its guidance for the year after reporting sales in the third quarter grew 16.0 percent with profits expanding faster. Double-digit revenue growth in the quarter was achieved in North America, Europe, Japan and Greater China.

EXEC: Mizuno Corporation Posts Record H1 Results in Sales and Profits
Mizuno management said there are concerns regarding the volatility of the financial market due to the monetary policies of individual countries and changes in political and global landscapes, as well as changes in consumer sentiment amid the continued rise in prices.

EXEC: Alpargatas Saw Havaianas Taking Market Share, Posting Growth in Q3
The management team at Alpargatas, the Brazil-based parent of the Havaianas and Rothy’s brands, offered their take on the 2024 third quarter with a particular focus on the company’s strategic review and transformation process that has already started to bear fruit for the Havaianas flip-flop brand.

EXEC: GoPro Continues to Cut Expenses to Lowest Level Since Before IPO
Revenue was $259 million in the third quarter, down 12 percent year-over-year, and posted a wider net loss for the period. GAAP net loss was $8 million, or a 5 cents loss per share, compared to a net loss of $4 million or a 2 cents loss per share, in the prior-year Q3 period.