SGB Executive

Caleres, Inc. posted sales of $675.5 million in net sales in the fiscal second quarter ended July 31, up 34.7 percent from Q2 but down 4.4 percent from the 2019 comparable period.

Despite the pending exit of Nike from its mix, DSW’s athletic footwear momentum continues with comps in the category in the second quarter running up 90 percent year-over-year and 45 percent against the 2019 second quarter. The strength across athleisure helped drive quarter results for DSW’s parent, Designer Brands, far above plan although supply chain constraints could restrain second-half growth.

Shares of Peloton Interactive fell $9.75, or 8.5 percent, on Friday to $104.34 after the connected fitness leader announced plans for a price cut on its original Bike product and a lower-than-expected outlook for its current first quarter and FY22 following a massive treadmill recall. Many analysts nonetheless remain bullish on Peloton’s growth prospects, including the potential for a strong Tread launch.

Citing its capacity to retain new customers picked up during the pandemic, Hibbett Inc. reported both earnings and sales crushed Wall Street’s targets in the second quarter and strongly lifted its full-year guidance. Same-store sales are now expected to land in the positive mid-teens range in 2021 on top of gains of 22.2 percent in 2020.

Athleta, owned by Gap Inc., delivered another quarter of strong growth and said its affiliation with two Olympic ambassadors, Simone Biles and Allyson Felix, is driving brand awareness. Sonia Syngal, Gap’s CEO, said, “As the perfect amplifier of the brand’s values, Athleta’s sponsorship of world-class athletes in Tokyo boosted brand awareness of 33 percent, versus 26 percent last year.”

The Top National stories and the Latest headlines across the Active Lifestyle Market for the week of August 23, 2021 covered in the SGB Updates and delivered to your inbox every business day. This week’s Ambassador Athletes are the “On Run Crew”.  A “collective team spirit that motivates us to achieve extraordinary goals together.”

Cliff Sifford participated in his final earnings conference call with analysts as Shoe Carnival CEO this week as the family footwear retailer once again reported fiscal Q2 results that exceeded expectations and drove the family footwear retailer to increase its third-quarter and full-year guidance.

Shares of Dick’s Sporting Goods jumped 13.3 percent on Wednesday after the retailer reported earnings far ahead of Wall Street’s targets and aggressively raised its guidance for the year. Analysts roundly raised price targets with many believing Dick’s has proven it has shown structural improvement over the last year. Supply chain disruption was cited among the near-term risks.

There has been a changing of the guard of sorts in the paddlesports category in the past few years, with new CEOs and companies behind such venerable brands as Hobie, Jackson Kayak, Confluence Watersports Kokatat, MTI/Ocean Kayak, and more. But what do these new owners think of the industry and its future, and what are their plans for their brands? To find out, SGB Executive canvased the companies and retailers to shed light on this new wave of ownership coming to the watersports world.

Emboldened by a record-breaking second quarter, Dick’s Sporting Goods said it now expects same-store sales in 2021 to climb in the range of 18-to-20 percent, up from guidance of 8-to-10 percent previously,  while hiking its earnings targets. Dick’s officials also delivered their most upbeat comments on potential long-term benefits coming from changed behaviors due to the pandemic.

YKK goes high-tech, producing a zipper pull with a digital component, Touchlink, allowing consumers to interact with brands and brands to engage their consumers, creating a digital footprint of every purchase. SGB Executive catches up with Brian La Plante of YKK USA’s global marketing group for more on the innovation and how brands are receiving it.

Most vendors in the active lifestyle space reported better-than-expected second-quarter results and raised their 2021 guidance as demand remained resilient. However, supply chain concerns, marked by continued port congestion and recent factory shutdowns in Vietnam that could limit second-half growth, were widely discussed on recent quarterly calls with analysts from VF Corp., Columbia Sportswear, Deckers Brands, Inc., Under Armour, Vista Outdoor, Yeti, Skechers USA, and Wolverine Worldwide. 

On, the Swiss running brand backed by tennis champion Roger Federer, filed for an initial public offering on Monday in the U.S. The company is reportedly seeking a valuation between $4 billion and $6 billion. The filing details the company’s rapid growth, including sales surging 85 percent in the first half of 2021.

Foot Locker reported second-quarter sales and earnings that crushed Wall Street targets, led by an uptick in sales from its women’s and kids categories as well as strong full-price selling. Upbeat guidance was also delivered for the second half as recent heightened supply chain risks are seen holding off until the end of the year.

The Top National stories and the Latest headlines across the Active Lifestyle Market for the week of August 16, 2021 covered in the SGB Updates and delivered to your inbox every business day. This week’s Athlete is Kara Goucher, who was one of the first whistleblowers in the case against Alberto Salazar, her former coach, whose name was removed this week from The Alberto Salazar Building at Nike’s Beaverton campus in Oregon after the disgraced coach was handed a lifetime ban for sexual and emotional misconduct.