SGB Executive

Gap Inc. said it plans to open 20 to 30 Athleta stores in 2021 after the women activewear chain’s fourth-quarter sales jumped 29 percent on a reported basis and 26 percent on a same-store basis. Sonia Syngal, Gap Inc’s CEO, told analysts, “Athleta is our highest margin business and like Old Navy has made continuous market share gains each quarter year-to-date.”

The Top National stories and the Latest headlines across the Active Lifestyle Market for the week of March 1, 2021 covered in the SGB Updates and delivered to your inbox every business day.

On January 25, 2021, kayak, surf and SUP company Hobie Cat Co. was discretely sold to a private equity group consisting of executives from Detroit industrial auction company Maynards Industries. SGB Executive caught up with its new Chairman, Taso Sofikitis, on what the future holds.

“It starts with the runner,” said Dan Sheridan, EVP, COO, Brooks Running, explaining how the brand’s run-centric focus paved the way for a 27 percent hike in sales in 2020 amid the pandemic. But the performance, in particular, reflects the payback from recent investments in two areas—establishing a multichannel strategy and creating an internal runner research hub, the Run-Sight Lab.

On Nordstrom’s fourth-quarter earnings call, Pete Nordstrom, president, said the retailer’s partnership with Tonal, the at-home connected gym start-up, is just one part of the chain’s efforts to build on recent success in the active category.

Driven by the trifecta of robust sales growth, margin expansion and a leaner cost structure, Big 5 Sporting Goods reported its third successive quarter of record earnings while predicting continued momentum in 2021. Steve Miller, CEO, told analysts, “We are pleased with all we accomplished in 2020, and we are even more excited by the prospect than many of the recreational and product trends initially driven by the pandemic will prove to be sustainable even as the disruption of the pandemic subsides.”

When GOA released its final 2020 year-to-year sales numbers from its 94 retailers operating 195 doors, it showed the up and down swings associated with the pandemic. SGB Executive caught up with Gabe Maier, vice president, GOA, to go behind the numbers, talk about the upcoming launch of its Switchback retail data tool, the outlook for 2021, and more.

The adventure travel industry has been hit hard by the pandemic. SGB Executive spoke with 50-year-old, family-owned adventure travel business OARS for insight into the market with Steven Markle, vice-president of sales and marketing.

Kohl’s reported activewear outperformed in the fourth quarter and remains one of the chain’s “most productive categories.” Kohl’s reiterated plans to increase in-store space dedicated to active assortments by at least 20 percent in 2021. Michelle Gass, Kohl’s CEO, told analysts, “Our vision is to be the most trusted retailer of choice for the active and casual lifestyle.”

For apparel maker Picture Organic, sustainable materials and fighting climate change have been core to their mission since its inception. SGB Executive sat down with CEO Julien Durant to learn more about sugar cane’s role in the brand’s journey to be a more sustainable company.

Kelty has launched a new line of CBD cream to tap into the $4 billion domestic CBD market. SGB Executive caught up with General Manager Russ Rowell, who credits the overlap between outdoor industry consumers and CBD users for the move.

Fox Factory Holding Corp. reported sales at Specialty Sports Group (SSG), its cycling component division, rose 44.6 percent in the fourth quarter, marking SSG’s best quarter to date for revenue. Officials were also bullish on continued robust segment growth in 2021 while citing supply chain risks.

With Outdoor Retailer recently announcing its Summer Market tradeshow will move from June to August 10-12, 2021, SGB Executive caught up with OR Senior VP and Show Director Marisa Nicholson to look inside the decision.

Foot Locker Inc.’s fourth-quarter earnings topped Wall Street’s targets with the boost of healthy full-price sell-throughs. However, congestion at U.S. ports in part caused a sales shortfall in the period and resulted in a double-digit decline in inventory levels at year end that promises to challenge spring selling. Said Dick Johnson, chairman and CEO, “The bottleneck situation at the ports remains in flux.”

The Top National stories and the Latest headlines across the Active Lifestyle Market for the week of February 22, 2021 covered in the SGB Updates and delivered to your inbox every business day.