SGB Executive

Acushnet Holdings reported fourth-quarter sales grew 14.2 percent, led by strength in the Titleist golf clubs range. The company predicted robust growth for the majority of its businesses in 2021 as its rides golf’s resurgence in the wake of the pandemic. David Maher, Acushnet’s CEO, said, “The game and industry are in good shape, golfer engagement is strong and trade inventories are generally healthy and in some cases low.”

Wolverine World Wide Inc. reported its fourth straight quarter of double-digit declines in sales but predicted a strong recovery in 2021 with the help of its investments in digital and DTC e-commerce. Sales for 2021 are projected to grow in the range of 22 to 26 percent with a return to double-digit growth expected for Saucony, Merrell and Wolverine in the first quarter.

Rocky Brands reported sales jumped 16 percent in the fourth quarter, riding momentum in work and western footwear styles, combined with ongoing strength in direct-to-consumer business. Rocky Brand officials also spoke enthusiastically about the growth potential from its proposed acquisition of Honeywell’s lifestyle footwear business, which includes The Original Muck Boot Company and XTRATUF.

CODI revenue for the quarter ended December 31 was $474.8 million, up 22.7 percent compared to $387 million for the prior year period. This year-over-year increase primarily reflects acquisitions of Marucci and BOA during 2020.

Puma expects the financial impact from the pandemic lockdowns to linger until near the end of the second quarter due to a recent spike in lockdowns, primarily in Europe. However, global growth in running is seen helping support strong improvement in the third and fourth quarters. Bjørn Gulden, CEO, said on a media call, “I believe we have more of the pandemic behind us than we have ahead of us.”

The ski boot line-up for 2021/22 places walking at the forefoot with new soles and walking mode mechanisms that don’t sacrifice power or performance. The following is a sampling from SGB of the ski boots you will find at retail for the season.

Crocs Inc. recorded its highest revenue and adjusted operating profit of any quarter in the company’s history as sales in the fourth quarter ran up 56.5 percent. The growth was led by the Americas and EMEA regions with digital seeing the fastest growth among channels. Sales growth is projected in the range of 40-to-50 percent for the first quarter and 20-to-25 percent for 2021.

Nautilus Inc. reported that it ended 2020 with a tremendous fourth quarter, executing on all fronts with growth across all brands, channels and products, but saw disruptions in global logistics, notably the shortage of shipping containers.

With 2020/21 marking one of the deadliest avalanche seasons on record, avalanche gear sales are booming. Joining transceivers, probes and shovel sales are those of airbags, a pack that houses an airbag that users can deploy to keep them near the surface.

Planet Fitness reported another quarter of significant quarterly revenue declines and indicated club usage in January was still only about 70 percent of prior-year workouts. On the bright side, January marked the fitness club’s first month of overall net member growth since before the pandemic.

In his first quarterly conference call, Hervé Sedky, the new president and CEO of Emerald Holding, said the trade show operator is seeing “early signs of a comeback” with two shows, including Surf Expo Winter, able to be recently staged. He laid out a vision for the company that includes the ability to deliver 365-day customer engagement with the aid of digital tools rolled out over the pandemic.

The Top National stories and the Latest headlines across the Active Lifestyle Market for the week of February 15, 2021 covered in the SGB Updates and delivered to your inbox every business day.

When Surf Expo staged its winter tradeshow January 6-8, 2021 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, it marked the first in-person outdoor tradeshow in nearly a year since the pandemic began, bringing exhibitors and retailers together facemask to facemask. Did attendees, both vendors and retailers, feel it was a successful event worth attending? For that, SGB Executive canvassed the trenches for input from show attendees.

Canadian Tire Corp said fourth-quarter sales grew double-digits at Helly Hansen and were down slightly at the SportChek segment due to COVID-19 restrictions. The company also announced plans to close all 18 National Sports stores across southern Ontario.

Sturm, Ruger & Company Inc.’s sales surged 61.1 percent in the fourth quarter, lifting 2020’s overall growth to 39.3 percent for its first annual gain since 2016. Ruger’s CEO Chris Killoy said the company has hired 250 more production workers over the back half of the year to overcome widespread inventory shortages facing the firearms industry. He said, “Inventories remain depleted throughout the channel, so inventory replenishment provides further opportunity.”