SGB Executive

Zumiez Inc. underscored its commitment to its employees when management made the early decision to pay all full-time staff throughout the pandemic.

Gap Inc. reported a modest decline in sales at Athleta in the first quarter as online sales, boosted in part by the introduction of curbside pickup and a virtual concierge service, helped limit the damage from store closures. Overall, reopened stores are showing an encouraging performance, particularly at Old Navy.

Top National Stories and the Latest Headlines from SGB Updates across the Active Lifestyle Market during the week of June 1, 2020. 

Faced with surging demand for firearms and ammunition, Sportsman’s Warehouses reported sales in the first quarter ended May 2 grew 41.8 percent, to $246.8 million. The gains would have been even stronger if not for out-of-stocks across firearms, ammunition and fishing.

Duluth Trading managed to show only a 3.8 percent decline in first-quarter revenues, to $109.9 million. Accelerated growth in digital and women’s business helped mitigate the closing of all its stores for seven weeks in the quarter in response to COVID-19.

Caleres, Inc. used a now-familiar retail playbook on their road to recovery after the worst of the Covid-19 health crisis passed. The business was on track for a 13 percent increase in comp-store sales at Famous Footwear in the first quarter and was showing positive signs in its wholesale business before the health crisis intensified and forced the closure of all stores.

A host of analysts lifted their price targets on Dick’s Sporting Goods after the retailer’s first-quarter report showed online sales accelerating during the pandemic and many stores comping positively as they’ve reopened. Insights from Goldman Sachs, Stifel, Susquehanna, Morgan Stanley and Cowen.

Tilly’s Inc. played every card in their hand to reduce cash burn in the fiscal first quarter ended May 2, including closing stores and its distribution center, holding back store rent payments, canceling orders, cutting executive pay, furloughing employees and tapping into its revolver, but the closure of all stores in their 239-door portfolio since March 18 was too much to overcome in the period.

Canada Goose Holdings Inc told analysts during its fourth-quarter conference call that the brand plans to limit shipments to wholesale accounts and focus on its own stores and online to bolster profit margins as it looks to cushion the blow from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The June survey of run specialty independents from the Running Industry Association (RIA) found the wide majority of locations have opened, sales for about one-third are starting to match or exceed year-ago levels, and owners overall are much more confident about their business versus a similar March survey conducted by the RIA.

Retail surveys and studies that arrived last week explored renewed optimism by Americans in support of small business, and in shopping overall, as COVID-19 lockdown measures are being lifted nationwide. Also explored in the studies were how retailers adjusted to lockdown measures, how people expect their lives to change post-COVID-19 and teen interest in entrepreneurship.

Findings from a special COVID-19 edition of the North American Camping Report compiled by Kampgrounds of America (KOA) in late April indicate that travel limitations and overall caution due to COVID-19 are drawing more campers and first-time campers to the outdoors.

Nordstrom’s sales tumbled 40 percent during its first quarter, but officials said aggressive steps to reduce inventory and preserve cash will help the retailer in the near term while an accelerated expansion of its online and off-price business will better position the company for the long term. CEO Erik Nordstrom, told analysts Nordstrom Rack is “just a huge part of our future.”

Over 60 male and female mannequins are dressed in local fashion in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, to coax customers back to dine in restaurants. The mannequins will have round-the-clock reserved seating in the capital’s restaurants and cafes. Plus more top National stories and the Latest Headlines from SGB Updates across the Active Lifestyle Market follows.