Aisle Talk Week Of March 30, 2020
Top National Stories and the Latest Headlines From SGB Updates across the Active Lifestyle Market during the week of March 30, 2020.
Why Sportsman’s Warehouse Is Well-Positioned During The Coronavirus Crisis
Jon Barker, CEO of Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings Inc., says the company is “positioned as well as anyone” in sporting goods retail in terms of dealing with the coronavirus—but it goes beyond selling firearms and ammunition. He spoke with SGB Executive about why Sportsman’s is in such a good spot.
What’s Open? What’s Closed?
A majority of retailers in the active lifestyle space have temporarily closed to fight the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. However, a number of chains, including Academy Sports, Camping World, Hibbett Sports and Scheels, are working to keep most of their stores open, albeit with restrictions.
Conversation With Varsity Brands’ CEO Adam Blumenfeld
“The first priority for Varsity Brands, bar none, is the health and safety of our people,” Adam Blumenfeld, CEO, tells SGB Executive in the first of a series of interviews with industry executives exploring how businesses are coping with the coronavirus pandemic. Blumenfeld details the COVID-19 has impacted Varsity Brands, the company’s recovery strategy and how calls for social distancing may be changing consumer behavior.
March M&A Roundup: Public Companies Make Moves Before Deals Dry Up
Three public companies—Compass Diversified Holdings, Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings Inc. and Clarus Corp.—announced key acquisitions last month before the coronavirus all but stopped M&A activity. Most of the transactions that were announced came in the first half of March before social distancing took hold, the stock market collapsed, and businesses began shuttering operations and laying off employees.
RIA Survey Details Run Specialty’s Fight For Survival
A survey of more than 100 run specialty stores across the U.S. from The Running Industry Association (RIA) painted a bleak picture of how independents are weathering the COVID-19 pandemic with the majority forced the close stores and explore furloughs amid steep revenues declines. A few, however, are hoping for some recovery by May.
Goal Zero’s Demand Soars Amid Coronavirus
Goal Zero is one company that has seen a surge in demand for its products amid the coronavirus pandemic. SGB Executive looks at the drivers behind these the portable power brand’s soaring sales and the supply chain challenges it’s overcoming.
Snow Sports Specialty Channel Coping With Lost Spring
With ski resorts emptied and shops shuttered because of the coronavirus, what should be a booming season for snow sports specialty retailers has become the spring of their discontent. The channel is seeking ways to cope, but there’s no playbook for navigating this uncharted, unprecedented crisis.
Under Armour Faces Downgrades On Expected Coronavirus Hit
Under Armour was downgraded by both Stifel and Goldman Sachs due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Stifel cut its price target to $11 from $16 while Goldman’s target was slashed to $9 from $21.
Aisle Talk Week Of March 23, 2020
Top National Stories and the Latest Headlines From SGB Updates across the Active Lifestyle Market during the week of March 23, 2020.
March 27 Coronavirus Notebook: Crisis Brings Out The Best In Brands
For this latest installment of the Coronavirus Notebook, SGB Executive looks at the myriad contributions from brands across the active-lifestyle marketplace in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including pivoting production lines to make personal protective equipment, providing gear for first responders and making cash donations.
Sportsman’s Warehouse On A Roll, But Uncertainty Brewing
A savvy combination of opportunistic and strategic moves fueled Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings Inc. in the fourth quarter and should bolster the company as the coronavirus crisis escalates. But like most retailers, uncertainty related to the COVID-19 outbreak has tempered the company’s expectations for this quarter and beyond.
Lululemon Identifies Five Levers To Combat Coronavirus
On his company’s fourth-quarter conference call, Calvin McDonald, CEO, noted that the “underlying health of our business is strong” as he outlined five levers that will help the chain successfully manage the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Run Specialty Community Comes Together To Battle The Coronavirus
Four days after its second annual RIA Kick Show was canceled, the Running Industry Association (RIA) has come out with a COVID-19 prep guide for the run specialty community to basically survive the coronavirus. And Terry Schalow, executive director of the RIA, said the organization has much more coming as the close-knit run specialty community has quickly come together.
Coronavirus Slams The Brakes On Winnebago’s Momentum
Winnebago Industries Inc. began its fiscal third quarter on March 1 with high hopes and enough momentum to fuel a fleet of motorhomes. But like it has for many companies, the coronavirus knocked Winnebago off course. On the fiscal Q2 earnings call with analysts, CEO Mike Happe explained the difficult decision to shutter operations just as spring and the prime RV season kicks off.
