EXEC: VF Corp. Shuffles Leadership at TNF; Caroline Brown to Depart and Chris Goble Steps Up
Speaking Tuesday, March 10, at Citi’s 2026 Global Consumer & Retail Conference, Bracken Darrell, VF Corp.’s president and CEO, announced that Caroline Brown, the company’s president since June 2024, is stepping down as part of a planned transition. Chris Goble, VF Corp.’s president of Emerging Brands and former president of Dickie’s, was named her successor.
EXEC: Kohl’s Q4 Footwear Growth Misses Plan on Weakness in Active and Boots
On an analyst call, Michael Bender, Kohl’s CEO, said the retailer plans to roll out stronger promotional offers and increase the depth of key styles as Q4 sales missed plan. Footwear landed among the categories that “underperformed” in the quarter due to softness in active styles and boots.
EXEC: Asia Footwear Factory Shipments Fall Sharply in February 2026
Yue Yuen’s manufacturing business, which boasts Adidas, Merrell, Asics, and many others as key customers, posted a 5.9 percent decline in February, and Feng Tay, a major Nike supplier, fell 12.3 percent year-over-year in the month, exacerbating the decline in January.
EXEC: Giant Bicycle Monthly Shipment Deterioration Accelerates Into February
The 40.0 percent decline for February 2026 marks the company’s 12th consecutive monthly y/y decline since February 2025, when bicycle shipment revenue jumped 30.9 percent y/y to NT$3.25 billion.
EXEC: CBP Forced Labor Division Sees Giant Bicycles Issue as a Top Priority
The Giant case remains one of CBP’s priority matters, and the agency is working to accelerate the review process, including adding CBP personnel to the case to advance it more efficiently.
EXEC: Nike Brand Owner in Brazil Sees Wholesale Recovery for Brand in 2025
The Fisia division at Grupo SBF, which houses the Nike business, saw net revenue growth of 6.2 percent in 2025, reportedly driven by the recovery of the Wholesale channel, which grew 9.4 percent for the year.
EXEC: Rudy Project Acquires Rudy Project North America to Work Direct with Dealers
Rudy Project operates in over 60 countries worldwide and directly manages the business in Italy, France (optics and outdoor industry), Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and now the United States.
EXEC: Dick’s to Face More Questions on Foot Locker Rebound on Q4 Call
Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc. is expected to again exceed guidance for the fourth quarter, but investors are expected to be more eager to hear about FY26 guidance and the timing of the sales and margin recovery at the recently-acquired Foot Locker business.
EXEC: What’s Inside the $1.3 Trillion Number for the Outdoor Recreation Economy?
Numbers from the U.S. Commerce Department indicate that the Real GDP of the outdoor recreation economy in 2024 grew at roughly HALF the rate year-over-year than it did in 2023 — and that sounds more like what the outdoor retail industry has been feeling, at least directionally.
EXEC: Journeys Stars Again in Genesco’s Q4 with Double-Digit Comp Encore
Genesco, Inc. reported fourth-quarter results that handily topped initial expectations as its flagship Journeys banner delivered a 12 percent same-store hike on top of 14 percent growth the prior year. The teen girls’ chain has benefited from a focus on adding more premium products, including new brands such as Nike, Hoka, and Saucony over the last year.
EXEC: Coats Group Execs Outline Product and Financial Upside from Ortholite Deal
The acquisition of OrthoLite has accelerated the company’s strategy to create a “leading Tier 2 supplier in footwear components by adding an exciting, high-growth and high-margin business to the Coats Group portfolio.” The CEO said, “OrthoLite brings with it compelling revenue and cost synergy opportunities.”
EXEC: Athleta’s Q4 Comps Slide 10 Percent, Continued Declines Expected in First Half
Gap, Inc. reported that same-store sales at its Athleta banner declined 10 percent in the fourth quarter and 9 percent for the year. Gap officials told analysts they expect Athleta to show negative mid- to high-single-digit sales declines in the first half of the current year. CEO Richard Dickson said, “Progress will take time, but I am confident we are attracting the right talent to rebuild Athleta.”
EXEC: Tecnica Group’s Revenues Climb 4.7 Percent in 2025
Tecnica Group, the Italian parent of Nordica, Blizzard, Tecnica, Lowa, Moon Boot, and Rollerblade, reported sales grew 4.7 percent in 2025, to €541.3 million ($628 mm). Profits were down due to cost pressures from factory wages and U.S. tariffs.
EXEC: Sports Direct Owner Frasers Group Acquires Near 6 Percent Stake In Puma SE
The parent of Sports Direct, Slazenger, Donnay, LA Gear, No Fear, and Antigua has acquired a nearly 6 percent stake in Puma, according to a filing on Thursday, March 5.
EXEC: Assessing Under Armour’s and Mizuno’s Q4 Business in South America
Vulcabras S.A., the Brazil-based company that manages, manufactures, and distributes footwear, apparel, and accessories in South America for the Under Armour and Mizuno brands, and owns and manages the Olympikus brand, said higher ASPs drove revenue growth for the year, as gross volume of pairs remained flat.
