Report: Troubling Decline in Core Outdoor Participants
Among it’s findings, the OIA 2024 Outdoor Participation Trends Report found that the average number of outings per participant in 2023 fell 11.4 percent from 70.5 per participant in 2022 to 62.5 outings per participant in 2023.
EXEC: Delta Apparel Suspends and Explores Shuttering Honduras Operations
The parent of the Soffe, Delta and Salt Life brands reported in a regulatory filing that it plans to formally suspend its manufacturing operations in Honduras due to ongoing liquidity challenges, impacting approximately 2,413 employees.
EXEC: Nike’s Valuation Dips Again in Kantar’s 2024 Most Valuable Brands Study
Nike retained its No.1 brand position in apparel in Kantar Brand’s “Most Valuable Global Brands Report” for 2024 but its valuation fell for the second year in the row while big gains were marked by Zara, Lululemon, Adidas, Uniqlo, and H&M.
Delta Group President Resigns
Delta Apparel said in a regulatory filing that Matt Miller, president of Delta Group, the company’s largest segment, had submitted his resignation. Miller’s exit follows Delta’s announcement on May 31 that longtime Chairman and CEO Robert Humphreys will resign from his role with the company, effective June 29, at the request of Delta’s independent board directors.
EXEC: Academy Sports Talks Push for Better Footwear Allocations
Steve Lawrence, CEO at Academy Sports, elaborated on the retailer’s efforts to improve access to better product from its footwear vendor partners and secure new brands, including Hoka and On.
Bob’s and EMS to Close Stores, Layoff Employees Amid Financial Struggles
Owned by Los Angeles-based GoDigital Media Group, Bob’s Stores and EMS are closing some stores and will layoff employees beginning June 14 as it company faces liquidity woes.
EXEC: Academy Sports CEO Remains Bullish on Sales Recovery
Academy Sports and Outdoors missed Wall Street’s earnings expectations for the second straight quarter on lower-than-expected sales but Steve Lawrence, CEO, told analysts he remains confident growth will improve in coming quarters as the chain benefits from a focus on newness and value while capitalizing on key selling occasions over the year.
EXEC: Vista Outdoor Receives New Bid For Ammo Business, JDH Capital Reported Bidder
Vista Outdoor reported it received an all-cash $2 billion takeover offer for its ammunition business from an unnamed private U.S. investment firm. JDH Capital, the investment group run by Texas oil billionaire Jeffrey Hildebrand, is behind a new bid, sources told the Financial Times.
EXEC: Zumiez Saw U.S. Business Return to Growth in Q1; Sees Global Growth for Year
Looking to Q2, net sales for the North America business for fiscal May increased 2.5 percent year-over-year, while the Other International business decreased 1.1 percent. Men’s was said to be the largest positive comparable sales growth category followed by Women’s.
EXEC: Lululemon Had Busy Q1, Beating Estimates, Buying Mexico Ops, Fixing Product Misses
It wasn’t long ago that the market was ready to write off Lululemon as new challenges befell Nike and LULU had its own issues to address, including the recent departure of Chief Product Officer Sun Choe for a new opportunity to run the Vans brand for VF Corp.
EXEC: Authentic Sells Boardriders Retail Ops in W. Europe; Inks Brand Licenses for Key Cats
Beaumanoir reportedly acquired the retail operations for the Boardriders brands across Western Europe and licensed the rights to manufacture, design and distribute branded products.
EXEC: Sportsman’s Warehouse to Focus More on “Warehouse” and Value Moving Forward
The hunting, fishing, camping and shooting specialty retailer is embracing part of its name in a more profound way as 2024 progresses, promising to focus more on the “Warehouse” part of the name to provide more value for cash-strapped outdoor sports enthusiasts
EXEC: Outdoor Voices Acquired by Consortium Brand Partners
The athleisure lifestyle brand, founded in 2013 by Tyler Haney, marks CBP’s second acquisition, following its announcement of a majority stake in Reese Witherspoon’s fashion and lifestyle brand, Draper James in September 2023.
Nike Inc. Takes Cost-Cutting Efforts to EU with Start of HQ Job Cuts
Nike is cutting jobs at its EU headquarters in Hilversum, Netherlands, outside of Amsterdam, as part of a multi-year cost-cutting plan, according to early reporting from Reuters, citing internal sources at the EU headquarters.
EXEC: DBI Gets Q1 Lift from Topo and Keds While Dress and Seasonal Drag on Retail
DBI also acquired Rubino, a profitable Canadian footwear retailer operating nearly 30 stores, specifically serving the Province of Quebec. Quebec represents nearly one-quarter of Canada’s population, but DBI had no existing presence. Rubino did CN$47 million in 2023.
