SGB Executive

IHRSA: Boutiques Continue To Lead Health Club Gains

Membership in U.S. health clubs reached an all-time high in 2016, thanks to 15 percent growth at boutique studios, according to the 2017 IHRSA Health Club Consumer Report. Studio members tend to a decade younger than the overall average for all facilities and are more ethnically-diverse.

Bump Stock Makers Face Bans, Lawsuits

The clamor over “bump stocks” – the devices used by the Las Vegas shooter to make his rifles fire nearly as fast as machine guns – continues with increasing calls for outright bans and lawsuits arriving.

Adidas Winning, Nike And Under Armour Losing With Teens

According to Piper Jaffray’s Taking Stock With Teens research survey, Adidas, Vans, Birkenstock and Supreme are seeing some of the biggest gains in earning teens’ affection. The losers among the larger bands in the active space include Nike, Ugg and Under Armour.

Camping World Snaps Up Uncle Dan’s

Camping World said the acquisition of Uncle Dan’s will position the company for further growth to its expanding e-commerce platform at udans.com, by increasing customer reach and adding new quality product offerings.”

Activist Group Pushes For Major Changes At Deckers Outdoor

Marcato Capital Management, in its proxy statement seeking to replace all 10 Deckers Outdoors’ directors with its own squad, detailed an extensive plan to reimagine Deckers, including the sale of non-core Ugg brands, a rash of store closings, additional cost-reduction initiatives, and aggressive stock buybacks

Russell Looks To Build On Retail Momentum

As detailed in a letter to dealers last week, Russell Athletic has decided to exit the team uniform business. But it’s only because management feels it required more emphasis on bigger opportunities on the consumer retail side of the business, Matt Murphy, Russell’s VP of marketing, said in an interview with SGB.

Hydro Flask Parent Expects H2 Sales Growth To Moderate

On a conference call with analysts, Julien Mininberg, CEO of Helen of Troy, said the industry is seeing “some moderation” in overall demand in the water bottles and hydration space following a period a strong growth overall.

One-On-One With OrthoLite’s Glenn Barrett

The CEO and chairman of Ortholite discusses the keys to successful collaborations, 3D printing and other emerging technologies, new competitors in the space, and the insole category’s newfound respect.

Merry Holiday Forecasts Arrive

The NRF (National Retailer Federation) became the latest organization predicting robust sales for the holiday season. Gains are expected to be helped by low unemployment, rising stock markets and another year of double-digit online spending gains.

NRA Under Attack Following Mass Shooting

With the NRA (National Rifle Association) coming under broad attack following the Las Vegas mass shooting, another unsettling period appears ahead for the gun industry.