
EXEC: Lululemon, Patagonia and Vuori Top Best Brands for Resale Report
Active lifestyle brands dominated the leader board in the latest annual resale report from ThredUp and doubled representation in the report’s Top 20 for Best Brands for Resale.

EXEC: First Quarter Footwear Manufacturing Sees Mixed Results
Long-time Nike manufacturing partner Feng Tay posted a solid 6.5 percent increase for Q1, while footwear shipments at Yue Yuen, one of the biggest makers of athletic and outdoor footwear, saw flat shipments for the quarter.

EXEC: Sports Direct Parent Looks to Expand Presence in the Netherlands
Frasers Group has signed a deal to acquire Dutch sports retailer Twin Sport BV as it looks to expand its footprint across the Benelux region and beyond. Frasers currently has five stores in the Netherlands under the Sports World banner.

EXEC: Nike and Lululemon Fight Teen Perceptions as Smaller Brands Take Share
With all the conversations about Wall Street darlings Lululemon and Nike stumbling this spring after recent earnings reports for their most recent quarters, it is interesting to read the hard data supporting or countering early reactions.

EXEC: CSG Taps JP Morgan Financing for the Vista Outdoor Ammo Deal
Czechoslovak Group issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to the proposed all-cash acquisition of Vista Outdoor, Inc.’s ammunition business for a total consideration of $1.91 billion, with fully committed financing from JP Morgan Chase.

EXEC: Decathlon Boasts Robust Growth for 2023 Despite Market Headwinds
Decathlon posted a solid year-over-year gain for 2023, with sales up 1.2 percent in reported euro terms to €15.6 billion for the year, or an increase of 4.4 percent in constant-currency terms.

EXEC: Sports Direct to Open Two New Flagship Locations in London
The stores, one in Westfield Stratford and the other in Westfield London, are “further progress” in Sports Direct’s elevation strategy, while the Oxford Street flagship will remain the cornerstone of the Sports Direct brand in London.

EXEC: Levi Strauss Gets DD Lift from Beyond Yoga in Q1; Exits Footwear
Revenues from e-commerce grew 13 percent on a reported basis and 12 percent on a constant-currency basis, reflecting double-digit growth across the Levi’s and Beyond Yoga brands.

VF Corp. To Roll Out 300 Additional Mono-Brand Retail Stores
The parent company of Vans, TNF, Timberland, and other active lifestyle brands engaged with Dubai-based global retail conglomerate GMG to expand its retail network across the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia markets over the next five years.

EXEC: Sportsman’s Warehouse Kicks Off ‘Spring Reset’ to Clean Inventory, Grow Sales
Wall Street reacted positively to the planned changes, and the Q4 earnings beat as SPWH shares surged 21 percent on Thursday, closing at $3.79 a share. The inventory reduction efforts were said to be $10 million better than planned.

EXEC: Has Authentic Won the Bidding for the Champion Brand?
After a long period of speculation since Hanesbrands Inc. (HBI) management first indicated in September 2023 that it was open to selling its iconic Champion brand, a deal to acquire the brands appears to be on the horizon

EXEC: Escalade Ramps up Cash Generation; Cuts Inventory 24 Percent
Despite a high-single-digit decline in Q4 sales, Escalade, Inc. characterized its fourth quarter as delivering a strong finish to the last year, with “improved gross margins, robust cash generation and a significant reduction in leverage.”

EXEC: Vista Outdoor Re-Files CFIUS Notice to Extend Review Period for Ammo Business Sale
Vista Outdoor, Inc. and Czechoslovak Group a.s. (CSG) voluntarily withdrew and re-filed their joint voluntary notice to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to allow CFIUS additional time to conduct diligence on the proposed sale.

EXEC: JD Sports Ends FY on January Down Note; Sees Upside Ahead from Summer of Sport
For the full year, like-for-like comp sales were up 4.2 percent, with all regions ahead of the previous year with organic sales growth of 8.4 percent.

EXEC: JD Sports Inks Partner for South Africa Expansion
The company signed a franchise agreement with Foschini Retail Group (Pty) Ltd, a subsidiary of South African retailer The Foschini Group Limited (TFG) to launch the JD brand in South Africa.