SGB Executive Sports & Fitness
EXEC: On Holding Draws Mostly Raves from Wall Street After Investor Day Event
Although some analysts questioned whether On can continue to rapidly expand on a premium-pricing model, the wide majority remained bullish on the Swiss sportswear brand’s prospects following its Investor Day this week that saw the company set a new three-year growth goal above expectations. Over 75 percent of the absolute net sales growth over the next three years is expected to come from running, lifestyle sneakers and apparel.
EXEC: SFIA Sees Record Team Sports Participation Levels, Led by Outdoor Soccer, Basketball
Team sports participation reached a record 92.3 million Americans ages 6 and older in 2025, increasing 7.6 percent and marking a fifth consecutive year of growth, according to a new report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). Double-digit year-over-year gains were seen by outdoor soccer, basketball, cheerleading, fast-pitch softball and track & field.
EXEC: BSN Sports’ Terry Babilla to Retire
Terry Babilla, president, COO and long-time veteran of BSN Sports, is retiring from the team dealer giant at the close of September. Adam Blumenfeld, CEO at BSN’s parent Varsity Brands, in October will return to the role of CEO of BSN Sports while continuing in his current role.
EXEC: On Brand to Open Three Stores in Central Europe
The On brand is expanding its footprint across the German-speaking market with the debut of three new stores Austria and Germany. The store in Vienna will be the Swiss running brand’s first-ever store in Austria while locations in Munich and Düsseldorf will bring its store count in Germany to three doors.
EXEC: 2XU Hires Under Armour Vet as Head of Wholesale & Business Development, NA
2XU appointed Aaron Brown, who formerly led sales at HydraPak and Under Armour, as head of wholesale & business development, North America. Brown joins 2XU as the Australian-based activewear brand increases its focus on North American expansion following the 2024 acquisition by TriVantage Holdings, a Singapore-registered special-purpose vehicle.
EXEC: JD Sports CEO Says Hibbett and DTLR Parent “Not Waiting” for Nike Recovery
On JD Sports Fashion’s analyst call for its first-half results, CEO Régis Schultz said the UK-based chain is “not waiting” for Nike to recover and is aggressively shifting orders to performance running, hotter brands such as On and Salomon, and newer non-sneaker styles that are “gaining momentum.”
EXEC: Anta Sports’ Debt Ratings Outlook Upgraded
Moody’s Ratings revised its outlook on the debt ratings of Anta Sports to positive from stable due to the Chinese sportswear firm’s expanding market share in China, increased brand and channel diversity, and strong earnings outlook.
EXEC: JD Sports’ Profits Slide DD in First Half; North America Comps Decline
The owner of the JD, DTLR, Shoe Palace, Hibbett, Size?, Courir, Sprinter, Sport Zone, Cosmos and Go Outdoors retail banners was stung by margin pressures and a 2.8 percent decline in same-store sales. Comps declined 4.0 percent in North America, leading the regional decliners.
EXEC: On Co-Founders Outline Growth Strategy for Golf and Soccer, Set 2029 Goals
At an Investor Day event on Tuesday, September 22, On Holding AG’ co-founders detailed an ambitious ”Premium Playbook” strategy designed to reach $7 billion in sales by 2029. The two discussed the vast growth opportunity On has targeting the emerging “Movement Class” segment, Golf, Football (Soccer), and the overall Premium Sportswear category.
EXEC: On Holding Appoints Laura Miele as Lead Independent Director
Laura Miele is president of Enterprise Development at Electronic Arts, responsible for strategic growth areas beyond EA’s core business that build on the company’s strengths and extend across entertainment.
EXEC: On Holding Presents New Brand Premium Playbook, Boosts 2026 Guidance
Built on its Premium Playbook, On plans for strong growth across all verticals through 2029. Its immediate key growth pillars, Run, Sneaker, and Apparel, are expected to drive outsized contribution, further supported by the entry into new sports categories, Football and Golf.
EXEC: Oura Targets $15.62 Billion Valuation in U.S. IPO
Finnish smart ring maker Oura Inc. is targeting a fully diluted valuation of $15.62 billion in its U.S. initial public offering, according to an updated filing. The offering consists of 13.5 million shares offered by Oura and 36.5 million offered by certain of Oura’s existing stockholders.
EXEC: WFSGI Study Finds Sporting Goods Industry Delivers $675 Billion in Global GDP
Described as the “first-ever assessment of the sector’s economic footprint,” a study from the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) finds the sporting goods industry contributes an estimated $675 billion to global GDP each year, or roughly 0.6 percent of world economic output, and supports 28 million jobs globally, or one in every 125 jobs on the planet.
EXEC: Amer Sports Raises Q3 Guidance Ahead of Investor Day
Ahead of an Investor Day being held of Thursday, Amer Sports, Inc. raised its guidance for earnings and sales for the third quarter while updating its long-term financial algorithm. Amer now expects third quarter year-over-year revenue growth of 20 – 22 percent versus the previous guidance range of 18 – 20 percent and adjusted operating margin to be slightly above the high-end of the previous guidance range…
EXEC: Academy CEO Steve Lawrence Outlines ASO’s Path to “Better” and “Best” Pricing
In a session Tuesday at Goldman Sachs’ Global Consumer and Retail Conference, Steve Lawrence, CEO of Academy Sports, said Hoka had been the second most requested brand by customers after Jordan, but the path to securing access to both brands only came after moves made in over the last six or seven years to upgrade overall assortments.
