SGB Executive Sports & Fitness
EXEC: Report Finds Troubling Core Participation Trend in Team Sports
SFIA’s recently released U.S. Trends In Team Sports Report noted that participation in 16 of 23 team sports tracked by the Association has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, and only one sport, soccer, showed Core Participation gains in the 2019-2022 period. However, the SFIA report offered more encouraging findings in team sports trends.
Study: Gen Z and Boomers Most Likely to Shop In-Store
ICSC wrote that while Gen Z grew up with digital and mobile technology, their penchant for in-store shopping at times exceeds that of the generations that grew up shopping in physical stores.
Study: Retailers See Big Online Sales Declines After Closing Brick & Mortar
ICSC found that closing a store reduced online sales in the trade area surrounding that store by 11.5 percent. For emerging retailers, there was reportedly less of an impact, as online sales for largely DTC brands that closed a store decreased by 5.2 percent.
Study: The Retailers Getting the Most Online Benefit from New Stores
According to the analysis of the ICSC’s survey of 850 shoppers, department stores had a 50.6 percent increase in online spending, followed by apparel retailers with an 11.6 percent increase in e-commerce sales.
Gildan’s Ousted CEO Denies Giving M&A Ultimatum to Directors
Glenn Chamandy, the former CEO of Gildan Activewear Inc., issued a statement denying media reports that he gave an ultimatum to the activewear company’s board regarding strategy or potential acquisitions. He also denied that he was involved in succession planning.
EXEC: Former Giants Star Carl Banks Plots Starter’s Comeback for G-III Sports
Starter, the U.S. apparel manufacturer whose satin jacket was once a fixture in the 1990s on pro team sidelines and music videos, is readying a large-scale comeback with the help of nostalgia, on-trend product and expanded rights with major league teams. Carl Banks, president of G-III Sports, talked with SGB Executive about the brand’s resurgence.
Study: Retailers See Online Sales Boosted by Store Openings
ICSC quantified the impact of opening or closing physical stores on online sales and retailers’ overall performance. Its latest study, the third installment in ICSC’s research on the halo effect of brick-and-mortar retail on online sales, is said to again prove the power of physical retail by demonstrating that a new store boosts online sales, while a closed store impedes them.
EXEC: Nike Scores Two Analyst Upgrades
Citi raised its rating on Nike to “Buy” from “Neutral,” while Barclays gave Nike its “2024 Best Idea” recommendation. Both investment firms cited the potential for Nike to have a margin recovery and brand innovation tied to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
EXEC: Craft North America CEO Talks Gaining Traction in Run Footwear
In late November, Craft Sportswear announced plans for a phased relocation of its North American headquarters to Seattle, WA, in 2024 to bolster the brand’s expansion into outdoor and specialty retail and its recent entry into running footwear in the U.S. Craft North America CEO Eric Schenker talked with SGB Executive about Craft Sportswear’s heritage, the run footwear opportunity, and why the CEO has chosen not to move to Seattle.
EXEC: Lululemon’s Tepid Holiday Guidance Overshadows Strong Q3
Lululemon Athletica, Inc. lifted its overall full-year outlook after earnings and sales in the third quarter ended October 29 topped guidance for the third straight quarter but also forecast fourth-quarter guidance that came in lighter than expected in an apparent sign to investors of a potential sales slowdown.
EXEC: Sports Direct Gets Fiscal H1 Boost from New Brands
Frasers Group reported retail revenue increased 4.0 percent in the first half ended October 29 to £2.69 billion ($3.4 bn), helped by a “strong underlying performance” from Sports Direct due in part to the addition of new brands, including On Running, The North Face, Columbia Sportswear and Salomon.
EXEC: Stifel Survey Finds Consumers Prioritize Price/Value Over Sustainability
The survey, which was conducted in partnership with Morning Consult, surveyed active/causal lifestyle brand consumers ages 18 to 55 based in the U.S., UK, Germany, France, and Italy. It found that only one-third of respondents “Highly Prioritize” sustainability when making purchasing decisions, compared to other factors like “Good Value” (68 percent) and “Low Price” (57 percent).
EXEC: Dick’s SG Sees Differentiation Reaping Dividends
Speaking Tuesday at the 2023 Morgan Stanley Global Consumer & Retail Conference, Navdeep Gupta, EVP and CFO at Dick’s Sporting Goods, elaborated on how the retailer’s efforts to further differentiate itself both within product and the store experience is driving market share gains.
EXEC: Wells Fargo Shifts to Nike from Lululemon as Top Defensive Stock Pick
On Monday, Wells Fargo replaced Lululemon with Nike as its “Top Defensive Pick” among its stock coverage in the active lifestyle space. It also downgraded Lululemon and raised its price target on Nike.
EXEC: UK Retail Foot Traffic Rebounds in November
After suggesting the the UK retail market was hampered by stalled consumer spending in October, the British Retail Consortium reportedly saw a recovery in foot traffic in November, with total UK foot traffic down 0.7 percent year-over-year.
