SGB Executive Sports & Fitness
What Would Anta’s Merger Mean For Amer Sports?
“What’s Anta Sports?” was among the questions heard from more than a few market observers after news arrived Tuesday that the Chinese sports powerhouse had made an all-cash offer to acquire Amer Sports. But Anta has spelled out the company’s ambitions to become a global superpower in sporting goods and is ideally-positioned to attack major growth opportunities in the company’s home market.
Nike And Foot Locker Upgraded On Nike’s Innovation Pipeline
Nike was upgraded to “Buy” from Canaccord Genuity while Foot Locker was upgraded to “Outperform” by Wells Fargo. Both upgrades were tied to successful recent launches and bright prospects for future ones from Nike. Canaccord Genuity analyst Camilo Lyon also called Nike’s controversial Colin Kaepernick “Just Do It” anniversary campaign a “stroke of genius.”
One Week In: Nike’s Kaepernick Saga
It’s been a week since Nike caused an nationwide uproar over the company’s decision to make Colin Kaepernick the face of the thirtieth anniversary of the company’s “Just Do It” campaign. Boycott threats, shoe burnings, and at least two colleges vowing to stop wearing and one store vowing to stop selling Nike product have arrived so far. But praise, loads of media exposure and indications of a sales bump also came.
August M&A Roundup: Implus Nets Sporting Goods Asset
The last full month of summer was again quiet on the M&A front, with only a handful of notable deals in the sporting goods, outdoor and active lifestyle industries. But August did get off to a strong start when Implus announced the company would acquire Pro Performance Sports LLC, dba SKLZ, a provider of multisport athletic performance and skill development training products.
Retail Reports Roundup
Studies arrived showing Nike and Lululemon ranking high among favorite retailers for millennial and Gen Z consumers; Outdoor Voices landing among LinkedIn’s top startups and research on visual search, online personalization, Walmart’s online share gains and voice assistant shopping.
Journeys Powers Genesco Ahead In Q2
Driven by huge gains in revenues and profitability at Journeys, Genesco Inc. reported the company’s first positive store comp in eight quarters while posting a surprise profit in the second quarter. Said Bob Dennis, Genesco’s CEO, “Despite lapping positive comparisons when Journeys successfully emerged from the fashion shift a year ago.”
Aisle Talk Week Of September 3
Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week, including the tragic death of Jason Hairston, the founder of the KUIU hunting apparel brand.
Dick’s Touts Strong Vendor Relationships
Despite aggressive shifts by many vendors to pursue growth in direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels and the widely-covered challenges the chain is facing with Under Armour, Ed Stack, Dick’s Sporting Goods’ CEO, told attendees at Goldman Sachs’ Annual Global Retailing Conference that the chain’s vendor relationship have “never really been better.”
SGB Exec Q&A: Decathlon USA’s COO Sophie O’Kelly De Gallagh
Sophie O’Kelly de Gallagh, COO of Decathlon USA, talked to SGB about Decathlon’s return to U.S.retailing with the company’s “lab” store in San Francisco, the retailer’s unique vertically-integrated model and expansion plans.
Aisle Talk Week of August 27
Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week, including Black Diamond Equipment Ltd. sending Walmart a cease and desist notice in response to the launch of a new outdoor website on Walmart.com curated by Moosejaw.
Callaway And Jack Nicklaus Shine For Perry Ellis In Q2
Perry Ellis International Inc. saw strong growth in Callaway and Jack Nicklaus golf apparel in the second quarter. Nike Swim is seeing momentum in Europr. A calendar shift and the liquidation of Bon Ton Stores, however, caused a modest sales decline overall in the period. Profits were flat but topped Wall Street’s targets.
Dick’s Blames Q2 Top-Line Shortfall On Under Armour
Dick’s Sporting Goods reported earnings that easily topped Wall Street’s targets but sales came in well below as weakness from Under Armour continued to place a drag on sales. On a conference call with analysts, Ed Stack, CEO, said the company is “repositioning” its Under Armour business, including gaining more exclusives from the brand while finding other product to fill traditional Under Armour space.
Superfeet: Taking Shape To New Realms
Superfeet has grown more than 40 percent in the last five years, moved into footwear and 3D-printing, become 100-percent employee owned and now has a new mission statement. John Rauvola, Superfeet’s CEO, discusses the new mission, emerging opportunities in new and old areas, and the company’s unique culture.
Canaccord Genuity Downgrades Hibbett On Q2 Miss
Canaccord Genuity on Monday downgraded shares of Hibbett Sports following the retailer’s wide miss of second-quarter estimates due to sluggish sales and rising operating costs.
Hibbett Sports Shares Tumble 30 Percent After Q2 Miss
Shares of Hibbett Sports Inc. plummeted $8.88, or 30.2 percent, to $20.53 Friday after the company earlier in the day announced a second-quarter loss—Wall Street had expected a profit—and lowered guidance for the rest of 2018.
