SGB Executive Sports & Fitness
Dick’s Hopes Healthier Margin Outlook Offsets Top-Line Challenges
Dick’s Sporting Goods said on its fourth-quarter conference call that it’s facing top-line challenges in the hunt and fitness tracker categories as well as the Under Armour brand overall. But stronger product innovation from select key partners and the continued expansion of its private brands are expected to result in less margin pressure in 2018 than previously expected.
Study: Inactivity Rates Among Low-Income Households Near Historic Levels
The 2018 Physical Activity Council Participation Report finds a moderate rise in participation for many sports and activities, including fitness sports, outdoor sports and winter sports. On the downside, the study identified a continuing trend toward the affluent getting more active while the less affluent are becoming more inactive.
Dorel Sports Returns To Growth In Q4
”Despite a continued weak global bicycle market, Dorel Sports grew its top-line in Q4 improving considerably from the third quarter driven by strong performance in Cycling Sport Group (CSG)’s international business, and at Caloi,” said Martin Schwartz, CEO of Dorel Industries.
Aisle Talk, Week of March 5
Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week.
Under Armour’s Sports Sponsorship Commitments Retreat In 2017
According to Under Armour’s just-filed 10K report, future sports marketing commitments fell 13.6 percent at the close of the year, reflecting the company’s overall efforts to reduce its cost structure.
Acushnet Q4 Aided By U.S. Golf Industry Stabilization
Said David Maher, Acushnet’s president and CEO, “We like our position in the U.S. market heading into 2018 and are optimistic that the U.S. retail channel is in the best shape it has been in for some time.”
Nautilus Seeing Healthy Response To Bowflex Treadmills
Nautilus Inc. said sales in its Retail segment were down in the fourth quarter due to timing issues but retail sell-throughs were strong for the Bowflex MaxTrainer as well as the recently-introduced Bowflex cardio line of treadmills and elliptical. Companywide, earnings were slightly down but in line with targets.
Shares Of Foot Locker Slump On Dismal Outlook
Shares of Foot Locker Inc. were down $5.84, or 12.7 percent, to $40.04 on Friday after the sneaker retailer reported weak fourth-quarter results and indicated the sales won’t likely rebound until the second half of 2018.
Aisle Talk, Week of February 26
Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week.
Gap Seeing Strength In Active Well Beyond Athleta
On the retailer’s fourth-quarter conference call with analysts, Arthur Peck, CEO of Gap Inc., described Athleta’s performance in 2017 as “extraordinary,” but also indicated that the Gap chain and Old Navy are also seeing strength in active and performance lifestyle.
Brunswick Sets Life Fitness Spin Off
“FitnessCo will be positioned to continue to grow, innovate and provide customers with high-quality solutions while also ensuring that the Marine business is best positioned to continue creating value for our shareholders,” said Brunswick Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mark D. Schwabero.
Active Brands Showing Growth For Sequential Brands Group
While the company wrapped up a fourth quarter in line with plans, Sequential Brands Group noted that all of its core Active brands – Gaiam, And1 and Avia – are all seeing momentum in the marketplace.
Big 5’s Q4 Blasted By Warm Winter Out West
Said CEO Steve Miller on a conference call with analysts. “While much of the country has endured often extreme winter weather conditions over the past few months our western U.S. markets have experienced significantly warmer than normal weather and one of the driest periods on record.”
Fitbit’s Shares Tumble On Dismal Outlook
Shares of Fitbit Inc. hit an all-time low after it failed to turn a profit in the fourth quarter, missing analyst earnings expectations. The wearable leader also gave a poor outlook for the current year, including first-quarter guidance well below Wall Street’s targets.
Hibbett’s Blows Past Guidance
Particularly benefitting from the quick ramp-up of e-commerce operations, Hibbett Sporting Goods reported preliminary fourth-quarter earnings that handily eclipsed Wall Street’s targets.
