SGB Executive Sports & Fitness
Foot Locker’s Shares Skyrocket On Hopeful Forecast
Shares of Foot Locker Inc. vaulted $8.97, or 28.2 percent, to $40.82 on Friday after the sneaker powerhouse reported third-quarter earnings that topped Wall Street’s targets and indicated that results for the full year may exceed guidance. Foot Locker officials also outlined a number of steps it’s taking to revive top-line growth.
Aisle Talk, Week Of November 13
Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week.
Athleta “On Fire” In Q3
“Simply put, Athleta is on fire,” said Art Peck, president and CEO, Gap Inc. “Top and bottom line momentum continues. We’re seeing exceptional growth outpacing the industry with operating margin expansion.”
Shoe Carnival Lifts Outlook On Robust Athletic Trends
Said Cliff Sifford, CEO, “We believe the positive athletic and athleisure trend happening in the family footwear channel will continue, and we have reallocated inventory dollars to those specific categories for the fall season to take advantage of this trend.”
Wall Street Reacts: Dicks Q3
For the analyst community, Dick’s issuance of a poor outlook for 2018 indicates that the industry’s return to healthy, full-price selling will take longer than expected.
Sport Chek’s Weak Sales Continue, Management Upbeat On Prospects
“There are aspects of the business we are pleased with and others that require attention,” said Stephen Wetmore, CEO and president of Canadian Tire, the owner of FGL Sports, of the business on his company’s third quarter conference call. “However, everything we look at is providing upside potential.”
Dick’s Sees Margin Pressures Lingering Well Into 2018
Said Ed Stack, CEO, on a conference call with analysts, “With excess inventory still in the supply chain, broadened distribution strategies from some key vendors and a lack of newness and innovation, the fourth quarter and 2018 will continue to be promotional and pressure margins from last-year levels.”
Kohl’s Sees 20 Percent Growth Across Activewear In Q3
“Both apparel and footwear categories in Active were strong and this was driven by large increases in both Nike and Adidas, as well as continued strong performance from Under Armour,” said Kevin Mansell, Kohl’s CEO, on a conference call with analysts.
Cowen Downgrades Finish Line On “Skyrocketing” Promotions
Cowen & Co. lowered its rating on The Finish Line to “underperform” from “market perform” due to signs of “skyrocketing” promotions at the retailer. The investment firm also found that Finish Line was continuing to undercut prices of Nike and Adidas online, posing a risk it may see less access to those key brands in the future.
Adidas Q3 Boosted By North America And China
The Adidas brand, which grew 13.6 percent on a currency-neutral basis in the quarter, was led by growth of 31 percent in North America, 28 percent in Greater China and 39 percent across global e-commerce.
Aisle Talk, Week Of November 6
Top headlines from the active lifestyle industry you may have missed this week.
Mizuno’s Americas Sales Decline 7 Percent In Q2
Mizuno Corp’s sales declined 7.4 percent in the second quarter ended September 30 in the Americas region, improving from a 10.0 percent drop seen in the first six months of the year.
Parent Of Titleist Eying Golf Recovery In U.S.
David Maher, COO, Acushnet Holdings, stated, “It is encouraging that the U.S. retail market is weathering its structural correction fairly well. The general consensus from our trade partners is that they are faring better now than they did in 2016 or 2015 as there are fewer competitive doors and a greater percentage of their sales is generated from inline products.”
Badger Sportswear’s CEO Discusses Alleson Athletic Merger
In an interview with SGB, John Anton, CEO, Badger Sportswear, said its acquisition of Alleson Athletic helps position the company as the preeminent “one-shop” solution for dealers across the country. The deal also signals that Badger is indeed ramping up its growth ambitions following its own acquisition last August by private-equity firm CCMP Capital Advisors.
Under Armour Upgraded Due To Re-Accessed Expectations
In a note, Susquehanna analyst Sam Poser that while Under Armour’s business “will be challenging for some time,” the downside to owning the stock is “more limited as UAA may have set the bar low enough to allow the company to hit the reset button.”
