SGB Executive Sports & Fitness

Columbia Sportswear Launches Project CONNECT Execution Plan

While reporting second-quarter results that were slightly better than expected, Columbia Sportswear announced that it had launched a new transformation plan, entitled Project CONNECT, to adjust to the “accelerating structural change” facing retail.

Amer Sports Q2 Impacted by Restructuring, Sales Set To Pick Up In Back Half

Heikki Takala, president and CEO, told analysts Amer saw strong growth in most of its strategic priority areas. These include apparel, up 22 percent; owned retail, up 25 percent overall with same-store sales growth of 7 percent; e-commerce, vaulting 45 percent; and China, up 20 percent.

Puma Rides Women’s Momentum To Robust Q2

On a press conference call, Bjørn Gulden, Puma’s CEO, particularly credited Puma’s success in reestablishing traction in the footwear category and ongoing momentum in women’s. He said, “We still have a lot improve and I don’t celebrate this as a huge success but it’s another step in the right direction.”

Luxottica Sees North America Return To Growth In Q2

On a conference call with analysts, Stefano Grassi, CFO, said the wholesale gains were driven by sales to independent opticians and key accounts that more than offset the weakness of the department store and sports channels.

VF Lifts Outlook On North Face And Vans Momentum

VF Corp. raised its guidance for the year due to stronger-than-expected growth in the second quarter in its Outdoor & Action sports coalition, driven by its Vans and The North Face; as well as above-plan sales across its its D2C channel, led by digital.

Hibbett’s Shares Crash On Profit Warning

Shares of Hibbett Sports Inc. tumbled $6.60, or 33.5 percent, to $13.10 on Monday after the sporting goods chain warned that second-quarter results would arrive far short of expectations.

Skechers’s Q2 Growth Heats Up

Skechers said it continues to be the leading walk, work and casual footwear brand and is second for the categories of all footwear and all casual athletic.

Academy Sports Lays Off 100 In Restructuring

The layoffs, which follow a similar round of layoffs at its largest competitor, Dick’s Sporting Goods, come as the company has “identified new areas of focus where our energy and dollars will make a real difference as we continue to write our strategic growth story.”