Pentland Brands Names New Global Chief Operating Officer
Pentland Brands, parent company to Speedo, Berghaus, Canterbury, Ellesse, and Mitre brands, promoted Abhy Thomas-Joseph to global chief operating officer. He will replace Jon Godden, who is leaving the company in June after 16 years with the company.
Costco Sees March Comps Slip On Changes in Gas Prices, FX Rates
Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $21.71 billion for the retail month of March, the five weeks ended April 2, 2023, representing an increase of 0.5 percent from $21.61 billion last year.

Walmart Sees 65 Percent Of Stores Serviced By Automation By 2026; Reiterates Guidance
Walmart Inc. kicked off its two-day 2023 Investment Community meeting this week, with leadership highlighting how the company is investing to strengthen its business through its people and an unparalleled, next generation supply chain network of stores, clubs and fulfillment centers.
Dick’s SG Names Chief E-Commerce Officer
Dick’s Sporting Goods hired Denise Karkos, formerly at SiriusXM, as chief e-commerce officer.
NICS Checks Slide In March
The March 2023 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1.56 million represented a decline of 6.8 percent compared to the March 2022 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1.67 million.

Survey: Gen Z Still Prefers Nike, Chick-Fil-A and Goldfish; Off-Price Gets More Attention
Investment bank Piper Sandler Companies completed its 45th semi-annual Taking Stock With Teens survey in partnership with Deca. The Piper Sandler survey highlights discretionary spending trends and brand preferences from 5,690 teens across 47 U.S. states with an average age of 16.2 years.
Bealls Rebrands Retail Portfolio
Bealls, Inc. reported that its 600 Bealls Outlet and Burkes Outlet locations in 23 states are consolidating under one name to become bealls (with a lowercase “b”).

Boardriders, Inc.’s Debt Ratings Upgrade Report Reveals ABG Deal Priced At $1.25 Billion
Moody’s Investors Service placed Boardriders, Inc.’s debt ratings on review for upgrade following the announcement that Authentic Brands Group (ABG) has made a binding offer to acquire the company. The report revealed the purchase price is approximately $1.25 billion.
FitFlop Secures $30 Million To Fund Growth
FitFlop secured a five-year $30 million revolving credit facility from London-based Aurelius Finance Company, an independent secured lender providing asset-based financing solutions to the UK and European companies to support long-term growth.
Rocky Brands Sells Servus Brand
Rocky Brands, Inc. reported it sold its Servus brand to PQ Footwear, LLC, an Industrias PetroQuim, SA subsidiary based in the Dominican Republic.
USTA Launches USTA Connect
The U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) launched USTA Connect, an initiative to connect key members of the U.S. tennis industry to increase industry collaboration and provide insights and services.
Boot Barn’s COO To Retire
Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. reported that Gregory Hackman, executive vice president and chief operating officer, plans to retire in June. He will continue in his position until then and transition his responsibilities to other company executives.
Topgolf Callaway Brands Reports New Hires And Promotions
Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp., following its recent Q4 and FY 2022 earnings report, announced several executive promotions and new hires, reflecting “the increased scope and scale of responsibilities for these leaders to support the company’s long-term growth.”

Authentic Brands Group Makes Binding Offer To Acquire Boardriders
Authentic Brands Group reported it entered a period of exclusivity and made a binding offer to purchase Boardriders, the parent of Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, DC Shoes, RVCA, Element, VonZipper, and Honolua. Boardrider is owned and managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. Terms were not disclosed.

Nike Faces Shareholder Proposal On Worker Conditions
In a shareholder proposal released Thursday, activist shareholder platform Tulipshare requested a report from Nike on whether its policies effectively address its stated equity goals and human rights commitments.