Morgan Stanley Bearish On JD Sports/Finish Line Merger
In a report entitled, “Is the Finish Line a step too far?,” Morgan Stanley initiated coverage of JD Sports Fashion Plc with an “Underweight” rating largely due to concerns over its recent mega-acquisition of The Finish Line. Part of that concern is that the merger comes as Nike and Adidas are rapidly expanding their direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels.
Sears To Close Another 40 Stores
Sears Holdings, which filed for bankruptcy last month, said Thursday that 11 Kmart locations and 29 Sears stores will close their doors in February 2019. The retailer is already in the process of closing about 188 stores.
Crocs’ Stock Jumps As Turnaround Gains Further Traction
Shares of Crocs Inc. jumped $5.91, or 27.6 percent, to $27.35 on Thursday after the company reported earnings that flew past Wall Street’s targets on 13.7-percent growth in the Americas region and meatier gross margins. Guidance was sharply lifted for the year.
Canadian Tire Touts Growth Potential For Helly Hansen, Looks To Reset Sport Chek
On its third-quarter conference call, Canadian Tire officials indicated that Helly Hansen, acquired in early July, is off to a “good start” with its integration process and should find a bigger presence across the company’s Canadian stores by mid-2019. They also laid out plans for Sport Chek to re-merchandise departments by categories instead of by brand, expand private labels, and improve inventory productivity.
Cheerleading Injuries On The Decline
USA Cheer shared news of a recently published medical research study demonstrating how cheerleading rules can effectively maximize the safety of its participating athletes.
Active Brands Making Progress In Sequential’s Q3
While posting a steep loss on impairment charges in the third quarter, Sequential Brands reported that its three active brands – Avia, Gaiam and AND1 – are all gaining traction in the marketplace
Dick’s To Kick Off The Holiday Season With ‘Biggest Black Friday Week Ever’
Dick’s Sporting Goods said it will be holding its “Biggest Black Friday Week Ever” with stores opening on Thanksgiving at 6:00 p.m. The retailer will also be offering Cyber Week deals online and “Hot Holiday Deals” at dicks.com and in-store throughout the holiday season.
Keen Appoints VP Of Product Design And Innovation
Keen, Inc. welcomed Chris Pawlus, formerly at Timberland, as its new VP of product design and innovation. In his new role, Pawlus will oversee the innovation team and the product design team for Outdoor, Lifestyle and Kids (OLK).
REI To Invest $1 Million In Thrive Outside Program
REI Co-op is investing $1 million in the Outdoor Foundation, the charitable arm of Outdoor Industry Association, to support the Thrive Outside program, designed to help young people’s social, emotional and academic development through the outdoors. REI joins VF Corp., Patagonia and Thule, which all made significant multi-year pledges during Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in July.
Canadian Tire’s FGL Segment Resumes Growth In Q3
Canadian Tire Corporation reported retail sales at its FGL segment, including Sport Chek, were up 1.6 percent in the third quarter with comparable sales up 2.2 percent. The company said it also saw a “strong start” to newly-acquired Helly Hansen.
The Buckle’s Comps Dip in October
The Buckle Inc.announced today that comparable store net sales, for stores open at least one year, for the 4-week period ended November 3, 2018 decreased 1.0 percent.
Crocs Lifts Outlook As Revenue Gains Pick Up Steam
Crocs Inc. raised its guidance for the year after reporting a surprise profit in the third quarter on strong demand for its clogs and sandals. Sales in the period accelerated to 9.3 percent growth on a currency-neutral basis and Crocs said it expects a mid-single digit revenue increase in 2019.
Adidas Finds Yeezy Boost Can’t Offset Europe Slowdown
Adidas lifted its profitability guidance for the year after reporting robust third-quarter earnings due to better-than-expected margins and strong double-digit growth in North America, China and across e-commerce channels. Yeezy delivered Adidas’ largest digital-release. But the year’s sales outlook was lowered as softness arriving in Europe earlier in the year worsened in the third quarter.
Wolverine World Wide Shares Slide On ‘Choppy’ Revenue Growth
Shares of Wolverine World Wide Inc. fell $3.28, or 9.1 percent, on Wednesday after the company reported another quarter of what CEO Blake Krueger called “choppy” revenue growth for 2018. Reported revenue of $558.6 million decreased 3.9 percent during the third quarter and missed Wall Street targets by $23.5 million.
PlumRiver Agrees To Acquire CenterStone Technologies
PlumRiver Technologies on Wednesday announced that the company has signed an agreement to acquire CenterStone Technologies as part of a strategic move to create a standardized B2B e-commerce interface between manufacturers and retailers. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
