Outdoor Research Expands Midwest Indie Sales Agency Territory
The maker of outdoor apparel and gear, OR expanded the sales territory for its Great Lakes territory sales rep team, Westbay Trading Co., to include the Midwest territory.
EXEC: Bob’s Stores Commences Going Out of Business Sales
The company said that despite making swift and aggressive changes to its structure and operations, Bob’s Stores was unable to secure the finances needed to maintain operations.
Report: Manufacturing PMI Contracted Again in June
Economic activity in the manufacturing sector contracted in June for the third consecutive month and the 19th time in the last 20 months.
Shoes For Crews Emerges from Chapter 11 as Assets are Sold to Lenders
Following the close of the Sale Transaction, ownership of Shoes For Crews and its international entities will transfer to a group of top-tier global investment firms. The company’s current management team will reportedly continue to lead the business.
Fanatics Inks Partnership Deal with New Zealand Rugby
Fanatics will become the master licensee for New Zealand and will run the e-commerce and physical retail for the All Blacks and the Black Ferns.
OrthoLite Expands European Market Presence
OrthoLite Europa’s expansion reportedly “bolsters capacity, innovation, and local-for-local insole production solutions” for OrthoLite’s European brand partners.
Sports Authority Founder Jack Smith Passes Away
Smith was the visionary who turned Sports Authority into one of the largest sporting goods retail brands worldwide. Smith also served as chairman of the board of the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) and was inducted into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame in 2016.
EXEC: Gym King Founder and CEO Buys Out JD Sports Stake in UK Athleisure Retailer
Founder and CEO Jay Parker, via an entity GKH Ventures Ltd. completed the buyout of JD Sports’ stake in The Gym King (Holdings) Ltd., with Parker regaining 100 percent ownership in the business.
Adidas Drops the Velostan Smith
“The Stan Smith sneaker journey started in 1978, and it has been a joy to watch Adidas evolve and reimagine it ever since, with this latest version imagined especially for cyclists – being no different.” —Stan Smith
EXEC: Wall Street Analysts Downgrade Nike as Competitors Gain Heat
Nike’s move to slash its sales forecast for the year ahead resulted in downgrades from UBS, Stifel, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley. Some analysts cited opportunities for Adidas, Lululemon, Hoka, On, and other competitors to gain shelf space as Nike’s overreliance on lifestyle offerings and innovation struggles continue.
EXEC: Assessing the Financial Impact of the OIA and Outdoor Retailer Break Up
The separation, or divorce, was always expected to be a tough move for OIA to absorb, as the loss of royalties from the OR show would cut millions from the trade association’s budget each year. But a funny thing happened on the way to this eventual agreement, OIA shifted its reliance on trade show royalties.
EXEC: Nike Shares Plunge on Surprise Sales Warning for Fiscal 2025
Shares of Nike Inc. closed down 20 percent on Friday, June 28, after the company revised its sales forecast to be down in mid-single digits for its fiscal year ended May 31, 2025, including a high-single-digit drop in the first half.
REI Co-op Taps Under Armour, Target Vet as VP of Human Resources
Mike Cannata was, most recently, vice president of human resources at Under Armour. Before UA, he worked for over a decade at Target, progressing from a store management through human resources leadership.
Nike Inc. Beats Q4 EPS Estimates But Warns of Fiscal 2025 Guidance Cut
Nike Inc. reported earnings in the fiscal fourth quartar ended May 31 exceeded analysts’ consensus targets by 17 cents but also warned that it would downwardly adjust its guidance for the coming year due to continued “challenges” in the marketplace.
Birkenstock Announces Pricing of Secondary Offering
Birkenstock Holding plc announced the pricing of an underwritten secondary public offering of 14 million of its ordinary shares by L Catterton, its majority shareholder, at a price to the public of $54.00 per share.
