SGB Update Apparel

2020 Retail Imports May Break Record Despite Pandemic
Imports seen during 2020 appear to be headed toward a new record despite the coronavirus pandemic, and remain at high levels as 2021 begins, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

VF Corp. Names Shanghai As New APAC Headquarters
VF Corp. announced a transformation plan for its Asia Pacific operations focused on evolving the region’s organizational design and footprint and building new capabilities to for the growth of its brands. Accordingly, VF will move the center of its brand operations from Hong Kong to Shanghai.

Tilly’s Sees Modest Comp Gain Over Holiday Period
Tilly’s Inc. reported same-store sales grew 2.7 percent for the nine-week period ended January 2. Comparable net sales in physical stores decreased by 12.4 percent while e-commerce net sales jumped 65.2 percent.

Lululemon Sees Q4 Earnings At Upper End Of Guidance
Lululemon Athletica Inc. announced the company now expects revenue and earnings to be at the high end of its prior range of expectations for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 ending January 31.

Boot Barn Sees Q3 Comps Climbing 4.6 Percent
Boot Barn Holdings Inc. said it expects both earnings and sales to top Wall Street’s consensus estimates in the third quarter ended December 26. Same-store sales returned to positive territory despite ongoing headwinds from COVID-19, and the chain’s e-commerce business remained strong.

Genesco Sees Comps Dip 3 Percent Over November And December
Genesco Inc. announced that comparable sales, including stores and direct sales, decreased 3 percent for the quarter-to-date period ended December 26, 2020. Same-store sales decreased 14 percent and sales for the company’s e-commerce businesses jumped 49 percent on a comparable basis.

SGB Media Reports Top Stories Of 2020
SGB Media has reported its Top 20 stories read online in 2020, with the Bass Pro acquisition of Sportsman’s Warehouse and related stories leading the charts. Overall, the SGBonline.com web site had a banner year in readership, recording over 2.5 million page views, a 20 percent increase over 2019.

Virtual PGA Merchandise Show Sets Announces Speaker Line-Up
The virtual PGA Merchandise Show, to be held from January 26 to 29, announced that speakers at its event will include Phil Mickelson, 2021 Ryder Cup Captains Steve Stricker and Padraig Harrington, PGA Champion Collin Morikawa, and CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz.

CriticalPoint Capital Completes Merger Of Shoes.com
Affiliates of CriticalPoint Capital LLC (CPC) announced it has completed the merger of the recently acquired Shoes.com business with CPC’s existing platform Running Specialty Group, operator of the JackRabbit, Olympia Sports and Clever Training footwear and athletic specialty retailers.

Academy Sports Partners With Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing announced Academy Sports + Outdoors as the latest sponsor of its 2021 MLF Cup events, including title sponsorship of the 2021 Heritage Cup.

Speedo USA Named Title Sponsor For Salty Sports Society’s SALT Series
In 2021, Salty Sports Society will again host its SALT Series across the State of Florida with Speedo USA as its title sponsor.

The Buckle’s December Comps Expand 18 Percent
The Buckle, Inc. announced that comparable store net sales, for stores open at least one year, for the 5-week period ended January 2, 2021, increased 17.9 percent.

Columbia Sportswear Adds Starbucks Exec To Board
Columbia Sportswear Co. announced that its board of directors appointed John Culver to serve as a director and member of its Compensation Committee.

Macy’s Reveals Locations To Close In 2021
Macy’s Inc. revealed the list of locations it expects to close this year, including 36 Macy’s stores and one Bloomingdale’s location.

Channel Islands Surfboards Is Officially Under New Ownership
Burton Snowboards has completed the sale of Channel Islands Surfboards to employees of the surf brand. Britt Merrick has been named CEO, and longtime Channel Islands Surfboards General Manager Scott Anderson will assume the role of president.