SGB Update Apparel

REI to Open in Ithaca, NY

REI Co-op plans to open a store in Ithaca, NY in the summer of 2024 and hire approximately 50 employees.

JCPenney Sets $1 Billion Modernization Program

Furthering turnaround efforts, JCPenney announced it will reinvest more than $1 billion into the business by fiscal year 2025 to “elevate the customer experience and gain operating efficiencies.”

Ross Stores Sets Changes to Board Leadership

Ross Stores, Inc. announced that George Orban is stepping down as chairman but will continue to serve as an independent director. Michael Balmuth, a strategic advisor to the company, is returning as executive chairman of the board. K. Gunnar Bjorklund is taking on the role of lead independent director.

Lululemon’s Raises Outlook As Q2 Comps Jump 11 Percent

Lululemon Athletica, Inc. raised its guidance for the year as second-quarter results exceeded expectations. Earnings rose 21.6 percent on an adjusted basis in the quarter with revenues ahead 18 percent. Comparable sales increased 11 percent or 13 percent on a constant dollar basis.

Academy Sports’ Q2 Tops Wall Street Targets

Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. reported second-quarter earnings came in just ahead of analyst expectations. Same-store sales declined 7.5 percent in the quarter but improved throughout the quarter. Academy reiterated its sales guidance while raising its EPS outlook due to share repurchases.

The Buckle’s Comps Slide 5 Percent in August

The Buckle, Inc. announced today that comparable store net sales, for stores open at least one year, for the 4-week period ended August 26, 2023 decreased 5.0 percent from the year-ago period.

Duluth Trading Trims Outlook on Q2 Shortfall

Duluth Holdings, Inc., the parent of Duluth Trading, lowered its earnings guidance for the year after reporting a worse-than-expected loss in the second quarter. Sales were down 1.7 percent, impacted by weak store traffic. Duluth also noted that its CFO had stepped down to explore another opportunity.

Fanatics Lands at Academy Sports + Outdoors

Academy Sports + Outdoors announced it entered into a partnership agreement with Fanatics to enhance the retailer’s in-store and online assortment of officially licensed sports merchandise beginning this fall.

Avenatti Loses Conviction Appeal in Nike Extortion Case

The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rejected Michael Avenatti’s claim that no sufficient evidence supported his February 2020 conviction on charges of extortion and honest services fraud for threatening to smear Nike if the company did not pay him millions.

Midwest Mountaineering to Close After 53-Year Run

The Minneapolis store reported losing money every month in 2023 through July and with declining sales for the last seven years except when outdoor gear sales saw a brief surge at the height of the pandemic.