SGB Update Footwear

Xtep International Sees 20 Percent Retail Sales Growth In First Quarter

The Board of Directors of Xtep International Holdings Limited, which operates retail stores in China for K-Swiss, Palladium, Merrell, and Saucony, in addition to Xtep brand stores, reported that retail sell-through growth in the first quarter, including brick & mortar and online channels, increased approximately 20 percent versus the year-ago comparable period.

Golf Rounds Played Dip In February

Rounds of golf played in February 2023 were down about 3 percent on a national level year-over-year, impacted by storm-related weather activity in California, according to Golf Datatech.

Sneaker Prices Reach Highest Levels This Decade

Average sneaker prices in March 2023 rose to record levels in the U.S. by 12.3 percent since 2020 but followed closely by deepening retail discounts, according to the USA Sneaker Market Index compiled by Centric Pricing*.

Authentic Brands Group Signs Agreement To Acquire Quicksilver, Billabong, DC Parent

After months of speculation in the active lifestyle market about a pending deal in the beach/skate lifestyle space, Authentic Brands Group reported it signed an agreement to purchase Boardriders, the parent of Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, DC Shoes, RVCA, Element, VonZipper, and Honolua. On March 31, Authentic said it entered a period of exclusivity and made a binding offer to purchase Boardriders.

Allbirds To Open First Store In Connecticut

Allbirds reported it plans to open its first store in Greenwich, CN, this May. The 3,000-square-foot space at 340 Greenwich Avenue will “amplify” the Allbirds customer experience.

Amazon To Charge Fee For Returns Made At UPS

According to a published report in The Information, Amazon will charge a fee for customer returns made at UPS stores if return options at Whole Foods, Kohl’s or Amazon Fresh locations are closer or just as far as a UPS store return location. 

NRF: Imports Climbing But Below Pandemic Peaks

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major container ports should climb steadily through the summer but will remain below record-setting levels seen during most of the pandemic, according to the Global Port Tracker report* released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates.

Kohl’s Debt Ratings Lowered

S&P Global Ratings lowered the debt ratings of Kohl’s Corp. as the retailer’s recently reported earnings for fiscal 2022, came in below expectations with lower margins due to heightened clearance activity and muted demand.

BRC: March UK Retail Foot Traffic Up 6.8 Percent But Lags February Rate

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is reporting that total U.K. footfall (retail foot traffic), as measured by BRC-Sensormatic IQ data, increased by 6.8 percent in March year-over-year (YoY), 3.6 percentage points worse than February and worse than the 3-month average increase of 9.5 percent.