SGB Update Footwear

DSW Second Quarter Profit Soars on Improved Merchandise Margins

With tight inventory controls feeding a 44.4% merchandise margin – a 600 basis points improvement over the prior year, DSW Inc. reported Q2 earnings jumped 69%. The margin gain made up for a 6% drop in same-store sales. Occupancy expenses deleveraged 110

Famous Footwear Sees Bright Spot in Athletics in Q2

Although Famous Footwear continues to see encouraging trends in athletics, soft consumer spending led to a decline in store traffic and increased promotional activity as the retail chain showed a 2.9% Q2 comp decline. Earnings came in well below those of

CFL and Reebok Enter Five-Year Partnership Deal

The Canadian Football League and Reebok Canada announced a new five-year deal in which Reebok will be the exclusive supplier of uniforms and sideline apparel for the league…

Danner Gets Largest Military Boot Order of 2008

LaCrosse Footwear’s Danner subsidiary received a $3.2 million delivery order as part of a new contract with the Department of Defense. The contract calls for delivery of the Danner Marine Temperate boot within the next 60 days. The company said this contr

Former Rossignol CEO Lands Deal to Buy Brand

Quiksilver, Inc. found a buyer for the Rossignol Group with help from a former executive and current competitor. The action sports giant said last week it had reached a definitive agreement to sell Rossi to Chartreuse & Mont Blanc (C&MB), a company formed

Cannondale Sports Group President Departs

Dorel Industries Inc. reported that Jeff Frehner, president and CEO of the Cannondale Sports Group (CSG), has decided to leave the company for family reasons. Robert P. Baird, Jr., president of the Dorel's Recreational/Leisure segment, which includes

REI Names New VP of Information Technology

Recreational Equipment, Inc. named Bill Baumann vice president of information technology (IT). He was most recently the VP of IT with Musician's Friend/Guitar Center in Medford, OR. That company sells more than $600 million a year via its web site, w

SKECHERS Expands into Hong Kong

SKECHERS USA, Inc. announced that it has expanded its operations in Hong Kong and Macau through a joint venture (known as SKECHERS Hong Kong Limited) with the Onwel Group, a leading fashion company in the region. The new joint venture in Hong Kong follows

Warrior Files $30 Million Lawsuit Against NCAA

Warrior Lacrosse, based in Lansing, MI, and Athlete's Connection Inc., a retailer based in Lansing, MI, has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking damages of more than $30 million they say will be caused under new men's lacrosse equipment rule

Winmark Hires CFO

Winmark Corp, the parent of Play it Again Sports, announced the appointment of Tony Ishaug as the chief financial officer. Ishaug was recently chief financial officer and chief operating officer of the Department 56 division of Lenox Group, Inc. He has se

Acushnet Plans Ball Plant in Asia

The Acushnet Company plans to produce its top-selling Titleist Pro-V1 golf balls at a factory somewhere in Asia within 3 to 5 years. Domestic production of the Pro-V1 eventually will be trimmed about 20 percent and an estimated 100 jobs will be eliminated

GoldToeMoretz Names Pres and COO

GoldToeMoretz LLC named Stephen Lineberger as its president and chief operating officer. Lineberger, a senior vice president and general manager for Hanesbrands' international unit, will begin his duties in mid-September…