SGB Update Footwear

Nike Inc. Steps Boldly Toward Future with 23:11 Program…

Nike Inc. held their bi-annual Investor Day entitled “The Customer Decides” in Portland last Tuesday and made a number of very important and unusual announcements to the attendees. They presented, in an uncharacteristic amount of detail, the company&#039

LaCrosse Q4 Improves Despite Decrease in Days…

LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. saw sales improve for both its fourth quarter and full year, with even stronger gains on the bottom line. All that despite a decrease in the calendar days covered by the current period compared to the year-ago. Fourth quarter conso

OIA Supports New NPS Budget Proposal…

While much of the newly elected democratic Congress was calling President Bush’s new budget proposal, “dead on arrival,” Outdoor Industry Association expressed strong support for the increased funding for National Parks. The Administration’s proposed budg

Gander Pulls Realistic Airsoft Guns off Shelves…

Gander Mountain Company is pulling realistic replica guns from its stores in Minnesota and will sell only airsoft guns that are obviously and unmistakably toys. Gander Mountain will phase out realistic replica guns, in favor of guns that are more obviousl

Timberland Restructures for the Future…

In conjunction with reporting its financial performance for the fourth quarter and the year, Timberland announced the departure of the company’s COO, Ken Pucker, who had been with the company for 15 years. Beginning in the second quarter, Timberland will

Timberland Fourth Quarter Impacted by Slower Boot Business…

Timberland continues to struggle with its urban boot business, but improvements and strong growth in several of its other categories are offsetting the majority of the revenue declines. Overall TBL revenue growth improved during the fourth quarter, suppor

Quiksilver Cuts Guidance But K2, Inc. Raises Their Outlook…

Quiksilver, Inc. has adopted a more cautious outlook for the remainder of this year and next year's early season due to the unseasonably warm winter and poor snow conditions in the U.S. and in Europe. ZQK now expects first quarter fiscal 2007 revenue

Nautilus Acquires Manufacturer; Posts Record Q4…

Nautilus, Inc. finished the 2006 fiscal year with a step towards verticality as it announced plans to acquire one of its major manufacturing partners, Xiamen, China-based Land America Health and Fitness Co., Ltd. Consideration for the acquisition is appr

Asics Sees Bottom Line Outpace Q3 Sales Gains…

For the third quarter, Asics Corp. saw net sales increase 17.6% to ¥46.8 billion ($397.4 million) from ¥39.8 million ($339.8 million) last year. Gross margin for the company decreased 80 basis points to 45.1% of net sales from 45.9% during the same period

Asics Takes Skechers to Court over Stripes…

Asics America Corporation and Asics Corporation Japan have filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court, Central District of California against Skechers U.S.A., Inc. for trademark infringement, unfair competition, trademark dilution and false advertising. A

adidas Continues Partnership with Intersport…

adidas and Intersport International Corporation extended their existing strategic cooperation, which was entered into in 2003, until 2012. This deal will ensure integrated business development going forward, strengthening the sales and distribution proces

Speedo Partners with Symphony for China…

Speedo International Limited entered a partnership with Symphony Resources Ltd, a subsidiary of Symphony Holdings Ltd., granting Symphony the master license for the Speedo brand in China and Taiwan.
Speedo’s previous licensing partnership for China and T

OR Winter Mkt: Hardgoods Brands Go Green Too…

While softgoods companies have been telling the green story for over a decade, and footwear manufacturers picked up the torch in the past two years, many hardgoods manufacturers have been limited in their green message by the technologies available. This