SGB Update Footwear
Amer Sports’ Debt Ratings Upgraded To Positive On Strong Earnings
Moody’s Investors Service changed to positive from stable the outlook on the ratings of Amer Sports as the company saw revenue growth of 29 percent in the year-to-date period ended September 30. Moody’s said, “Consumer demand for sports apparel, footwear and individual ball sports equipment has proven to be stronger than expected across all segments.”
MycoWorks Raises $125M To Scale Mushroom Leather Material
MycoWorks, a company developing a fungal-based biomaterial that it said could replace leather, has secured $125 million in Series C financing.
The Bay Appoints Chief Customer Officer
The Bay, based in Toronto, appointed Alexander Meyer as chief customer officer. Meyer will oversee strategy and customer insights, marketing and creative, loyalty, and communications functions for The Bay and Hudson’s Bay businesses.
Frankie4 Opens First Store And U.S. Headquarters In Seattle
Following the U.S. e-commerce launch of the women’s Australian fashion comfort footwear brand in 2021, Frankie4 has announced the opening of a retail store and U.S. headquarters in the Capitol Hill district of Seattle.
Western Resorts See Strong Occupancy Rates Holiday 2021
Ample snowfall beginning in mid-December across the western U.S. led to a winning holiday season, whether compared to the pandemic-addled season last year or to pre-pandemic, record-breaking holiday seasons, according to DestiMetrics.
HanesBrands Announces $2 Million Investment In Historically Black Colleges And Universities
HanesBrands announced a $2 million investment in three historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). The four-year partnership involves North Carolina A&T, Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design and Winston-Salem State University.
Nike And Converse Reach Settlement With Ex-Employee In Custom-Shoe Case
Nike settled a custom-sneaker lawsuit against a former employee and his company in a trademark infringement case, according to World Trademark Review.
Salesforce Data Reveals Global Digital Sales Surpassed $1 Trillion During 2021 Holiday Season
Consumers spent $1.14 trillion online globally and $257 billion in the U.S., compared to $1.1 trillion and $236 billion in 2020, according to Salesforce’s 2021 Holiday Shopping Report.
Walmart Names New Chief Merchant In Exec Shuffle
Walmart appointed Charles Redfield as chief merchandising officer. He is replacing Scott McCall, who is retiring. Chief Customer Officer Janey Whiteside is leaving the company, according to an internal memo attained by the Wall Street Journal.
Sneaker-Trading Start-Up, Traderblock, Sites Strong Growth Since Launch
Traderblock, a sneaker trading platform, said it has attracted over 100,000 collectors in the app since its launch in May 2021.
Holiday Sales Grew 14.1 Percent
Retail sales during 2021’s November/December holiday season grew 14.1 percent over 2020 to $886.7 billion, beating the National Retail Federation’s forecast and setting a record despite challenges from inflation, supply chain disruptions and the pandemic, NRF said.
Vail Resorts Skier Visits Down Slightly Season-To-Date
Vail Resorts, Inc. reported season-to-date total skier visits were down 1.7 percent compared to the prior year season-to-date period and down 18.3 percent compared to the fiscal year 2020 season-to-date period.
Report: StockX Exploring IPO
StockX has retained Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. to explore a planned U.S. initial public offering as soon as the first half of 2022, sources told Bloomberg.
Big 5 Sees Q4 EPS Well Above Guidance
Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation pre-announced fourth-quarter results for the period ended January 2 that showed earnings came in above company guidance due to margins coming in significantly ahead of plan. Steven Miller, the company’s CEO, said in a statement, “While issues surrounding the pandemic are ongoing, we believe the business is in a great position heading into 2022.”
Arc’teryx Closes 2021 With 21 Global Retail Openings
Arc’teryx announced it opened 21 stores internationally in 2021. The company also celebrated its first ReBird Repair and Service Center in New York with plans to establish more centers as the brand expands its ReBird circularity initiatives in 2022.
