SGB Update Footwear

Sportsshoes.com Appoints First Partnerships Coordinator
Georgia Malir will manage run and fitness community partnerships. She joins the company from Saucony, where she was a technical rep.

DHS Outlines Enforcement Actions to Support U.S. Textile Jobs
The Department of Homeland Security outlined an enhanced strategy to combat illicit trade and level the playing field for the U.S. textile industry, which accounts for over 500,000 U.S. jobs and is deemed critical to U.S. national security.

Christy Sports Shuttering All New Mexico Stores
Christy Sports operates six stores in New Mexico, including four in Taos Ski Valley under the banners Cottam’s, Alpine Xtreme and Bootdoctor’s. One location in downtown Taos is under Cottam’s, and there is one seasonal Cottam’s in Santa Fe.

Tommie Copper Acquires Profoot Footcare Device Division
This strategic carve-out acquisition is expected to integrate Profoot’s innovative device portfolio and technology into Tommie Copper’s pain management offerings, continuing its focus on pain relief solutions for foot pain.

Consumer Confidence Index Flat in March, but Outlook Index May Signal Trouble Ahead
The Consumer Confidence Index was 104.7 in March, essentially unchanged from February. But the Expectations Index, based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business and labor market conditions, fell to 73.8, which is in recession territory.

NRF: Economy Remains ‘Sturdy’ Despite Forecast for Slower Growth
Adjusted for inflation, GDP is expected to grow about 2.3 percent year-over-year, slower than last year’s 2.5 percent but still strong enough to sustain job growth that drives consumer spending.
Sportsman’s Warehouse Posts DD Same-Store Sales Decline in Q4; Swings to Loss
The retailer reported lower-than-expected Q4 sales for the 14-week period ended February 3, but indicated it was successful in reducing excess inventory. Same-store sales decreased 12.8 percent on a 13-week comparable basis.

G/Fore Arrives in the Big Apple
The pop-up retail space at 536 Madison Avenue is said to be consistent with the company’s locations in Scottsdale, AZ and Palm Beach, FL.

Oros Labs Secures $22M in Series B Funding
The thermal solutions company serves an array of dual-use applications. The funding round was led by Airbus Ventures.

Puma to Open Puma Studio in Los Angeles in Early 2025
Puma Studio, when complete, will be a creative space that brings the brand’s design and marketing teams closer to the most influential communities and celebrities to inspire products and campaigns for the strategically important U.S. market.

March Manufacturing PMI at 50.3 Percent; Textile Mills Lead Sector with Growth
A Manufacturing PMI above 42.5 percent, over a period of time, generally indicates an expansion of the overall economy.

Authentic Brands Group Appoints Head of Australia and New Zealand
The company appointed Lim Mi-Kyoung as SVP, head of Australia and New Zealand, reportedly overseeing its regional expansion, focused on brand development and driving long-term growth.

Astral Taps Bluewater Trading to Rep the Midwest Region
Bluewater Trading covers Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Report: 2023 Resale Grew 15X Faster than Retail
A new study found that 60 percent of consumers shop for secondhand apparel, giving them more for their money, while 55 percent said they would spend more on secondhand clothing if the economy does not improve.

Lands’ End Posts Wider Net Loss in Fiscal 2023 on Impairment Charges, Lower Sales
Fiscal fourth quarter revenues declined 2.8 percent to $514.9 million for the three-month period ended February 2. Global e-commerce net revenue was $1.0 billion, a decrease of 7.1 percent, due in part to Lands’ End Japan closure. U.S. e-commerce net revenue decreased 2.7 percent.