SGB Update Outdoor

Costco’s Q1 Profits Top Targets

Costco reported earnings rose 16.5 percent in its fiscal first quarter ended November 26 as same-store sales rose 3.8 percent, including a 2.0 percent gain in the U.S. Earnings topped analyst expectations.

November Sales Show Small Gain, Tops Expectations

The Commerce Department reported that retail sales rose 0.3 percent in November over the prior month, stronger than the 0.2 percent decline in October and better than the Dow Jones estimate for a decrease of 0.1 percent.

Survey: 142 Million Shoppers Expected for Super Saturday

According to the National Retail Federation, the number of expected shoppers is up significantly from the last time Super Saturday fell on December 23, when 126 million consumers were expected to shop on that day in 2017.

PeopleForBikes Coalition Board Reviews 2024 Priorities

PeopleForBikes Coalition Board of Directors, a group of 21 bike industry leaders, virtually met for its semi-annual gathering on December 12 to review the organization’s top priorities and initiatives for 2024.

Gerber Gear Hires Marketing Chief

Gerber Gear, based in Portland, OR, hired Ash Williams as the outdoor brand’s new head of marketing, effective December 4. Williams was, most recently, the VP of marketing at Grundéns.

Vuori Opens Stores In New York City and Chicago

Vuori opened new stores in New York City and Chicago, representing a second location for the brand in each city. The NYC store opened on the Upper East Side, the Chicago storefront in Lakeview.

Vista Outdoor, Sport Dimension Renew Jimmy Styks License

Vista Outdoor, Inc. and water sports products manufacturer Sport Dimension, Inc. announced the renewal of their Jimmy Styks LLC brand license covering stand-up paddle boards, inflatable stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, and water mats.

Oberalp Group Hires New Sales and Marketing Director

The Oberalp Group, which owns Salewa, Dynafit, Pomoca, Wild Country, and Evolv, hired Loren Morshead as sales and marketing director for North America for the five brands in the U.S. and Canada.

Timberland Appoints Global Brand President

Timberland appointed Nina Flood as global brand president. She had been interim Timberland president following Susie Mulder’s exit on November 8.

Gregory, High Sierra Parent Company Sees Debt Ratings Upgrade

S&P Global Ratings raised the debt ratings outlook of Samsonite International S.A., the parent of Gregory and High Sierra, as the company reported strong operating performance in the third quarter ended September due to both revenue growth and ongoing operational efficiency trends, which enabled it to accelerate its deleveraging.