U.K. Retail Strengthens in May…
The retail market in the U.K. continues to brighten in May according to the most recent report from the British Retail Consortium. Comparable store results rose 3.7% in May and total retail sales reportedly grew 6.5% for the month. The BRC cited clothing
Volkl Apparel Hires New U.S. Reps
After launching their apparel line in the US for 04/05, Völkl Performance Ski Wear has added two reps in the West to help build their sales force to six for 05/06. Tracy Ross will cover the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Represen
Russell Acquires AAI in $13mm Deal…
Russell Corporation has inked a deal to acquire the assets of American Athletic, Inc. for $13 million. The move is seen as a nice fit with RML’s recently-acquired Spalding business and offers a complementary hardlines component to the inflatables business
Dick’s Acquires Galyan’s in $362mm Deal
Dick's Sporting Goods and Galyan's Trading Company have entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger for Dick's to acquire all of the issued and outstanding stock of Galyan's. Under the terms of the agreement, Galyan's s
adidas-Salomon Acquires Valley Apparel
adidas-Salomon AG has acquired Valley Apparel Company of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a producer and distributor of collegiate and professional league apparel and accessories. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but adidas-Salomon officials described it as “a m
Backcountry.com Named Ernst and Young’s Utah Entrepreneurs of the Year
Amid the dressed up and glamorous setting of the Salt Palace Convention Center, members of the Salt Lake City business community singled out Backcountry.com co-founders Jim Holland and John Bresee as Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneurs of the Year for the Utah
Oxbow to Float Shares to Combat Quik…
TheDeal.com is reporting that French surfwear company Oxbox SA is expected to float an IPO to raise funds to help it combat Quiksilver’s rapid growth in Europe. The company is reportedly expected to raise €12 million to €15 million in the offering. The f
Limited Brands Stake in Galyan’s to be Sold
As a part of the acquisition of Galyan's Trading Company, Inc. by Dick's Sporting Goods, Limited Brands' stake in Galyans will be sold at the transaction price of $16.75 per share. Limited Brands owns 3.9 million shares, or 22%, of Galyans
Yue Yuen Sees Margins Tighten in Q2; Athletic Continues to Shrink…
Yue Yuen continued to diversify and reduce its dependence on the U.S. athletic footwear market. The first half of fiscal 2004 proved to be solid for the Hong Kong based manufacturer, with total company sales increasing 1.3% to $1.26 billion from $1.24 bil
Reebok Looking to Pump Again as Holy Grail; Could Use Presence at Retail….
During Reebok Investor Day on June 17th, Reebok management revealed many new initiatives and products slated for debut over the next few months. Jay Margolis, President and COO began the festivities by noting that 2004 is “about the quality of the brand,
SCOTT USA Hires Addicott for Northern California Market
SCOTT USA has hired Eric Addicott to will spearhead the company’s move into the Northern California market. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara with majors in Economics and Psychology, Addicott managed a successful start-up athletic apparel store for
CSC USA Sees a Solid Ski Season for Colorado
At its annual meeting, Colorado Ski Country USA President and CEO Rob Perlman reported the state hosted more than 11.2 million skier visits this season as in-state enthusiasts showed their discernment for perfect weather patterns, destination skiers numbe
adidas-Salomon Acquires Valley Apparel
adidas-Salomon AG has acquired Valley Apparel Company of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a producer and distributor of collegiate and professional league apparel and accessories.
Valley specializes in serving small- to mid-size retailers, such as sporting goods store
Cragie Lands CEO Post at Church and Dwight
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. announced that James R. Craigie, former CEO of Spalding Sports, has been elected President, CEO and a member of the Board of Directors, effective July 6, 2004. He succeeds Robert A. Davies, III, who will continue as an active Cha
REI Plans to Open New California Store
REI announced plans to open a store in Encinitas, Calif., in November 2004. The 22,500 square-foot store, in Plaza at Encinitas Ranch will be about 20 miles north of the REI San Diego store opened in 1988. It will employ about 70 full- and part-time staff