The Japanese brand Asics, which reported its largest Q1 sales quarter ever last week, has established a turnaround plan for its North American operating unit that reported an operating loss equivalent to $2.54 million despite 24 percent revenue growth in Japanese yen to $192.2 million. Asics is considering shuttering unprofitable doors in its 91-store portfolio to lower its fixed market costs as works to strengthen its focus on e-commerce and the run specialty channel.

In Q1, the brand’s total performance running sales rose 33 percent to the equivalent of $572.6 million as segment operating income expanded 27 percent year-over-year to $124.3 million as the negative impact from Q1/22 production issues disappeared. Asics reports that the North America region saw increased sales in the performance run category from the GEL-NIMBUS  and GT-2000 series.  

Richard Sullivan, President and CEO of ASICS North America, stated, “As we look ahead to the rest of the year, our aim is to continue to increase sales, profits and brand affinity across the performance running, sportstyle and core performance sports categories.”