Bob McGee

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Propét USA in Focus

Product fit, particularly sizes and widths for all types of consumers, and strong business relationships are vital at Propét USA, which is slated to celebrate its 40th brand anniversary in 2024.

Is Nike Planning a Restructuring?

Nike, in a quiet period ahead of its Q2 earnings announcement on Dec. 21, may be quietly preparing for a broad restructuring, according to recent published reports.

Lululemon Plans Men’s Footwear Launch

Lululemon, which last week called its early holiday sales “strong” and forecasted total Q4 revenues of $3.135 to $3.17 billion, intends to put extra attention on the men’s business and launch footwear for men in 2024.

Athletic Shoes Drive Holiday Sales

Performance athletic shoe trends were positive during the week of Thanksgiving as more than 200.4 million consumers shopped over the five-day holiday weekend, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).

DSW, Journeys Deliver Tough Q3 Results

The third quarter, with its unseasonable weather and soft consumer demand for footwear, was not kind to either Designer Brands-owned DSW or Genesco-owned retail chain Journeys.

Foot Locker Vows to ‘Wow’ All Holiday Shoppers

Foot Locker, under the leadership of CEO Mary Dillon, has taken strategic steps to reach both deal-seeking customers and their counterparts who want innovation and the latest on-trend, premium products from numerous brands, including Nike, New Balance, Puma, and On among others.

Andy Gray Named New President of Journeys Group

Genesco-owned retailer Journeys has hired Andy Gray, who spent more than two decades with Foot Locker that included his last role as global president until Jan. 2023, as its new president.

Pearl iZUMI Brand Has New Owner

Investment firm Norwest Equity Partners (NEP) has acquired United Sports Brands and its portfolio of sporting goods and active lifestyle brands for an undisclosed sum.

Caleres Sees Speed as Differentiator

Bolstered by its ‘Speed’ strategy programs, which can bring footwear product to market in three months or less to align with consumer demand and key trends, Caleres’ Brand Portfolio delivered record Q3 adjusted operating earnings of $39 million...

Shoe Carnival Drops FY Guidance on ‘Very Sluggish’ Start to Fall Season

Sales in the most recent quarter fell below expectations for Shoe Carnival, but the chain sees itself in a good position in several areas despite an overall retail family footwear segment that has contracted by approximately 10 percent in dollars year-to-date.

Footwear is Hibbett’s Strongest Q3 Category

Retail chain Hibbett said its footwear segment’s results in Q3, up low single digits on a comp basis, were driven by basketball, lifestyle, running silhouettes, and a favorable new product launch calendar.

Fila USA Impacted by ‘Tight Orders’ from Retailers

A persistent promotional environment and conservative orders from retailers negatively impacted Fila USA’s third quarter results.

Inside On’s Lofty Objectives

Swiss brand On intends to double its net sales by 2026, increase its gross profit margin to above 60 percent and push its adjusted ebitda above 18 percent.

Saucony Eyes Brighter Days in 2024

With parent Wolverine Worldwide undergoing a corporate overhaul under CEO Chris Hufnagel, Saucony is bracing for a difficult final quarter but encouraged by an improved product pipeline, likely more advertising dollars to spend and at least four new model introductions in 2024.

ASICS’ Global Running Growth, Mizuno’s Improved Results

Double-digit sales increases in Japan, Greater China and Southeast and South Asia contributed to 15.1 percent sales growth in Japanese yen for ASICS’ performance running segments...

Yue Yuen’s Sales Indicative of Global Footwear Demand

In an indication that many athletic and casual footwear brands made less new shoes this year, likely due to still holding a surplus of inventory, Yue Yuen, the globe’s largest manufacturer of footwear who produces shoes for more than a dozen brands...

Crocs Giving Heydude Strategy a Makeover

Crocs is developing a new strategy for its Heydude brand. Faced with some immediate challenges, Heydude’s annual revenue target of $1 billion is being pushed back until 2024...

Vans Looks for Answers, New President

With a brand turnaround unlikely to occur over the next six months and parent VF Corp. embarking on an aggressive ‘Re-invent’ strategy focused on many aspects of its business, Vans is looking for a new global president.

Brooks Running Maintains Top Spot in U.S. Performance Run Market

Year-to-date global revenues are up 5 percent and 7 percent higher year-over-year in the U.S. for Brooks Running as the Seattle-based company has reached new runners, recovered from Covid-19-related supply chain disruptions, and normalized inventory levels.

Deckers Plots Changes, Hoka, UGG Maintain Momentum

Deckers Brands is not standing pat. As its two top businesses, Hoka and UGG, continue to maintain their respective momentums, the company is preparing to divest its Sanuk business and launch a new label described as...

Skechers Sees ‘Positive Signals’ Emerging in U.S. Wholesale Segment

Although it’s being cautious about its Q4 prospects, given the macroeconomic environment and ongoing uncertainty about consumer spending, Skechers says it’s beginning to see positive signs for its domestic wholesale business...

Puma on Track for U.S. Growth in 2024

Despite ongoing geopolitical risks, muted consumer sentiment, macroeconomic headwinds, and the speed of recovery in the U.S. and Greater China markets, Puma says it’s continuing to gain market share worldwide and will continue to concentrate on soccer, performance running, basketball, and golf.

Senior Executive Changes at Adidas, Asics

Two key athletic brands, Adidas, and Asics are getting new senior leadership in North America. U.K.-born Rupert Campbell, who became president of Adidas North America in Jan. 2022 following Three Stripe stints in Russia and Europe, is leaving the company.

Report: Holiday Footwear Buying Insights

Some 60 percent of U.S. consumers with an annual household income of $50,000 or less say their budget or inflation is altering the way they shop for shoes.

In The News: Birkenstock, Global Port Tracker, Adidas, Teen Survey

Birkenstock shares were down $9.62, or 20.9 percent, over the first three days of trading as a public stock, closing at $36.38 on Oct. 13 after an Oct. 11 offering price of $46.00 a share.