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insideinsight
INSIDEINSIGHT TM SPORTS. SPECIALTY. RETAIL. BUSINESS. Thinking Inside The Box Athletic shoes, whose sales were driven by Classics last year, get new tracking website. PAGE 07 Tuesday, February 16 / 2016 Outpacing Growth in U.S. retail sales to exceed economic growth in 2016. Transforming Delta Apparel scores strong gains from Salt Life and Junkfood brands. T he needle on the Adidas AG compass is moving, helped by rising sales and profits in many parts of the globe, the naming of a new CEO and a subsequent rising stock valuation. Since announcing last month that Henkel’s Kasper Rorsted would become its new CEO Oct. 1, Adidas AG has erased a discount in its price-to-earnings ratio dating back nearly two years. Now, weeks before Herbert Hainer’s last year-end conference call as CEO, Adidas is on the attack and prepared to live up to its new FY16 forecast that calls for double-digit revenue and operating profit growth. Last week, the company said it had exceeded top- and bottom-line goals for FY15 with a 10 percent increase in currency-neutral Group sales to an equivalent of $19.0 billion on double-digit revenue growth in Western Europe, China and Latin America. Adidas brand sales were 12 percent higher for the year on a currency-neutral basis; Reebok sales increased six percent. Still, the Americas, so long dominated by its arch rival, is one region where the Three Stripes must show it can just do it better. Especially with women. SPONSORED BY: To that end, the Three Stripes, which recently unveiled a “I’m Here to Create” ad campaign highlighting female sports icons engaging in unconventional forms of training, is embarking on a women-only subscription service for premium running and training products called Avenue A. There are subscription services in other product segments. Think Graze for snacks, Birch Box for beauty products and Bark Box for items for Fido. But the specialness of Avenue A, which will deliver four boxes annually to subscribers loaded with with three to five premium Adidas products (footwear, apparel and accessories appropriate for the season) at $150 per, is that it was the idea of an Adidas employee and developed by small internal team over the last 10 months. “…It represents our people starting to look at and challenge conventional ways of thinking, creating and doing,” said Mark King, adidas Group North America president, who netted 442 ideas when he asked his Portland staffers to “think outside the box” for ways to improve Adidas’ running business. In the end, “thinking inside the box” won out. n Re-Organizing Deckers Brands splits portfolio into two business units. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST Dick Sullivan The president and CEO of PGA Tour Superstore takes a swing at the growth of the 24-door chain and the game in 2016. FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT FROM THE EDITOR Left in the Lurch I My faith in retailers and their respect of customers’ valuable time was restored days later, at least for a little while. recently came to understand why most men prefer shopping online than going to the local store for the same item. It’s called unnecessary waiting. Brick-and-mortar retailers and businesses bemoan losing faithful customers to the Net. Then they make them wait in long lines for a single item or to pick up one they already paid for at home. Not good customer service. After deplaning at Orlando International Airport for last month’s PGA Show, I found myself in line with 20 golf pros waiting to pick up paperwork for rental cars that were ordered online. The wait was nearly an hour for most. One aggravated pro returned to the counter when his designated car across the street had no keys in it. For another, there was no vehicle in the space listed on his contract. Agents offered no apologies for the waits or mishaps. My faith in retailers and their respect of customers’ valuable time was restored days later, at least for a little while. At the Orlando Nike Premium Outlet store, associates, borrowing a checkout maneuver regularly seen in Apple stores, began plucking customers out of a long queue and cashing them out quickly with handheld devices. The Saturday morning before Super Bowl Sunday, the local Costco was jammed with carts full of game snacks and beverages. But every register line was open and staffed with two associates to assure quick checkouts and warehouse exits. Not a single customer in line complained. In contrast, later that day in a supercenter of a large discounter, three register lines were open despite dozens of waiting-to-checkout customers. Costco could teach this retailer a thing or two about how to treat the customer waiting to pay. Yes, the checkout experience is vital. Otherwise, brickand-mortar retailers may find themselves dealing with more of what their online counterparts already contend with — abandoned carts. n INSIDE INSIGHT VOL.02 NO.04 SPORTS. SPECIALTY. RETAIL. BUSINESS. EDITORIAL Editor in Chief Bob McGee / rmcgee@formula4media.com Contributing Editors Retail and Technology Mark Sullivan / msullivan@formula4media.com Sports Specialty Cara Griffin / cgriffin@formula4media.com Outdoor Lou Dzierzak / ldzierzak@formula4media.com Footwear Jennifer Ernst Beaudry / jbeaudry@formula4media.com Textiles and Sourcing Emily Walzer / emilywalzer@sbcglobal.net Team Sports Michael Jacobsen / mjacobsen@formula4media.com Publisher Jeff Nott / jnott@formula4media.com DESIGN Design Director Francis Klaess Art Director Mary McGann Designer Brandon Christie ADVERTISING Beth Gordon / bgordon@formula4media.com Jeff Gruenhut / jgruenhut@formula4media.com Troy Leonard / tleonard@formula4media.com Katie O’Donohue / kodonohue@formula4media.com Sam Selvaggio / sselvaggio@formula4media.com SUBSCRIBE: store.formula4media.com INSIDE INSIGHT TM is a trademark of Formula4Media, LLC. © 2016 all rights reserved. Inside Insight is published on the first and third Mondays of every month, and is edited for sports brands and retail management executives. The opinions by authors and contributors to Inside Insight are not necessarily those of the editors or publishers. Articles appearing in Inside Insight may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the publisher. Formula4Media, LLC, P.O. Box 23-1318, Great Neck, NY 11023. Tel: 516-305-4709. Annual subscription $249.00 rmcgee@formula4media.com 2 ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC www.insideinsight.com FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT HOT TOPICS Differentiated Offers Net Best Results C Crocs is increasingly relying on knowledge of its customers to tailor discounts. rocs differentiated email offers during the holiday season, offering some 30 percent discounts, 20 percent off to others but no discount to another group. The result: a two times lift in revenue spent by site user, net of promotions, says Custora. The statistic points to the need for retailers to know as much as possible about a shopper, including when he or she needs a discount to make a purchase. “It’s all about understanding what that customer is going to do next,” suggests Rick Kenney, head of consumer insights for Demandware, which regularly offers new insights on its blog. One interesting fact about the 2015 online shopping season in the U.S. — 50 percent of all sales were generated on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. That fact, says Kenney, shows retailers that “they must bring their best early and with urgency.” The latter could mean noting limited availability or low stocks on a particular product. Demandware also believes it’s crucial that online shoppers be allowed to access their shopping cart, the so-called “omni-channel wish list,” from whatever device they access the retailer from, whether it’s a PC, tablet or mobile device. n Don’t Push the Panic Button J anuary retail sales data released from the U.S. Commerce Dept. exceeded estimates, prompting some to suggest the U.S. is NOT headed for a recession despite topsy-turvy markets. Instead, consumers are showing resilience. Nonetheless, small business owners last month turned less optimistic about economic prospects prospects, according to a survey, due to waning optimism over future business conditions and projected sales. And Wall Street’s negative impact on 401Ks and profit-sharing plans is already said to be hurting sellthroughs of big-ticket and luxury items such as jewelry and luxury cars. Still, the current, apparently firming, consumer sentiment could prove to benefit everyday brands and products as the season moves into Spring next month. That “sweet space” of brands, according to a report from Seeking Alpha, includes Foot Locker, Nike, Skechers and Columbia Sportswear and retailers such as TJX, Target and Dollar General. n 4 ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC Retail Pressure Mounting A seven percent decline in value of the Chinese yuan over the last year, according to a a recent published report, has some apparel chains beginning to formally request “cost reductions” or discounts on their open-to-buy orders going forward. No official word yet if this practice has surfaced in the athletic apparel business. It’s more likely large vendors in this space will buy back leftover or excess merchandise from a recent quarter to move through their own DTC channel. Plus-size clothier Avenue, according to the report, asked its vendors for a hefty 10 percent discount on all orders going forward. n www.insideinsight.com Where Innovation Meets Comfort. WWW.IMPLUS.COM ©2016 Implus LLC. 2.16 FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT INSIDE RETAIL Cabela’s New Prez; Retail Ups and Downs Cabela’s Promotes Scott K. Williams to President Scott Williams takes over at Cabela’s. Scott Williams is elevated for the second time in six months, likely signaling that he will be the senior executive face of the outdoor retailer going forward and that Cabela’s isn’t actively pursuing any merger talks or negotiations to sell its business. More should be known about the outdoor retailer’s strategy under Williams Feb. 18 when it reports fourth quarter and year-end results. In mid-August 2015, Williams, president of Fanatics for eight months until Feb. 2011 and previously a Walmart executive for almost five years, was named EVP and chief commercial officer for Cabela’s, with the chain’s merchandising, marketing, e-commerce and real estate departments all reporting to him. He stepped into the role as 17-year Cabela’s veteran Briann Linneman, then EVP and chief merchandising officer, announced he was moving into a strategic advisor role. With his new president title, Williams adds responsibility for all U.S. retail operations and the company’s Canadian business. Next 6 month, Cabela’s is slated to open its sixth store in Texas and first in the Houston market with a 72,000-squarefoot door. NRF: U.S. Retail Sales to Grow 3.1 Percent in 2016 The annual forecast by the National Retail Federation of 3.1 percent retail sales expansion in 2016 is higher than the 10-year average of 2.7 percent. The trade group, which also see non-store sales to increase 6-9 percent this year, expects overall U.S. economic growth to be “more of the same and uneven,” rising 1.9-2.4 percent for the year. Further, the NRF believes the prospects for consumer spending in 2016 are straightforward, with increased spending largely coming from a growth in jobs and not as much from increased wages. Unemployment, at 4.9 percent in January, is forecast to decline to 4.6 percent by year-end. “Wage stagnation is easing, jobs are being created and consumer confidence remains steady,” says Matthew Shay, NRF president and CEO. “So despite the headwinds are economy faces from international developments – particularly in China – we think 2016 will be favorable for growth in the retail industry.” Kohl’s Lowers Outlook, May Be Considering Options A promotional environment and heavy discounting in the fourth quarter impacted margins, revenues and profits at the specialty department store. Kohl’s, slated to formally report fourth quarter results Feb. 25, earlier this month lowered its profit outlook range for fiscal 2015 by 10-13 percent. KSS shares plunged as much as 20 ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC percent to a seven-year low on the announcement. In late January, rumors surfaced that publically traded operator of 1,165 stores might consider a leveraged buyout or going private. In a statement, the retailer blamed a “very slow start” in early November and “weaker-than-expected demand” in January due to soft demand for cold-weather products, for its changed outlook. The chain’s fourth quarter comparable store sales edged 0.4 percent higher. Kohl’s said its online orders and sales each increased 30 percent in the final periodTotal fiscal year sales rose 1.0 percent to an implied $19.21 billion. Interestingly, the retailer cited footwear, along with home, as its strongest category in the fourth quarter. For both FY14 and FY13, Kohl’s generated an estimated 9 percent of its annual revenues from footwear, or an implied $1.71 billion. Zumiez Reports Tough January The 658-door action sports chain had lower sales and comparable store sales in January, the final month of its fiscal year. Comp store sales for the four weeks ended Jan. 30 fell 4.6 percent as total revenues declined 2.2 percent o $43.2 million. Accessories, men’s, footwear and hard goods each achieved negative comparable sales for the period; comps for the juniors’ category were higher last month. Dollars per transaction and the average unit retail (AUR) spent was up, but units per transaction were down. For all of fiscal 2015, Zumiez said comparable store sales were down 5.3 percent. www.insideinsight.com FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT INSIDE FOOTWEAR Taking Stock In Kicks Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 Low Oxford S neakerheads the world over have a new “go to” website. StockX, co-founded by sneaker data website founder Josh Luber and Dan Gilbert, founder and chairman of Quicken Loans and owner of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, debuted days before NBA All-Star Weekend and some basketball shoe launches that coincided with the event. The site, which pitches itself as a “live bid/ask marketplace, or “stock market” if you will, for buying and selling limited edition, high-demand sneakers. A key service of StockX, which charges customers a seven percent fee for selling sneakers on its platform with a payment processing company taking another three percent from sellers on transactions before they are paid via Paypal. StockX will only allow unworn, original boxed sneakers known as “deadstock” to trade on its exchanges. And the Detroit company says it will not settle “trades” until it has verified that the sneakers are “100 percent authentic.” On its launch day, the site hoped to have more than 15,000 pairs of limited-edition sneakers representing 3500 models available www.insideinsight.com Nike Air Max 90 Atmos Duck Hunter for sale. At day’s end, StockX showed it had 9574 portfolios representing 112,926 sneakers with a market value of nearly $43.9 million. The most popular shoe on Day 1 was the Jordan 9 retro Statue with 53 sales. But the biggest Market Mover over the previous 72 hours was the Air Max 90 Atmos Duck Hunter Camo at $1407, up $797, or 129 percent. The highest price kicks in the StockX Marketplace? Jordan 4 Retro Eminem Carhatt’s had no current price lists, but the last pair sold for $21,327. A pair of Nike Dunk SB Low Paris were being hawked for $10,015; Nike Air Mags “Back to the Future” for $9012. There are three Indexes across the top of the website — the Jordan Index, the Nike Index and EON (Everybody Other Than Nike) Index. The EON, an estimate of U.S. resell sales over the previous 24 hours for all non-Nike shoes tracked by site, was up 8.2 percent on opening day. The Nike Index was 32 percent higher at 170,622; Jordan was down 5.3 percent to 308,991. “The online secondary sneaker market has been around for than 15 years, and it has grown ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC exponentially during that time,” says Luber. “But…it was still using outdated e-commerce platforms designed in the ’90’s.” While it’s still unclear whether the key athletic brands will embrace the concept behind StockX, the betting here is yes. Besides the ability to trade their wears, site users will find historical price and volume metrics, real-time bids and offers, time-stamped trades and additional analytics on every model for sale. There will also be U.S. and global sneaker news provided. StockX says it has plans to eventually expand into other consumer products that have a natural need for a secondary market. n U.S. Athletic Footwear 2015 Sales Based on Dollars Classics Cross Training Hiking/Lite Hiking Running Walking Casual Athletic h30% h15% h8% h6% h4% i5% Source: The NPD Group, Inc. / Retail Tracking Service 7 FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT IN THE NEWS Meb Keflezighi will remain a face of Skechers’ Performance through 2023. 8 Skechers Eyes More Gains From International, Apparel Days before its first sponsored Los Angeles Marathon, Skechers issued year-end results showing 32 percent annual revenue growth to $3.15 billion and fourth quarter revenues of $722.7 million that surpassed Street estimates by more than four percent. Final period wholesale revenues in the U.S. rose eight percent to $19.3 million and were up 22 percent for the year to $221.8 million. The fourth quarter domestic growth, Skechers said, was fueled by a 5.4 percent increase in pairs shipped, a 2.5 percent gain in average price per pair, a double-digit increase in kids’ and single-digit improvement in men’s and women’s. The company continues to expect high-single to low-double digit growth in the U.S. in first quarter, but admits no retailer has yet “ordered deep into the second quarter” despite the brand’s steady sellthroughs. Skechers has tougher comparables to meet in the second quarter. The company expects to accelerate comp gains in the third quarter with fresh products at back-to-school and easier comparisons. Internationally, Skechers is forecasting the segment to account for 50 percent of its total business over the next two to three years versus 40 percent currently. Much of the increase may be generated in China, where FY15 revenues were more than $220 million in FY15, up from $86 million in FY14. International revenues rose nearly 59 percent in FY15 to $405.2 million despite currency headwinds in Brazil, Canada and Chile that will be alleviated in first quarter via price increases. The company’s combined wholly-owned subsidiary business generated a 19.5 percent increase in the fourth quarter and 31.5 percent for FY15 with the U.K. and Germany generating the strongest dollar gains and Benelux and Chile the highest percentage gains. Also, Skechers Performance extends the contract of worldclass distance runner Meb Keflezighi, 40, through 2023. He became the official brand ambassador and consultant to the divisions first GORun shoe in 2011. Meanwhile, apparel, now showing up in own stores in the U.S., has the potential to a bigger part of the company’s overall business. Skechers’ senior management says it will two to three years before the segment has “significant impact” on the brand’s overall business. Hanesbrands Remains Bullish on Champion Activewear HBI is undeterred by a warmer November and December that slowed retail ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC traffic and caused its core activewear sales to suffer a 12 percent sales decline for the quarter ended Jan. 2. Overall Activewear division sales were down 1.3 percent to $368.1 million in the final period but up nearly 11 percent for the fiscal year to $1.41 billion. The warm temps and lower retail traffic into December prompted retailers to pull back on re-orders, creating an inventory buildup for Hanesbrands. The company, which remains on the prowl for additional acquisitions, says there “is no markdown risk” from the excess apparel. It’s likely some of the basic cold weather goods, such as fleece, that didn’t sell will be carried over for the 2016-17 selling season. The company will also slash offshore production where necessary as it moves to draw down inventory levels this fiscal year. As for the Champion brand, overall it ended up mid single-digits for the year in the sports specialty, mid-tier and department store channels and was up higher than that before the unseasonable weather hit. Overseas, the company completed an acquisition of the Champion business in Japan last year. That market should contribute close to $100 million in revenues for the brand in 2016. Back in the U.S., the Champion brand still has additional distribution www.insideinsight.com FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT opportunities in the sporting goods and mid-tier retail channels, says Hanesbrands COO Gerald Evans. Overall, Hanesbrands is forecasting 11-15 percent earnings per share growth in FY16 on 1-3 percent revenue expansion to a range of $5.85.9 billion. Delta Apparel Reshaping Activewear Business The South Carolina company, which recently reported first quarter revenue growth from all of its segments with the exception of Soffe, is actively transforming its Activewear business as it continues to realize strong gains from its Salt Life and Junkfood units. Delta had a strong, positive response to its fashion basics—fleece, snow heather and softspun— that helped fuel growth in its catalog business. The company is introducing a new racerback, tank top and enhanced color pallet for spring. Meanwhile, an expansion of Delta’s Honduras manufacturing operations with open-width finishing is underway with production set to commence this month. Besides yielding an estimated $2 million in annualized saving from the project, Delta says the bigger plant will enable it to “leverage internal capacity instead of sourcing fabric.” As for Salt Life, first quarter sales rose 21.2 percent year-over-year, bolstered by strong demand for long-sleeve T-shirts and lifestyle designs. A new Salt Life aims to have 7-12 stores open in So. California over the next few years. Snow Sports Sales Continue to Climb, Despite Headwinds Snow sports racked up $4.5 billion in sales last year, with specialty shops responsible for generating more than half, according to the SIA Snow Sports Market Intelligence Report presented at the annual trade gathering of the snow sports community held earlier this month. These are challenging times for business; weather concerns, environmental issues, political transition, changing demographics and economic sluggishness are all factors facing snow sports retailers and manufacturers. Adding to discussions of climate change and how to engage today’s Gen X, Gen Z and millennials, was talk about SIA’s new trade show dates for 2017, as well as the light attendance at the 2016 event. New technologies for apparel and hard goods were introduced at the Denver expo. Product for Fall/ Winter 2016 focuses on lightweight www.insideinsight.com performance, ease of use and comfort features. In soft goods, versatility is key, with functional textiles offering a range of thermal solutions, weather protection properties, and characteristics ideal for today’s active consumer, such as base layers with moisture management and enhanced breathability in outerwear. Avalanche safety was a hot topic as too many lives continue to be lost to avalanches. Also noteworthy, new equipment that allows consumers to stay connected whenever, wherever and however they choose. In terms of style trends, designers drew inspiration from the heyday of skiwear with garments defined by color-blocking, bold stripes and vibrant shades of faux fur trim. Think the 1970’s minus the disco ball and that captured the look of much of the skiwear on display. — Emily Walzer ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC Retail Overview: Specialty Stores: Online Sales: total sales,4% decrease total sales, 4% decrease $2.4B Chain Stores: $1.2B total sales, 13% increase $144M Women’s Outerwear Sales: h15% in dollars jumping to $783M Apparel Overview: Insulated Shells: Softshells: up to $710M down by 7% h13% $91M Regular Shells Sales: Baselayers Sales: $251M h15% to $151M 9 FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT IN THE NEWS Columbia Sportswear FY15 Revenues on a reported basis Revenues: $2.32B Profit: $177.9M Footwear: $505M App/Acc/EQ: $1.82B U.S. $1,455M Columbia $1,864M Sorel $209.2M prAna $125.3M Mtn. Hrdwr. $116.2M 10 flagship Salt Life retail store will open in San Clemente, CA, this summer. Senior management sees the brand eventually having 7-12 stores in the So. California market over the next few years to help further drive the brand business. Current key drivers for Salt Life are kids, where the product line has been expanded; consumer engagement through social media and better retail fixturing. With largest order backlog in its history, Salt Life has already lined up new retailers starting this spring that includes a national player that intends to showcase the brand in some of its California locations. Asics Acquires Runkeeper One of the last remaining popular independent fitness tracking apps has been acquired by the Japanese sporting goods company for a reported $85 million. Asics’ purchase of Bostonbased Runkeeper, which has more than 33 million users globally, was revealed on the same day it released annual financial results. Jason Jacobs, the founder and CEO of Runkeeper, disclosed in an online post that the app would be improved through resources provided by its new parent. The eight-year-old business uses a Smartphone’s GPS to trace routes, times and distance and recently added the ability to support GPS tracking of Smartphone on compatible Android smartwatches. Asics Corp., meanwhile, reported an eight percent decline in annual operating income to the equivalent of $226.8 million for the 12 months ended Dec. 31. Annual revenues were 10.5 percent higher at $3.54 billion. Total Americas’ revenues were 0.6 percent higher to $1.12 billion, a 3.7 percent increase as reported by Asics America Corp. Turning to FY16, Asics is forecasting two percent top line growth to the equivalent of $3.89 billion and a 5.7 percent increase in operating income in local currency to $257.9 million. Regionally, Americas’ revenues are forecast to dip two percent to the equivalent of $1.19 billion. Annual sales of footwear, meanwhile, are projected to increase projected to increase 2.9 percent in local currency to the equivalent of $3.08 billion with running shoe sales increases two percent to an estimated $2.08 billion. Columbia Sportwear Posts Strong U.S. Sales Gains in FY15 For the first time, Columbia’s footwear business surpassed $500 million in annual sales, rising 19 percent in FY15 to $505 million. Overall, the Portland, OR, ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC company reported a 27 percent increase in annual net income to $179.9 million on 11 percent revenue growth to $2.33 billion. Key annual metrics included 21 percent revenue growth in the U.S. to $1,455.2 million for the 12 months ended Dec. 31. By brand on a reported basis, Columbia sales rose 7 percent to $1,864.7 million; Sorel revenues stomped 26 percent higher to $209.2 million; prAna annual sales came in at $125.3 million; and Mountain Hardwear sales slid 3 percent to $116.3 million. Columbia’s apparel/accessories/ equipment revenues increased nine percent last year to $1,821.2 million. Columbia’s intake FY16 outlook calls for mid singledigit revenue growth and flat to 3.4 percent growth in net profits. The Columbia brand is forecast to growth mid-single digits; Sorel, low double-digits; PrAna sales are predicted to increase in the mid-20 percent range; and and Mountain Hardware sales are expected to dip low single-digits. As for the U.S., the company sees low doubledigit growth this year with direct-to-consumer growth, especially e-commerce, outpacing wholesale expansion. Wolverine Worldwide Sets Three New Operating Groups Most notable among the www.insideinsight.com FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT senior executive changes is the promotion of 25-year company veteran Nick Ottenwess to president of Wolverine’s International Group and the moving of Richie Woodworth to president of new Wolverine Boston Group consisting of the Sperry, Saucony and Keds brands. The Outdoor and Lifestyle Group, consisting of Merrell, Chaco, Cat Footwear, Hush Puppies and Sebago, will be headed by Jim Zwiers, most recently president of International. Zwiers will also serve as president of Merrell until the position is filled. Meanwhile, the Heritage Group for the Wolverine, Bates, Harley-Davidson and Hytest footwear brands, will continue to be led by Ted Gedra. In a separate development, the company announced Jim Gabel, president of the Performance Group, resigned and is relocating back to Canada for personal reasons. Deckers Brands Reorganizing, Closing Stores The UGG and Hoka One One parent, recently announced a corporate reorganization simultaneous with its third quarter results of flat profits at $156.9 million on one percent revenue growth to $795.9 million for the period ended Jan. 1. Deckers is currently forecasting 2.4 percent top line growth in FY16 to $1.86 billion despite a 230 basis point decline in gross margin to 46.0 percent. Hoka One One sales, year-to-date, were up a reported 73 percent through nine months. Deckers has decided to reorganize its six independently managed brands into two business units to reduce costs and “streamline its market attack.” The Performance Lifestyle Group consists of the Teva, Sanuk and Hoka brands and will be led by Wendy Yang, who joined the company as Teva brand president last spring. The fashion lifestyle group, to be led by a group president to be named shortly, will operate the UGG and Koolaburra brands. Additional elements of the shift to two strategic business units include the shuttering of Sanuk’s Irvine, CA, office and relocating the business to corporate headquarters in Goleta, CA, and the closing of Ahnu’s office near San Francisco as the company continues to seek strategic Hoka One One sales were up 73 percent through nine months. NEWS & NOTES NuDown, the dual gender outerwear brand that uses compressed air for custom insulation, signs extreme athlete JT Holmes, 35, as its first brand ambassador. VERT, the official wearable technology of USA Volleyball that measures accumulated G-Force, jump height and surge count, strikes a jump and G-Force analytics contract with the NBA’s Miami Heat. The Fort Lauderdale, FL, company already has a contract with the Heat’s development league team, the Sioux Falls SkyForce. NOCSAE (The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) last month approved the www.insideinsight.com first chest protector performance standard for baseball and lacrosse for commotio cordis and voted to move its proposed pneumatic ram test standard for youth football helmets to final status. Meanwhile, a proposed lacrosse headgear standard is now available for review at www.nocsae.org. RISE Talent Acquisition is the name of a new personnel recruitment and executive search firm founded by Rey Corpuz. The industry veteran has worked for Wilson, Russell, McDavid, Cannondale, Champro and Mitre. ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC Thule Group generated a 5.1 percent constant currency increase in annual sales to the equivalent of $631.4 million for the 12 months ended Dec. 31, 2015. Annual profit was equal to $52.7 million. Sport and cargo carrier sales increased 6.7 percent to $380.1 million; outdoor and bag sales grew more than 20 percent to $97.9 million; and sales of bags for electronic devices fell more than 11 percent to $99.1 million. In the first quarter, Thule is ramping up a new U.S. manufacturing site, implementing phase one of a North America and Asia distribution center efficiency project and introducing more mainstream hiking and trekking packs. 11 FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT IN THE NEWS IN & OUT Brunswick Corp. elects Mark Schwabero as its new chairman and CEO to replace the retiring Dustan McCoy. Schwabero joined the company in 2004 in its Mercury Marine unit, where he later served as president and COO. GoPro names Brian McGee, who joined the company from Qualcomm last year, as CFO, effective March 11. Nike names Adam Sussman, a former EA Mobile and Disney Interactive executive, as its first chief digital officer overseeing elements across Nike.com, Nike+ and Brand Digital. Wilson Sporting Goods hires tennis industry veteran Michael (Mickey) Maule as regional commercial director for Racquet Sports, Americas. The former ATP-ranked pro tennis player was national sales manager for Babolat USA. alternatives for the brand. Separately, Deckers has hired a retail consultant to help it implement operational improvements to its own retail business beyond a decision to shut down 15 percent of the chain, or an estimated 20 stores. The brand realignment, consolidation and retail closures combined are forecast to save Deckers Brands an estimated $35 million in annual expenses. About 29 percent of that total, or $10 million, will be re-invested into the business. Stores identified for closure generate less than a 20 percent return on sales, Dave Powers, president of Deckers Brands, said. Amer Sports Banking on FY16 Improvement The Wilson, Precor and 12 Salomon parent generated the equivalent of $137.1 million in profits in 2015 on 6 percent constant currency revenue expansion to $2.86 billion. Americas’ revenues rose 6 percent to $1.21 billion. Local currency sales improvement and higher profits before taxes are forecast for this year despite what the Finnish company calls “challenging market conditions.” As Amer stated last year, the company will retain its focus on growing its core business and accelerating in apparel and footwear, the U.S., China, business-to-consumer, and digitally connected devices and services. A quick overview of Amer Sports’ FY15 results with all percentages in local currency. • Outdoor revenues rose 8 percent to the equivalent of $1.72 billion. Footwear was up 14 percent to $519.7 million with the Americas accounting for 22 percent of total. Apparel, buoyed by strong growth from the Arc’teryx brand, increased 15 percent to $436.3 million. Winter Sports equipment sales rose one percent to $451 million. • Ball Sports’ revenues rose six percent to approximately $729.1 million with Americas accounting for 45 of business in local currency. Individual Ball Sports’ sales were down two percent to $355.4 million as double-digit growth from performance tennis racquets ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC was offset by a drop in lower-priced products. Team Sports revenues, bolstered by the Louisville Slugger acquisition, rose 15 percent to $373.7 million. The gain was two percent, excluding Slugger, and 93 percent of total was generated in the Americas. • Fitness annual revenues dipped three percent to $402.6 million with the Americas accounting for 61 percent of total. Through a new partnership with Mad Dogg Athletics, Precor will launch a new line of indoor cycling equipment this year. Mizuno Results Bolstered By Footwear Revenues were seven percent higher to the equivalent of $1.22 billion for the nine months ended Dec. 31, sparked by 11 percent growth in footwear to an estimated $400.9 million. Nine-month apparel sales were three percent higher to the equivalent of $361.1 million; equipment sales grew nine percent to the equivalent of $296.1 million. In the Americas, Mizuno said it benefited from its new Wave Enigma 5 and Wave Rider 19 performance running shoes and strong sales of golf irons. Despite a tough footwear business in Brazil, the region generated a nine-month revenue gain of 13 percent to the equivalent of $207.8 million despite a www.insideinsight.com FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT significant drop in year-overyear operating profit. The Japanese company’s current outlook for the 12 months ending March 31 calls for a 25 percent decline in net income to the equivalent of $21.3 million and total annual revenues of $1.68 billion, equivalent to a five percent year-over-year increase in local currency. Columbia Co-Branding Trail Running Products in 2017 All trail running footwear, apparel and accessories will be adorned with Columbia Montrail branding starting in Spring 2017. Columbia is upbeat on the notion of merging the mother brand’s product innovation, creation expertise and sales and marketing resources with Montrail’s heritage and reputation for trail running. Existing Montrail products will be available to consumers for the remainder of 2016. Separately, the company has struck an apparel deal with Premier League soccer team Manchester United to develop dual-branded outdoor apparel for hiking, climbing and mountaineering. Industry Exec Taking CrossCountry Bike Ride For PHIT America Doug Gordon, most recently a senior executive for Speedo, is taking a cross-country tour on his bicycle to support PHIT America, the national nonprofit charity dedicated to creating more active, fit and smarter kids. His journey from Charleston, SC, where he departed Feb. 15, to southern California near San Diego, where hopes to arrive in mid-April, will serve as a fundraiser for the charity, with at least 75 percent of money raised pegged to fund more PHIT America GO! Grants. Those interested in supporting the bike ride and cause should access, www.ridedougride.org. To date, corporate sponsors of Gordon’s cross-country adventure are Garmin, Under Armour and Louis Garneau. n Doug Gordon is hitting the road for PHIT America. NEWS AND NOTES loyalty programs spent more on average than non-participants. Also, the mall program incentives influenced the duration between mall visits. PGA Tour Superstore has opened a 25,000-square-foot interactive store in Tucson, AZ and intends to open its 25th location in Sandy, UT, in April. REI, which currently operates 143 stores in 35 states, intends to open a 27,000-squarefoot store in Rochester, NY, in the fall and a 25,000-square-foot location, the co-op’s second in the Sunshine State, in Winter Park, FL, in Spring 2017. Sears will accelerate the closing of at least 50 unprofitable Sears and Kmart stores after reporting fourth quarter sales of $7.3 billion, down 9.9 percent from $8.1 billion a year prior and below a Street outlook of $7.4 billion. Comparable store sales were off 6.9 percent and were particularly weak in apparel where the retailer is promising an overhaul. Spring, a Chicago promotional company, reports that its research into 2015 holiday results shows shoppers participating in malls’ Topgolf Entertainment Group has broken ground for its third Florida location. The 65,000-square-foot venue is slated to open REI is opening in Rochester, NY. www.insideinsight.com ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC in Spring 2017. Modell’s tapped Miami Dolphin wide receiver Greg Jennings to go undercover at the chain’s Times Square New York location before the Super Bowl. Jennings was the banner’s sixth “Undercover Associate,” following fellow NFLers Danny Woodhead, DeSean Jackson and Ryan Kerrigan and NBA players Landry Fields and Jrue Holiday. Watch Jennings at Modell’s: 13 FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT INSIDE TRADE Trade Groups Want Congress to Pass TPP T Estimates by the FDRA peg first-year savings after implementation of TPP at $450 million, rising to $6 billion in savings at the end of the first decade. 14 he Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) is urging the lame-duck Congress to consider and pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement. But most circles contend it’s highly unlikely. “Each day TPP is not in effect is another day where high footwear tariffs drive up costs for American consumers, limit production innovation and stifle job creation,” Matt Priest, president of the FDRA, said earlier this month. His comments came after the U.S. and 11 Pacific partners signed the trade pact in Auckland, New Zealand, some three months after negotiations closed and text of the proposed agreement was published for review by policymakers, interest groups and the public. The signing met the 90-day deadline established early last November by Pres. Obama when he told Congress he intended to support the final pact that they can approve but not amend. Like the FDRA, the outdoor industry is a proponent of TPP and cites numerous advantages to its passage. Among them: the elimination of U.S. tariffs on certain outdoor products not made in the U.S.; expansion of access to global markets for ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC U.S. manufacturers and the protection of innovation on products designed, distributed or manufactured in the U.S. Estimates by the FDRA peg first-year savings after implementation of TPP at $450 million, rising to $6 billion in savings in the first decade. Also, the Senate last week passed the Customs Reauthorization bill by a vote of 7520, sending it Pres. Obama for his signature. The legislation will help facilitate international trade for U.S. footwear companies and modernize U.S. Customs & Border Protection. The FDRA said the bill’s strengthened trade enforcement is important for gaining congressional support for TPP. In a separate trade development, members of the International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA) walked off the job at port terminals in New York and New Jersey that resulted in a shutdown of the East Coast’s busiest port on Jan. 29. The sudden shutdown added to an existing backlog caused on the East Coast by Winter Storm Jonas, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. Reports suggested the one-day strike was a unified action against the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, an organization that investigates corruption and regulates hiring practices among dockworkers. The walkout occurred some 33 months before the current contract between the ILA and the U.S. Maritime Alliance, a consortium of container carriers, direct employers and port association serving the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts, expires on Sep. 30, 2018. The volume at the Port of New York and New Jersey hit a record 6,371,720 twenty-footequivalent (TEU) units in 2015 despite a soft December. The number of loaded imports into NY-NJ rose nine percent for the year. The Port Authority and industry officials have been working for more than two years on an effort to improve port performance. n www.insideinsight.com FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT INSIDE TEAM Delivering the Goods Watch the celebration video: T he race to service displaced fans the world over has begun. Thanks to a new relationship between Dick’s Sporting Goods and UberEVERYTHING NYC, Denver fans in the Big Apple and Chicago had an opportunity to be part of the celebration immediately after the Broncos’ victory in Super Bowl 50. In after-big game stunt, Dick’s associates invaded the Butterfield 8 bar on East 38th Street in New York to surprise Broncos fans and patrons with free championship gear. NFL fans in eligible zip codes in both cities placed orders at DSC.com/ rushmyshirt and received official championship T-shirts the same night via deliveries by UberRUSH, with Dick’s picking up the delivery fee tab. Fans received their orders in the two hours after the game’s conclusion. There were plans to continue deliveries Monday morning at 9 a.m. if inventory remained. Across the pond earlier this month, online licensed apparel retailer Fanatics, already with ties to all professional sports leagues in the U.S., made news with its acquisition of U.K.-based Kitbag for $17 million. The acquisition of the Manchester, England www.insideinsight.com company, which already operates the European online stores of the NFL, NHL and NBA, will make Fanatics the online provider of some European soccer clubs, including Manchester United and Real Madrid. But, it should be noted, not all pro league executives are thrilled with the growing global dominance of the Kynetic division. When Adidas takes over the NHL license from Reebok at the start of the 2017 season, traditional brick-and-mortar retailers such as the aforementioned Dick’s will find themselves having to purchase product from the online house. It begs the question: If there is a limited quantity of a hot player jersey, who gets first dibs? Wilson Connected Football will debut in the Fall. opportunity to showcase a beta version of its new smart football that will debut at retail this fall after 18 months in development. An embedded chip will provide players with stats such as spin rate and yards thrown and encourage them to get better via an app on the Smartphone. No word yet on retail price. Majestic Athletic’s Flex uniform debuts during MLB spring training. Von Miller is face of Adidas’ Freak collection. Back to Super Bowl 50: game MVP Von Miller will be the face of Adidas’ new Freak franchise. The All-Pro outside linebacker will be featured in a variety of Adidas marketing initiatives this year and will play a role in the development of Freak cleats, apparel and accessories. At Wilson, the big game in Santa Clara gave the company an ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC And with pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training camps in Arizona and Florida this week, Majestic Athletic will use the occasion to raise the performance bar of uniforms with its new on-field Flex Base Uniform System that was engineered with a lighter weight twill and uses a patented climate control Air Belt and mesh panel ventilation zones on each side of the jersey. n 15 INSIDE INSIGHT FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT NUMBERS IN PLAY Week of 1/26-2/16 n Largest Gainers Retail Big 5 SG: Stock has risen more than 20 percent in last month, perhaps bolstered by three positive estimate revisions. Brands Under Armour: Forecasting 25 percent revenue growth in FY16 to slightly under $5 billion. l Largest Decliners Retail Kohl’s: Has eliminated three senior management positions in shake-up: chief digital officer, SVP of store environment and SVP of communications/public relations. Brands Fitbit: Another day, another class-action suit over alleged inaccurate heart rate monitoring technology. The Inside Insight Index is our opinion of what we think are the 28 most important public companies in the industry, 14 vendors and 14 retailers. Space considerations prevent us from tracking more, but we will make changes over time. Index base of 100 is key to the closing prices of 12/31/14 16 INDEX Retail: 81 Brands: 91 i19.4% i9.2% change over period change over period Big 5 Sporting Goods (BGFV) n Price on 01/26/16..............$11.48 Price on 02/16/16..............$12.98 +13.0% adidas (ADDYY) Price on 01/26/16..............$50.38 Price on 02/16/16..............$50.88 -0.9% Cabela’s (CAB) Price on 01/26/16..............$41.49 Price on 02/16/16..............$43.55 +4.9% Amer Sports (AGPDY) Price on 01/26/16..............$12.88 Price on 02/16/16..............$26.94 +0.6% Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS) Price on 01/26/16..............$38.11 Price on 02/16/16..............$39.04 +2.4% Callaway (ELY) Price on 01/26/16................$8.55 Price on 02/16/16................$8.36 -2.2% Finish Line (FINL) Price on 01/26/16..............$18.53 Price on 02/16/16..............$18.49 -0.2% Columbia Sportwear (COLM) Price on 01/26/16..............$51.17 Price on 02/16/16..............$58.34 +14.0% Foot Locker (FL) Price on 01/26/16..............$66.13 Price on 02/16/16..............$67.68 +2.3% Deckers Brands (DECK) Price on 01/26/16..............$47.25 Price on 02/16/16..............$51.77 +9.5% Genesco (GCO) Price on 01/26/16..............$64.42 Price on 02/16/16..............$64.79 +0.5% Fitbit (FIT) l Price on 01/26/16..............$16.77 Price on 02/16/16..............$14.90 -11.5% Hibbett Sports (HIBB) Price on 01/26/16..............$30.96 Price on 02/16/16..............$33.01 +6.6% GoPro (GPRO) Price on 01/26/16..............$10.88 Price on 02/16/16..............$11.59 +6.5% Kohl’s (KSS) l Price on 01/26/16..............$48.59 Price on 02/16/16..............$42.62 -12.2% lululemon (LULU) Price on 01/26/16..............$58.59 Price on 02/16/16..............$59.80 +2.0% Macy’s (M) Price on 01/26/16..............$40.18 Price on 02/16/16..............$40.47 +0.7% Nike (NKE) Price on 01/26/16..............$61.11 Price on 02/16/16..............$57.79 -5.4% Sportsman’s Warehouse (SPWH) Price on 01/26/16..............$12.78 Price on 02/16/16..............$12.35 -3.3% Performance Sports Group (PSG) Price on 01/26/16................$7.07 Price on 02/16/16................$7.42 +4.9% -0.3% Skechers (SKX) Price on 01/26/16..............$27.81 Price on 02/16/16..............$31.39 +12.8% Tilly’s (TLYS) Price on 01/26/16................$6.68 Price on 02/16/16................$6.62 -0.9% Under Armour (UA) n Price on 01/26/16..............$67.63 Price on 02/16/16..............$79.94 +18.2% Walmart (WMT) Price on 01/26/16..............$64.00 Price on 02/16/16..............$65.90 +2.9% VF Corp. (VFC) Price on 01/26/16..............$58.75 Price on 02/16/16..............$59.60 -1.4% Zumiez (ZUMZ) Price on 01/26/16..............$17.93 Price on 02/16/16..............$19.37 +8.0% Wolverine Worldwide (WWW) Price on 01/26/16..............$16.20 Price on 02/16/16..............$16.87 +4.1% Shoe Carnival (SCVL) Price on 01/26/16..............$23.02 Price on 02/16/16..............$22.94 ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC www.insideinsight.com FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT POP CULTURE The Social Scene 1. Giving everyone a reminder about the biggest foe. 2. The Cat pitches Usain Bolt product collection. 3. ‘Tis the Season for fishing! 4. It’s a groundhog. It’s a beaver. It’s a touchdown! 5. Special jacket is part of NBA collection. 6. Challenging runners around the globe. 18 ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC www.insideinsight.com FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT MATCH-UP Vision-naires for the Links Oakley PRIZM Golf Oakley is offering six unique styles in its 2016 PRIZM Golf collection, each promising the wearer sharpened visual acuity, enhanced color recognition and better ability to see and track moving objects in SunDog Prime EXT TrueBlue the periphery. Models are also available in prescription. The Radar EV shown here uses its PRIZM lenses to filter precise, SunDog, out of Canada, has unveiled three narrow bands of color. That enables the golfer to spot grass models for the golfing set, including two textures, improving the contrast between the cyans and Sport performance styles. The Prime EXT is greens of healthy grass with the yellows, oranges designed for those looking for a slightly larger lens and reds of unhealthy grass. Oakley says the cut for maximum comfort. Sunglasses, worn by LPGA separation of colors gives players more depth star Paula Creamer, utilize TrueBlue lens technology cues to gauge distance for wedge shots and that incorporates synthetic “melanin and OLP (ocular lens the ability to easily differentiate grass pigment) to filter blue light and block ultra-violet light for conditions and grain direction when protection and performance. True Blue lens available in brown, on the green. Pro golfer Bubba smoke and amber/rose tints. Style, designed to fit medium and large face Watson dons the Flak 2.0 on shapes also has a ContourFLEX metal-core adjustable nose pad and cothe Tour. MSRP: $170. n injected temple tips for non-slip performance and comfort. MSRP: $69.99 n vs. www.insideinsight.com ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC 19 FEBRUARY 16, 2016 INSIDEINSIGHT SPORTSTATS Paint By Numbers $523 BILLION Forrester predicts total online sales will reach this number by 2020, driven by mobile devices. The research firm also forecasts online sales to grow an average 9.32 percent annually over the next five years. 76% Percentage of shoppers who interact with brands before going in-store, according to Deloitte Digital. $310 Typical retail selling price of a Quiksilver snowboard jacket in the Americas’ region. 244 MILLION Number of consumers who browsed or bought online in 2015, a figure forecast to increase to 270 million by the end of decade. 111.9 MILLION Average number of viewers for Super Bowl 50, short of the record 114.4 million for 2015 game between Seattle and New England. 59% 80% 59% Percentage of retailers who plan to invest Percentage of Internet traffic in 2019 that Percentage of B2C marketers who plan more integrating social media within their will be video-based. to increase content marketing budgets in stores, according to IAB Research. 20 2016, says Content Marketing Institute. ©2016 Formula4Media, LLC www.insideinsight.com