Adidas (ADDYY) maintains an estimated 10% of the U.S. footwear and athletic apparel market, but CFO Harm Ohlmeyer says the company’s infrastructure has prevented further growth. The demand apparently already exists, but delivery issues plagued the company throughout H2 2017. The (medium-term) goal is to control 15-20% of the U.S. market share, as it does in every other market it operates within (according to Ohlmeyer); so ADDYY is focused on building out the logistics to handle the business. Ohlmeyer also noted that while Reebok remains unprofitable, he expects to see growth (in the U.S. market) from the restructured company in 2018.
Howie Long-Short: Back in November, ADDYY reported Q3 ’17 sales rose 9% (to $6.6 billion); with U.S. revenue up 23% YOY to $1.3 billion. In late December, (NKE) reported Q2 ‘18 revenue within the region was -5% YOY to $3.5 billion. The U.S. remains NKE’s largest and most profitable market, but the company hasn’t experienced double-digit revenue growth since Q3 ’16. As long as leisure (as opposed to performance) remains popular within the footwear and athletic apparel sector, ADDYY is positioned to continue to outperform (and shrink the gap with) NKE, in the U.S. Of course, personalization and customization is also trending within the industry; so, it’s possible performance gear could be in vogue, sooner than later.
Fan Marino: The NBA released a list of players with best-selling jerseys (on NBAStore.com) during Q4 2017. Steph Curry (UAA) led the way, with LeBron (NKE), Durant (NKE) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (NKE) right behind. Adidas was represented in the Top 10 by Kristaps Porzingis (5), Joel Embiid (6) and James Harden (10).
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