Dicks Sporting Goods (DKS), the largest golf retailer in the U.S., has announced the return of the iconic golf label Tommy Armour. Using innovative technology, not widely available in the country, to “promote forgiveness and distance”; DKS developed a line of game improvement woods and irons for mid-to-high handicap golfers. Designworks, a subsidiary of the BWM Group, designed the equipment; which DKS has priced lower than comparable products.
Howie Long-Short: Tiger Woods is back, but the decision to build an in-house golf brand has more to do with DKS’ “private label comp growth significantly outpacing the company average” and interest in increasing profit margins, than it does Sunday TV ratings. On the Q4 ’17 earnings call, CEO Ed Stack said that moving forward the company would be allocating more shelf space to private labels (i.e. Second Skin, Calia by Carrie), than they had received in years’ past. The decision to grow its private label business is a wise one. Its reliance on Nike (and other athletic apparel/sneaker companies that have chosen to pursue more DTC business) is among the leading reasons company share price is down 28% over the last 12 months.
Fan Marino: The Tommy Armour brand is named after the “Silver Scot”, Thomas Dickenson Armour, winner of 3 majors (’27 U.S. Open, ’30 PGA Championship, ’31 Open Championship). The label has been around since the 1970s, achieving peak success in the 80’s with their 845 irons (sold 600,000+ sets). Armour’s grandson Tommy III, a former PGA player with 2 tour wins (’90 Phoenix Open, ’03 Valero Texas Open), is currently active on the Champions Tour; he finished t-41st (-1) at the Toshiba Classic, the tour’s most recent event (March 9-11).
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