Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods

HUMAN MADE extended its gains sharply for a fifth consecutive session. On the 17th, the company announced that it will open its first flagship store, HUMAN MADE TOKYO, in Harajuku, Tokyo, on September 26. HUMAN MADE TOKYO will be the brand's largest flagship store by floor area and is positioned as a new base for broadcasting to the world from Tokyo.

Somnigroup International completed its all-stock combination with Leggett & Platt on August 26, a deal first announced April 13 and valued at roughly $2.3 billion based on Somnigroup's closing price the day before. The transaction folds a components manufacturer with nearly 140 years of history into a bedding company that already owns some of the best-known names in sleep, giving Somnigroup direct control over a piece of its own supply chain. Net leverage fell to roughly 2.8 times adjusted EBITDA at close, down about 0.2 times, and management is targeting the middle of its 2.0 to 3.0 times range by year-end. Management also lifted the annual run-rate synergy target to $75 million from an initial $50 million estimate. The combined company now runs more than 170 manufacturing facilities across 37 countries with over 36,000 employees. Three weeks before the deal closed, Somnigroup reported second-quarter 2026 results showing adjusted earnings per share up 9.4% to $0.58 even as total net sales slipped 3.0% to $1,823.5 million, with gross margin expanding to 44.8% from 44.0% and a record $236 million in operating cash flow; the company raised its full-year adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $2.85 to $3.15, roughly 11% above 2025 at the midpoint. Somnigroup expects about $50 million a year in non-cash expense from marking the acquired business up to fair value, mostly hitting cost of goods sold, plus another $10 million in non-cash interest expense from revaluing Leggett & Platt's bonds, and it hosts a business update call on September 2 to detail how the synergies get realized.

Duangdao Mahanavanont, Chief Executive Officer of Sabina Public Company Limited, or SABINA, disclosed that sales in the third quarter of 2026, from July through the present, have begun to recover in the retail channel, which is the main channel with the largest share of sales, covering both sales through Sabina shops and Sabina counters in department stores. She expects the key factor to be the launch of new product collections across both the lingerie and non-lingerie groups, which have been well received by consumers. Earlier, SABINA reported second-quarter 2026 results showing that the retail channel, which accounts for 56% of revenue, saw sales fall 9.4% compared with the same period a year earlier, while the no-store retail channel, or NSR, which accounts for 35%, saw sales drop 13.5%, and the original equipment manufacturing channel, or OEM, which accounts for 9%, saw sales rise 1.5%. Duangdao said the return of sales in the retail channel in the third quarter is starting to be a clearer positive signal, even though overall purchasing power may be lower because of household debt problems and the shift into an ageing society. The company will turn these obstacles into opportunities by offering good-quality products at prices that are not too high, while managing costs efficiently in both sourcing and raw material cost management, and she is confident it can maintain profitability, especially the net profit margin, or NPM, this year in line with the target set. In dealing with Chinese goods in the online channel, SABINA is focusing on research and development of new innovations such as SMART STRETCH lingerie, and stated that it has not been significantly affected by online platforms raising their gross profit, or GP, fees, because it is one of the leading brands in the online market and still maintains good margins from the platforms. As for its strategy going forward, it will add new product lines, especially activewear in line with the exercise trend, such as HYROX competitions and running, which is expanding the non-lingerie product portfolio, and it is expected to rise to 5% of the total portfolio this year in line with the target.

Amer Sports reported second-quarter results on August 18 that beat its own guidance and then raised its full-year outlook. Revenue climbed 32% to $1.63 billion, adjusted operating profit nearly tripled, and diluted earnings per share reached $0.18, with every region and segment posting double-digit growth. Technical Apparel grew 32% to $674 million, Outdoor Performance rose 37% to $569 million, and Ball & Racquet Sports increased 24% to $390 million. The company raised full-year 2026 guidance to roughly 24% reported revenue growth, a gross margin of 60.5% to 61.0%, an operating margin of 14.2% to 14.5%, and diluted EPS of $1.27 to $1.30. Gross margin expanded 710 basis points to 65.6%, but 390 of those points came from net tariff refunds, and third-quarter revenue growth is guided at 18% to 20%, well below the 32% just reported.

Deckers Outdoor raised its full-year EPS and gross margin guidance following its Q1 2027 earnings update, a move that has investors reassessing the stock's recent underperformance. The shares have fallen 13.5% over the past month and about 27% year to date, with a 1-year total shareholder return down 34.3%, so the guidance upgrade lands against fading momentum. Deckers Outdoor last closed at $77.96, while the most widely followed analyst narrative puts fair value at about $122.81, framing the weakness as a sizeable discount. Analysts are divided, with the most bullish price target at $184.0 and the most bearish at just $85.0. Risks to that undervalued story include a weaker consumer backdrop hitting UGG or HOKA demand, or a more promotional market pressuring margins.

Tapestry has enabled in-app shopping for Coach and Kate Spade through Google's Gemini app and Google Search. The rollout connects Tapestry's product catalog to Google's AI shopping tools, letting users browse and buy without visiting brand websites. Transactions use Universal Commerce Protocol to support direct, secure checkout for Coach and Kate Spade inside Google's platforms. The company runs global luxury brands across accessories and lifestyle products, so the move plugs its Coach and Kate Spade labels into one of the largest AI-enabled shopping funnels available to US consumer companies. Rivals such as LVMH and Capri Holdings are also pushing harder into AI-driven discovery, leaving open whether Tapestry's brands can convert that traffic into full-price, high-margin demand.

CUBE, the AI-native regulatory intelligence company, announced a collaboration with IBM to add a new Regulatory Horizon Scanning capability within IBM watsonx.governance. The integration embeds CUBE's global regulatory intelligence directly into watsonx.governance, giving enterprises continuous visibility into regulatory developments affecting their AI systems worldwide. The capability continuously monitors AI-related regulatory developments from authoritative sources, automatically capturing updates from regulators, legislative bodies, standards organisations and industry associations, and making them available within existing AI governance workflows. The collaboration follows partnerships CUBE announced earlier this year with Microsoft and ServiceNow, and comes as requirements emerge across jurisdictions ranging from the EU's AI Act to the NIST AI Risk Management Framework. Ben Richmond, Founder and CEO of CUBE, said regulatory intelligence is becoming a foundational layer of how AI itself is governed, while Maryam Ashoori, VP of watsonx.governance Product and Engineering at IBM, said CUBE brings a depth of regulatory expertise and global reach few providers can match.

Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA announced a total dividend of $0.54 per share, consisting of a $0.12 per share special dividend and a $0.41 per share cash dividend, with an ex-dividend date of 2026-09-17 and payment on 2026-10-13. The luxury goods conglomerate, whose Jewellery Maisons including Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels account for over 70% of revenue, carries a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.76% and a forward yield of 1.91%. Its annual dividend growth rate was 7.90% over three years, 20.30% over five years, and 5.90% over the past decade, giving a five-year yield on cost of approximately 4.43%. As of 2026-03-31, the payout ratio stood at 0.53, with a profitability rank of 10 out of 10 and a growth rank of 10 out of 10, though three-year earnings per share declined about 5.20% annually and revenue grew roughly 0.30% per year.

Sabina Public Company Limited, or SABINA, disclosed that sales in the third quarter of 2026, from July to date, have begun to recover, particularly through retail channels, which are the main channel accounting for the largest share of sales, including sales through Sabina shops and Sabina counters in department stores. Chief Executive Officer Duangdao Mahanavanont stated that a key factor was the launch of new product collections in both the lingerie and non-lingerie groups, which were well received by consumers. Although overall purchasing power may be lower due to household debt problems and the transition into an aging society, the company has shifted to focus on efficient cost management and is confident it can maintain profitability, especially the net profit margin this year, in line with its target. As for coping with Chinese products in online channels, the company has continuously monitored and assessed the impact, focusing on research and development of new innovations. Regarding the increase in online platform fees, the company has not been significantly affected, since SABINA is one of the leading brands in the online market and continues to maintain good margins from online platforms. In addition, the company aims to increase its portfolio of non-lingerie products to 5% of the total portfolio within this year, in line with its plan.

Duangdao Mahanavanont, Chief Executive Officer of Sabina Public Company Limited, or SABINA, disclosed that sales in the third quarter of 2026, starting from July, have begun to show a recovery in the retail channel, which is the company's main channel with the largest share of sales, covering both sales through Sabina shops and Sabina counters in department stores. She expects the key factor to be the launch of new collections in both the lingerie and non-lingerie product groups, which have been well received by consumers. Earlier, SABINA reported its second-quarter 2026 results, with the retail channel, which accounts for 56% of revenue, seeing sales fall 9.4% compared with the same period a year earlier. The non-store retail channel, or NSR, which accounts for 35%, saw sales drop 13.5%, while the original equipment manufacturing channel, or OEM, which accounts for 9%, posted sales growth of 1.5%. The company said it remains on track to maintain its net profit margin target for this year as planned, and expects its portfolio of non-lingerie products to expand to 5% of the total portfolio within this year, in line with its target.

Amer Sports, Inc. updated its long-term financial algorithm and raised third quarter 2026 guidance ahead of its Investor Day in Annecy, France. The company now expects third quarter 2026 year-over-year revenue growth of 20 to 22 percent, up from its previous guidance range of 18 to 20 percent, with adjusted operating margin slightly above the high end of its prior 13.5 to 14 percent range. For the long term, Amer Sports Group reiterated an annual revenue CAGR of low-double digits to mid-teens and annual adjusted operating margin expansion of 30 to 70-plus basis points, with an effective tax rate approaching 25 percent. Within the group, the Technical Apparel and Outdoor Performance segments are each expected to grow revenue at a mid-teens annual CAGR with adjusted operating margin expansion of 20 to 60-plus basis points, while the Ball & Racquet segment is guided to mid-to-high single digit annual revenue growth with the same 20 to 60-plus basis point margin expansion. CEO James Zheng credited strong growth across all three segments, and CFO Andrew Page pointed to Arc'teryx, Salomon Softgoods, and Wilson Tennis 360 as the company's three key growth engines.

Nike reported second-quarter revenues of $10.97 billion, down 1.1% year on year but exceeding analysts' expectations by 1.1%, as the seven consumer discretionary footwear stocks tracked by the report collectively beat consensus revenue estimates by 1.3%. Steven Madden posted the group's best quarter, with revenues of $665.9 million, up 19.1% year on year and 4.8% above expectations, while Caleres delivered the weakest performance against estimates, reporting revenues of $695.5 million, up 5.6% but missing by 1%, alongside next-quarter and full-year EPS guidance that fell significantly short of expectations. Deckers reported revenues of $1.02 billion, up 5.7% and in line with expectations, and Crocs reported revenues of $1.18 billion, up 2.6% and 2.7% above expectations, though its next-quarter EPS guidance missed. Despite the broad revenue beats, footwear share prices have fallen 6.3% on average since the results, with Nike down 11.8% to $36.21, Deckers down 19.3% to $77.69, Crocs down 16.5% to $111.46, and Steven Madden down 6.8% to $40.46, while Caleres has risen 2.5% to $12.33.

Wrangler has unveiled the Blue Bell Collection, its most premium men's line to date, a limited-run capsule debuting September 16 that pairs archival silhouettes with raw Japanese selvedge denim, full-grain suede, plush shearling, and copper hardware. The collection takes its name from Blue Bell Inc., the early 20th-century workwear company that acquired the Wrangler brand in 1943. "While Wrangler has a celebrated history of high-profile partnerships, the Blue Bell Collection marks our first standalone entry into the premium space," said Holly Wheeler, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing. Defining pieces include a Cowboy Cut Raw Selvedge Jean cut from raw Japanese selvedge with a "Wrangler Blue" cast, a hand-crafted leather Leather Aviator Jacket with sherpa collar lining, a full-grain suede Cowboy Cut Suede Jean in deep cognac, and a Suede Shearling Wrangle Coat modeled after the brand's 1950s range coat. The Fall26 Blue Bell collection ranges in price from $399.99 to $1,399.99 and launches on Wrangler.com, with the brand planning to expand availability to select retailers for future collections as it pushes into top-tier boutiques and premium retail environments globally.

Hugo Boss has appointed Michael Murray, the chief executive of Frasers, as its new chairman, tightening Mike Ashley's grip on the German fashion brand. Mr Murray, who is Mr Ashley's son-in-law, was elected head of the supervisory board on Tuesday morning, just 24 hours after Stephan Sturm stepped down amid pressure from Frasers. The appointment marks a victory for Mr Ashley's retail giant, which has built a stake of about 48pc in Hugo Boss after launching a takeover attempt earlier this year, and Frasers has said it intends to increase its holding beyond 50pc, which would give it majority control of the German retailer. Hugo Boss also said Robert Palmer, a former company secretary at Frasers and one of Mr Ashley's senior lieutenants, would join its supervisory board, subject to appointment by the local court. Mr Sturm had been chairman for just 16 months, having been elected in May 2025, and Hugo Boss terminated its share buyback programme earlier this month after Frasers said it intended to take its stake above 50pc.

Vera Bradley delivered total revenue growth of 1.1% in its second quarter, the second consecutive quarter of expansion as the Project Sunshine transformation gains traction. Direct segment revenue grew 8% with comparable sales up 9.2%, while indirect channel revenue contracted 39% due to intentional shifts in marketplace strategy and a strategic reduction in liquidation sales to protect brand equity. Gross margin expanded by more than 40 basis points excluding tariff refunds, and inventory levels were reduced by 28% year-over-year. The company received $8 million in net tariff refunds during the quarter, providing a non-recurring 980 basis point benefit to the reported gross profit rate, and ended the quarter with $34.2 million in cash and zero debt, doubling its prior year cash position. Vera Bradley reiterated fiscal 2027 guidance with expected sales between $255 million and $270 million and at least a 50% improvement in non-GAAP operating profit.

Nike's overall wholesale revenues grew 1% in fourth-quarter fiscal 2026, but that gain masked sharply divergent regional results. North America wholesale rose 10%, helped by healthier inventory, lower cancellations, fewer discounts and better full-price realization, and management said Nike's revenues and retail sales at Foot Locker turned positive for the first time in four years. International wholesale was considerably weaker, with EMEA wholesale sales down 1% and Greater China wholesale plunging 19% as Nike works through elevated inventory and promotional pressure in EMEA and a broader market reset in China. The company is tightening purchase orders, reducing future sell-in and working with wholesale partners to clear aged inventory, while pursuing product innovation, franchise refreshes and a more balanced marketplace strategy that leans less on promotions. Nike shares have lost 31% over the past six months versus a 26.9% industry decline, and the stock carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Crocs director Thomas J. Smach purchased 4,000 shares of the company on September 10, 2026, for a total investment of $437,520, according to a recent SEC Form 4 filing. The purchase was made at a weighted average price of $109.38 per share, with 3,000 shares added to direct holdings and 1,000 shares added to indirect holdings, specifically the position managed through the Thomas J. Smach 1996 Rev Trust & Linda M. Smach 1996 Rev Trust Ten Com. Following the transaction, Smach directly holds 93,249 shares and indirectly holds approximately 118,000 shares, a combined position of about 212,000 shares valued at approximately $23.6 million based on the $111.49 stock price as of the September 14, 2026 market close. The filing shows beneficial ownership includes 112,063 shares held by the trust and 6,416 shares held by his spouse, while shares previously attributed to a child are no longer included. Crocs, which designs and distributes casual footwear including its signature clogs, has a market capitalization of $5.3 billion, trailing twelve-month revenue of $4.1 billion, and net income of $593.4 million.

Ralph Lauren Corporation increased marketing spending to 8.2% of sales in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, up from 7.5% a year earlier, as the company continues to treat brand investment as a driver of long-term desirability, customer acquisition and lifetime value. The higher spend funded key brand-building activations worldwide, including the spring global campaign and the men's fashion show, along with evergreen platforms such as Wimbledon and the recently created Grass Court in Central Park. Management said it remains comfortable with its approximately 8% marketing investment guide for fiscal 2027 and noted that marketing is not viewed as having a fixed ceiling, citing strong returns on the spending. Looking ahead, as Ralph Lauren expands operating margins, it expects to further invest in marketing to strengthen brand desirability and consumer engagement. The company's shares have lost 16% in the past three months compared with the industry's 3% decline, and RL trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 17.33 versus the industry's average of 14.55, while carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

On Holding AG's apparel category surged 47.7% year over year to CHF 54.2 million in the second quarter of 2026, up 56.2% on a constant-currency basis, as the segment rapidly gains scale beyond footwear. Tennis remained the fastest-growing apparel vertical, with sales nearly tripling in the quarter, while the Zendaya co-created collection exceeded expectations and the Volt collection lifted running apparel to a record 28% share of On Holding's running-campaign net sales. Companywide, second-quarter net sales rose 13.5% to CHF 850.3 million, direct-to-consumer sales climbed 26% and accounted for 45.7% of revenues, and gross margin expanded to 65.4%, with management guiding to constant-currency sales growth in the low-20% range for 2026. For comparison, Deckers Outdoor Corporation posted first-quarter fiscal 2027 sales of $1.02 billion, up 5.7%, including HOKA revenues of $704 million and UGG sales of $278 million, while Wolverine World Wide reported second-quarter 2026 revenues of $506.4 million, up 6.8%, with Sweaty Betty sales of $40.3 million, down 2.4% on a planned U.S. market reset. On Holding shares have lost 27.8% over the past three months against a 15.7% industry decline, and the stock carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

Carter's unveiled a new brand identity and marketing campaign on Tuesday, as the children's clothing company works to attract a younger generation of parents and build on a recent business turnaround. The rebrand centers on a new brand promise, "Let every child's light shine," and a refreshed logo in which a shooting star replaces the apostrophe in the Carter's wordmark, with a new 60-second film called "Watch Them Glow" debuting across connected television as the first major marketing expression of the new direction. Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Crockett told CNBC that the company sees a significant shift in its core customer base, with Gen Z expected to account for a large share of new parents over the next several years. The new identity will begin rolling out across Carter's channels in 2026, with additional retail, product, and packaging elements to follow in 2027, alongside a creator program called Light Makers and expanded partnerships with organizations including Outward Bound and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The rebrand comes as Carter's works to recover from a difficult stretch: over the past three years its stock has lost more than half its value, leaving a market capitalization of roughly $1 billion, and in fiscal year 2025 it posted adjusted net income of $126.1 million, down from $210.7 million the year prior. Since cutting 15% of corporate staff and closing 150 stores across North America, Carter's has pointed to a 10.5% rise in U.S. comparable sales during the first quarter of 2026 and a mid-teens percentage increase in Gen Z customers in the second quarter, and Sharon Price John, formerly the CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, told CNBC the generational change in who is buying children's clothing represents the most significant shift in the parent demographic the company has encountered in a quarter century.

Vince Holding Corp. shares rose more than 36% in Monday trading as investors began factoring in the company's recent OVO acquisition. The New York City-based apparel company acquired OVO's operating business last month, including its stores, e-commerce platform, wholesale relationships, operating companies, assets and liabilities in Canada, the U.S., and the United Kingdom. As part of the transaction, Authentic Brands Group separately acquired the majority of OVO's intellectual property; Vince paid a nominal amount for the operating business and $6M for a 5% equity interest in the new IP-owning entity, with Authentic owning 51% and rapper Drake owning 44%. Vince also secured an exclusive 10-year license to use the OVO brand IP to manufacture and sell licensed apparel globally, paying royalties to Authentic, a structure expected to let Vince control the commercial execution of OVO without purchasing majority ownership of the brand itself. Shares were up 36.9% at 12:37 p.m. and traded as high as $7.28 earlier in the session.

Nike has unveiled its "NikeLab Running" collection, which blends performance running with design and style suited to everyday wear, with a simultaneous global launch set for October 1, 2026, through nike.com and participating retail stores. The first seasonal collection includes tops, pants, and outerwear for both women and men. The women's collection uses wool-blend fabrics, along with shorts, leggings, a vest, and outerwear, while the men's collection features lightweight woven jackets and pants. Each piece's design draws on data from the Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL) to position materials according to how the body functions, such as adding ventilation at points that generate high heat during a run. Sarah Gardner, Nike's Global Director of Women's Running Apparel, said the challenge of this collection covers every activity around a run, from travel and weather to adding or removing layers throughout the day. NikeLab Running is also part of Nike's approach to experimenting with new concepts for running, drawing on insights from long-distance runners, coaches, and the Nike Swoosh TC network.