The Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary Brooks Running reported 9 percent revenue growth in Q1 ended March 31 to equal the highest quarterly results in the company’s history. Brooks’ results were achieved by significant gains in many segments of its business.
Year-over-year global e-commerce sales increased by 22 percent, and the brand’s EMEA business, amid persistent retail uncertainty across the region, generated 10 percent e-commerce growth. Revenues grew by 38 percent in Australia and by 180 percent year-over-year in China. In Brooks’ home North American market, the brand retained the top spot in the adult performance running shoe category in US national retail for the ninth consecutive quarter as year-over-year sales grew by 13 percent. Additionally, key updates to core styles in the Catamount and Caldera and the introduction of a racing shoe built for distances under 50k (Catamount Agil) with vertical climb fueled the brand’s 11 percent sales growth in the trail running footwear category.
“Brooks’ runner-first strategy and execution continue to drive success for our brand on a global scale,” commented company CEO Dan Sheridan in a prepared statement. “We’re working hard to deliver what runners and active people need and want from their gear, and we service them well wherever they choose to engage with our brand and team. This is what sets Brooks apart.”
During Q1, the Seattle company launched six new footwear styles, including the Glycerin 21 and Glycerin GTS 21, which helped contribute to a 10 percent year-over-year increase in footwear sales. This week, the company launched a new global brand platform, “Let’s Run There,” aiming to broaden its conversation with all who are active by reflecting consumers’ shifting relationships with the running category and a multi-dimensional view of health and wellness.
“Let’s Run There is the embodiment of our brand’s purpose and a rallying cry intended to inspire people along their path,” said Melanie Allen, Brooks’ Chief Marketing Officer.
