Corporate
Capital markets
Capital markets activity shaping sporting goods strategy—tracking IPOs, fundraising and capital raises, debt issuance, refinancing, credit ratings, bond issues, investor sentiment, valuation trends, and the financial market dynamics influencing corporate decision-making and capital allocation.
One analyst, two verdicts: adidas up, Nike down
RBC’s Dadhania published both calls on the same day, using a consistent valuation framework, and on the eve of the World Cup.
LIV Golf funding crisis: season at risk
Saudi PIF confirmed it will end LIV funding after 2026. Now sources say payments may stop before the season does.
Kohli’s wife joins him as an Agilitas investor
The cricket star already co-owns a stake after selling his One8 brand to the Bangalore sportswear company last year.
Wisdom Ventures: a $77.7 million bet on AI wellbeing
The SF-based wellbeing VC follows a $10 million debut fund with an oversubscribed raise led by three partners from Google, legal, and mindfulness.
Wells Fargo downgrades Nike and Deckers on GLP-1 trend
he weight-loss drug wave is lifting apparel broadly – but the gains flow to categories tied to body-size change, leaving Nike and HOKA structurally exposed.
Analysts split on Vans as VF Corp heads to earnings
Williams Trading and BTIG upgrade VF Corp on Vans momentum. Truist and Citi stay cautious. The gap between them is the story.
Enhanced Group – Sport as proof of concept
Behind the Enhanced Games’ NYSE debut: athletic bloodwork as raw material for consumer drug protocols sold via telehealth.
Castore secures £90m credit line
Manchester sportswear brand targets £300m in revenue while its parent company reported rising sales and widening losses.
Nike’s turnaround faces rising investor scrutiny
New data show Nike lost 3 points of global footwear share in 2025 – a third straight decline – as bearish bets on the stock hit a multi-year high.
Kylian Mbappé: footballer, investor
From a French health insurtech to a sailing team and a Ligue 2 club, the Real Madrid forward is operating as a full-fledged investor.
ANWR GROUP extends credit to affiliated retailers
The German buying group is expanding seasonal credit lines and launching an investment loan to help affiliated retailers.
Gamma Waves – Agnelli returns to sport, but to football?
Ex-Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli and captain Giorgio Chiellini launch a €100m sports IP and tech fund — with football pointedly absent.
Adidas pumps €100m into Bundesliga
The German sportswear giant commits €100m to the DFL as its national team kit deal nears its end – with a fan backlash already anticipated.
CHAMP: athlete co-investment from L Catterton
Over 250 elite athletes, including NBA star Kevin Durant, take co-ownership stakes in consumer brands under a new L Catterton–Patricof vehicle.
NIL and athlete wealth management: the new Atlantic divide
JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are competing for athlete assets. Europe has no equivalent infrastructure.
Yue Yuen warns of 50–55% Q1 profit drop
Yue Yuen flags a 50–55% Q1 profit decline as reciprocal tariffs, rising wages and factory disruptions erode manufacturing margins.
Wilson launches rival athleisure venture
lululemon’s largest individual shareholder is building a rival brand platform in Vancouver as LULU shares sit near five-year lows.
S&P affirms Amer Sports BBB- after debt paydown
S&P Global Ratings keeps Amer Sports at investment grade after the Arc’teryx owner uses equity proceeds to retire senior secured debt.
HSBC cuts Nike rating on tariffs, slow turnaround
HSBC cuts Nike to Hold with a $48 target as tariff exposure and a stalling turnaround weigh on the world’s largest sportswear group.
Golden Goose keeps BB- rating after HSG takeover
S&P affirms Golden Goose’s BB- rating as stable after acquisition, citing strong DTC momentum and robust margins despite a spike in leverage.
Nike stock hits 12-year low after Q3 results
Nike is down more than 15% in five sessions and trading at its lowest since 2014 — with Goldman Sachs cutting its target today.
S&P raises outlook on Kontoor to ‘stable’
Rating agency cites smoother-than-expected Helly Hansen integration and planned debt repayment behind the revised assessment.
Seven elite athletes back Whoop on Series G round
Ronaldo, James, McIlroy and four other elite professionals join sovereign funds and medtech giant Abbott in a $575m round valuing Whoop, the performance wearable platform, at $10.1bn.
Sawiris closes €4.6m adidas derivative position
adidas Supervisory Board member Nassef Sawiris discloses closure of a €4.6 million short put via NNS Investments Cyprus in a regulatory filing.
Perfect Moment raises $12m in growth capital
Luxury ski brand pairs revolving credit with a China-connected institutional investor after reporting its first profitable quarter.
NFL champion, NWSL star back cleat startup Caddix
The Baltimore startup targeting ACL and lower-body injury reduction secures backing from a Super Bowl quarterback and an NWSL defender.
North America’s Pro Padel League raises $15m
The North American professional padel circuit has closed its second major funding round in 12 months as franchise values surge past $10 million.
KMD Brands halts trading for capital raise
New Zealand outdoor group KMD Brands — owner of Rip Curl, Kathmandu and Oboz — suspends trading as it finalises a placement and share offer.
Institutions build Nike stake ahead of Q3 results
Multiple funds raised NKE positions in Q3 as Wall Street upgrades its outlook, with Nike’s quarterly results due March 31.
Lululemon shares edge lower on soft 2026 guidance
Despite a Q4 beat, investors focused on below-consensus 2026 guidance and a continuing leadership vacuum at the top of the company.
Australian tennis player Kyrgios joins The Picklr
The tennis star is betting on pickleball’s boom with a new investment and ambassador role.
KMD Brands calls in Goldman amid debt pressure
The New Zealand outdoor apparel group confirms engaging Goldman Sachs but says no decision on any recapitalisation has yet been made.
S&P upgrades Wolverine World Wide to B+
Two years of debt reduction and stronger brand performance earn Wolverine World Wide a credit upgrade from S&P Global Ratings.
CVC sports platform raises €3.7bn
KKR’s insurer Global Atlantic and Pimco anchor a €3.7bn financing round for CVC Capital’s multi-sport investment platform.
Sportl launches app with £250k pre-seed backing
London startup targets gym studios and flexibility-seeking users with a no-subscription booking model, backed by £250,000 in pre-seed funding.
SGIE Daily Digest
Stay informed. Stay ahead.
Every weekday in your inbox.
The news, analysis and competitive signals that matter — curated for industry professionals.
Sign up for free
Intelligence, analysis and advice for the global sporting goods industry.
TOPICS
Corporate and FinancialRetail and Supply
Marketing
Consumer
People and HR
Events and Trade Shows
Legal
CSR and Sustainability
Technology and AI
Asia-Pacific
Athlete economy
China and APAC
MARKET ANALYSIS
Analysis and dataIndustry Scorecards
Reports
Case Studies
SERIES and SPECIALS
FIFA World Cup 2026Winter Olympics 2026
Circular Economy
Impact of Sports
Redefining CSR 2025
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Membership plansFAQs
ASK SGIE AI
For premium subscribersABOUT US
About usNewsroom and Contacts
Media solutions
- COPYRIGHT © EDM PUBLICATIONS GMBH
- Contact Us
- FAQS
- Terms and Conditions
- Privacy & Cookies Policy
- Impressum
- Issues
- Topics A-Z