The global branded athletic footwear market grew by 11.1 percent to $52.6 billion in 2014, the highest rate since the 13.0 percent increase registered in 2011, according to an annual study by Sporting Goods Intelligence of the brands’ sales to distributors, retailers and consumers.
The figures in our chart, which we are presenting on page 3 of this issue, are mostly based on data published by the brands or made available to us by their management. They are largely wholesale-equivalent sales, including any licensees’ sales, and they concern footwear only, to the exclusion of other types of products. E-commerce and corporate mono-brand stores are becoming an increasing component of the brands’ revenue mix, overtaking the underlying wholesale-equivalent sales by about 7 to 8 percent.
The data reflect the brands’ footwear business in the four quarters closest to the calendar year (e.g. Nike’s sales for the trailing 12-month period ended Nov. 30). All the figures we have obtained are converted to U.S. dollar at the average exchange rate calculated by the OECD for each year. In contrast with previous years and with more recent developments in 2015, the average exchange rates for the dollar were almost identical for the past two years, so the currency impact was minimal this time.
Athletic footwear sales grew at about the same speed in North America and the rest of the world, rising by 11.1 percent to $19.9 billion and by 11.0 percent to $32.7 billion, respectively. With a 15.5 percent increase to $15.5 billion, Europe recorded the strong growth, due perhaps to the excitement around the World Cup and the fact that sneakers in general have become more fashionable for everyday wear on this side of the Atlantic. While Asia-Pacific markets recovered, rising by 14.5 percent to $11.5 billion, the market situation for sports shoes deteriorated in Latin America, falling by 3.3 percent to an estimated $6.4 billion. The estimates for the regional split are available in Athletic Market Facts, published by SGI America.
Together, Nike, Adidas and the athletic footwear brands belonging to them represented as before more than 57 percent of the total market, but with a slight shift into the Swoosh’s favor. Driven by rising categories such as basketball and running, the Nike group’s overall sales increase of 16.3 percent raised its global market share to 40.0 percent from 38.2 percent in 2013. It reached 48.0 percent in the U.S., where the Adidas Group’s share of 7.6 percent placed it in fourth place after Nike, VF Corp. and Skechers. Adidas remained comfortably in second place after Nike in the rest of the world.
In general, American brands moved more quickly in the footwear category than those based in Germany and Japan. With Timberland, Vans and other properties in its portfolio, VF’s shoe business grew by 18.2 percent last year. New Balance jumped by 24.5 percent, and Skechers scored even better, rising by 28.8 percent. In contrast, Adidas and Asics grew by 3.3 percent and by 3.6 percent in dollars, respectively. Puma and Mizuno eased down by 6.6 percent and by 10.8 percent.
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