Wolverine Worldwide, which sells the Merrell and Patagonia Footwear brands, saw its sales drop by 2.4 percent to $322.8 million for the quarter ended March 24, due to the troubles hitting many of Europe's economies. Sales in the U.K., which represents half of European sales, were hard hit by two of the company's largest clients going into administration. The situation mostly affected the Hush Puppies and Merrell brands. Quarterly revenues by operating unit showed that the outdoor division's turnover slipped by 0.7 percent to $137.1 million. While Merrell's sales declined, Chaco and Patagonia Footwear posted a mid-to-high single-digit growth rate. Merrell was dragged down by European markets, while its sales were flat in the U.S. The brand continued to lift its market share in barefoot running shoes and in hiking boots. Wolverine's net profit for the quarter landed at $31.2 million, down by 13 percent compared with the same quarter last year (more in The Outdoor Industry Compass).

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