Matt Powell

Things are rough right now for athletic retailers, and a rush from back-to-school shopping is unlikely to save them. Sports industry analyst Matt Powell of NPD Group previously told Benzinga that this back-to-school season was the most promotional he has seen in 20 years. Finish Line Inc (NASDAQ:...

With the height of signature athletes’ influence in decline, the question becomes: Are high paid athletic endorsements really worth it anymore? Basketball shoe sales are declining and may not come back anytime soon, yet brands continue to pony up big money to secure key basketball...

Foot Locker Inc (NYSE: FL) is in disaster recovery mode after missing on earnings and sales in the second quarter, causing the stock to lose nearly a quarter of its value Friday. Looking to our recent footwear industry sector recap, outside of adidas AG (ADR) (OTC: ADDYY) and Puma AG Rudolf...

Foot Locker, Inc. (NYSE: FL) valuation may be attractive looking out 6–12 months, but near-term fundamentals and low visibility have Baird Equity Research analysts suggesting caution heading into Friday’s earnings report. Shares of the premium retailer have fallen 32 percent year to...

With major footwear brands' second-quarter earnings reports in the books, Benzinga caught up with NPD Group’s footwear analyst Matt Powell to gauge sentiment. The second-quarter sales trend in athletic footwear was better than the first quarter, primarily due to calendar shifts, not...

Dicks Sporting Goods Inc (NYSE: DKS) experienced its greatest single day share decline after reporting weaker sales and earnings and cutting guidance in its second-quarter earnings report this week. The sporting goods leader was hit with a slew of downgrades, with increasing fears that defending...

While the retail footwear industry has experienced some tough times given major brands increased focus in e-commerce and direct to consumer sales, if Foot Locker, Inc. (NYSE: FL) were to never grow again, Barclays believes it's still under valued. “In a scenario where Foot Locker does not...

When adidas AG (ADR) (OTC: ADDYY) named Mark King president of North America in 2014, the company needed to win the region if it wanted to win in the world of sports apparel. At the time, it was generally understood the company didn’t place much focus on and didn’t fully understand the...

As we gear up for the back-to-school season, a struggling footwear and apparel market is seeing significant promotional activity and discounting. "In my 17 years of doing research, this is the most promotional back-to-school I have seen,” Matt Powell of NPD Group told Benzinga. “...

Puma SE NPV (OTC: PMMAF) released preliminary second-quarter results on Monday and has raised its guidance for the second half of 2017. Puma has been one of the hottest footwear companies in 2017 in a struggling industry. “Puma is the only brand that is showing significant growth at scale,...

The NBA draft drew quite the interest this season with the entrance of Lonzo Ball and his quirky father LaVar Ball into the association. While LaVar Ball and company received a ton of heat for alienating nearly every team in the NBA, Lonzo Ball was chosen as the No. 2 pick for Los Angeles Lakers...

The NBA draft often serves as one of the biggest platforms for major footwear companies. It offers these brands the opportunity to secure the next wave of talent that will be leaders in the basketball segment. Josh Jackson A Key Move For UA The most notable signing of the draft could be from...

Sports retailers were moving Wednesday morning following channel checks from Goldman Sachs analyst Lindsay Drucker Mann that suggest Nike Inc (NYSE: NKE) could begin selling directly through Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN). NPD Group analyst Matt Powell also tweeted about the potential move. What...

Reigning NBA champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers have officially signed a deal securing a jersey sponsorship with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co (NASDAQ: GT) that will begin in the 2017 season. Since the NBA became the first professional North American league to approve jersey sponsorships 13 months...

While Big Baller Brand has officially released what their first signature shoe will look like for Lonzo Ball, it likely won’t have much of an effect on how the shoe industry will operate moving forward. It did, however; create a massive buzz on social media. Footwear Sales Growth Origination...