The Americas let Asics down in Q1
10/05/2018
The Japanese company said sales in its home market had decreased by 7.1% to around $260 million over the three-month period (27.3% of total sales worldwide), but it claimed this was partly because of a deliberate policy to stop selling some of its lower-priced sports items to concentrate more on higher-margin products. It said sales of Asics running shoes and Onitsuka Tiger shoes across east Asia, and of Onitsuka Tiger shoes in the Oceania and Asia regions had been strong.
In contrast, Asics said its sales in the Americas region had been disappointingly weak, declining by 26.6% in comparison to the same quarter last year.
Part of the company’s disappointment may be because it has put high levels of interest in sport owing to rising health consciousness at the core of its five-year strategic plan, which includes introducing “designated running shoes” that are specific to important markets, including the US.
For the US market, it has launched models such as the HyperGel Kenzen running shoe, featuring a new midsole technology (HyperGel) that Asics says offers “excellent cushioning, resilience and a casual design suitable both for running and daily use”.
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