Skims said Wednesday it has raised $225 million in new funding, boosting the shapewear and apparel company's valuation to $5 billion. Founded in 2019 by Kim Kardashian and business partner Jens Grede, Skims plans to use the new funding to drive product innovation and expand into new categories, according to an announcement from Goldman Sachs."Today’s announcement validates the hard work of our incredible team and partners who have helped us reach this exciting new chapter, becoming a global omnichannel reta ...

（来源：LADYMAX） 作者 | Drizzie 卡戴珊家族的话题度正在整体坍缩。 金卡戴珊在首次出演重大电视角色的迷你剧All's Fair近日播出后，罕见收到了压倒性负面报道，令其大 为震惊，这是她多年拍摄家族真人秀节目以来从未遇到过的情况，该剧也在烂番茄网站上获得了罕见的 0分，这给制片方迪士尼Hulu也带来一次猝不及防的打击。 All's Fair讲述了一群女性离婚律师决定离开原律所，创立自己的事务所的故事，金卡戴珊在其中扮演一 名律师，但评论者认为这是一次失败的选角噱头，她的表演僵硬空洞，剧中的一套着装也被批评不合时 宜。 分析人士认为，金卡戴珊或将此剧视为自己职业生涯的转折点，她自2018年起宣布有志走上律师道路， 然而最近在剧集播出期间，她在Instagram上表示自己仍未通过加州律师资格考试，这被认为是卡戴珊家 族一贯的营销手段。 看似没有关联，奢侈品牌Balmain上周三宣布与创意总监Olivier Rousteing在时隔14年后分道扬镳，纽约 时报评论人Vanessa Friedman在文章中指出，他的离任或标志着时尚界与多元包容、Instagram与卡戴珊 的时代告别。 作为多年来他 ...

Skims underwear is displayed on a shelf at a Nordstrom store on March 25, 2025 in Corte Madera, California.Kim Kardashian's Skims brand has raised $225 million in new funding led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives, valuing the shapewear and apparel company at $5 billion — up from roughly $4 billion after its 2023 round.The deal comes as Skims nears $1 billion in annual net sales, six years after its 2019 launch, and marks one of the largest private raises for a U.S. consumer brand this year. BDT & MSD Partners' ...

Core Insights - Elliott Hill has been working on revitalizing Nike since his return as CEO in October 2024, focusing on addressing declining sales and competition from smaller brands [1][2][4] - Hill's "win now" strategy aims to refocus Nike on sports categories, particularly running and basketball, moving away from a reliance on retro styles [2][8][17] Financial Performance - Nike's revenue fell 10% year-over-year to $11.6 billion in the quarter before Hill's appointment, with a total revenue of $46.3 billion for fiscal year 2025, down 9% [6][12] - Despite initial optimism, Nike's stock has decreased by about 19% since Hill's appointment, underperforming the S&P 500 and peers like Adidas [12][39] Strategic Initiatives - Hill's strategy includes improving relationships with wholesale partners, which had been strained due to a focus on direct-to-consumer sales [7][28] - Nike's wholesale revenues increased by 7% to $6.8 billion in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, indicating a recovery in this area [30] - The company is also focusing on enhancing its digital and direct-to-consumer channels, although digital revenues fell 12% year-over-year last quarter [31][32] Market Positioning - Hill's turnaround plan emphasizes a return to Nike's running roots, with the running category experiencing a 20% growth last quarter [21] - Nike is actively targeting female athletes, launching initiatives like the NikeSkims brand and expanding partnerships with the WNBA [25][26] Analyst Perspectives - Analysts have given Hill a mixed review, with some rating his efforts a "B" due to slower-than-expected progress, while others have not assigned a grade yet [3][37] - Long-term optimism remains, with expectations for improved product creation and brand marketing, despite challenges in the competitive sportswear market and declining sales in China [39][40]

Core Insights - Nike's "Win Now" turnaround plan has shown early success, particularly in North America, with positive consumer response and increased trust from retail partners [1][2][3] - The formation of "Sport Offense," aligning Nike, Jordan, and Converse into focused teams, is seen as a competitive advantage that enhances innovation and community connection [3][4] North America Performance - North America is leading the turnaround, with the spring order book showing year-over-year growth, indicating improved retailer confidence [3] - The redesign of retail experiences, such as the House of Innovation in New York and the South Congress store in Austin, has resulted in double-digit revenue increases [4] Running Business - The running segment has been a strong performer, with quick adaptations based on athlete feedback leading to redesigned products like the Vomero, Structure, and Pegasus [5] - Insights gained from the running business are expected to be applied to other sports categories [5] Challenges in China - Nike's business in China declined by 10% in the quarter, attributed to a challenging promotional environment and structural market issues [7] - The company plans to invest more in China, with over 5,000 mono-brand stores, indicating a long-term commitment despite current challenges [7] Apparel Concerns - There are concerns regarding the performance of Nike's sportswear business, particularly apparel, which has not been performing well [8] - The upcoming collaboration with Kim Kardashian's Skims brand is seen as a potential strategy to re-engage female consumers [8][9] Financial Outlook - Analysts have noted that second-quarter revenue guidance is down, suggesting ongoing challenges [10] - Despite headwinds, there is cautious optimism about Nike's prospects, with expectations for improved sales trends in North America as new products are launched [12][13] Strategic Shifts - Nike is shifting its focus from a gender-based strategy to a sport-focused approach, which is expected to enhance brand messaging and product development [13] - The company anticipates increased shipments of core footwear to offset weaknesses in the Dunk franchise [14] Market Position - Analysts see potential for stabilization in the core Nike brand and a positive turn in wholesale, although retail remains under pressure [15]

Core Viewpoint - Nike Inc's turnaround efforts are beginning to show positive results as the company refocuses on core sports categories like running and basketball, leading to a boost in share prices by approximately 4% in premarket trading [1] Financial Performance - Nike's sales fell by 1% on a currency-neutral basis in the most recent quarter, which was a smaller decline than expected, with total sales reaching $11.7 billion, surpassing the $11 billion forecast by Wall Street [3] - The company anticipates a low-single-digit decline in sales for the current quarter, aligning with projections [3] - Wholesale revenue increased by 5% on a currency-neutral basis to $6.8 billion, exceeding analyst estimates [8] Strategic Initiatives - CEO Elliott Hill has implemented a strategy to clear old inventory and reorganize the corporate structure, including laying off less than 1% of corporate staff and replacing several top executives [5] - The company is refocusing on sports and product development rather than casual footwear and fashion items [5] - Nike has redesigned its major running franchises, resulting in over 20% sales growth in the running category for the current quarter [6] Product Launches and Collaborations - The launch of NikeSkims, a new line in collaboration with Kim Kardashian's Skims, has received a strong response from shoppers, with a global rollout planned for 2026 [7] - Nike is returning to Amazon.com for the first time in six years and is enhancing its presence at Foot Locker stores [8] Challenges and Market Conditions - The company faces challenges from US tariffs, now expecting $1.5 billion in incremental costs due to higher levies, which have negatively impacted gross margins [9] - Sales in the Greater China region remain weak, attributed to "structural challenges," with plans for a focused restructuring in that market [10] - The Converse brand is struggling, with sales declining by 28% in the quarter after currency adjustments [11] Market Sentiment - Analysts have noted that while Nike's turnaround is on track, there remains a cautious medium to long-term outlook [8][12]

Core Viewpoint - Nike is undergoing a transformation focused on specific sports categories like running and basketball, showing early signs of success with better-than-expected financial results for Q1 FY2026 [1] Financial Performance - Nike's Q1 FY2026 revenue was $11.7 billion, a 1% decrease on a currency-neutral basis, but above market expectations of $11 billion; diluted EPS was $0.49, also exceeding forecasts [1] - Direct-to-consumer revenue was $4.5 billion, down 5% on a currency-neutral basis; wholesale revenue was $6.8 billion, up 5% on a currency-neutral basis [1] - The company expects a single-digit percentage decline in revenue for the current quarter, in line with expectations [1] Business Strategy - CEO Elliott Hill is focused on restructuring Nike, implementing measures such as clearing old inventory, reorganizing the company structure, and changing several senior management positions [1] - The previous management's aggressive reduction of long-term wholesale partnerships and overemphasis on casual footwear led to prolonged sales declines [1] - The transformation plan aims to refocus product development and marketing on sports and rebuild relationships with retailers [1] Product Development and Market Response - Nike's running business is recovering, with sales in the running category increasing over 20% due to redesigned series like Vomero, Structure, and Pegasus [2] - Nike has returned to Amazon for the first time in six years, and its athletic shoes are again featured prominently at Foot Locker stores [2] Challenges and Market Conditions - Hill acknowledged that progress will not be entirely linear and emphasized the need for further proof of success [3] - U.S. tariffs and concerns over consumer discretionary spending are putting pressure on the transformation plan, with tariffs expected to increase costs by $1.5 billion, up from a previous estimate of $1 billion [3] - Sales in the Greater China region remain weak, with the company facing "structural challenges" and focusing on restructuring its product line for specific sports in China [3] Organizational Changes - Hill is adjusting the company structure at Nike's headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, with a recent layoff of less than 1% of employees affecting various departments [4] - Nike's women's business has made significant progress with the launch of the new brand NikeSkims in collaboration with Kim Kardashian's lingerie brand, which received a strong consumer response [4] Market Outlook - Neil Saunders from GlobalData noted that Nike's improved performance is largely due to closer collaboration with retail partners, but emphasized that there is still much work to be done to optimize sales and weaken competitors' retail relationships [4] - Following the news, Nike's stock rose nearly 4% in after-hours trading [4]

Nike's new partnership with Skims looks like a smart move.It's been roughly a year since CEO Elliott Hill took the helm at Nike (NKE 0.40%). Hill inherited a sportswear giant that had seemed to lose its way with his predecessor, John Donahoe. Under Donahoe, Nike overinvested in the lifestyle segment, meaning gear designed for everyday wear, and pulled back on innovation in new performance footwear and apparel that appealed to athletes.The company also shifted too much of its marketing budget to performance ...

Core Insights - The celebrity entrepreneurship boom is cooling down, but top female stars in the film, television, and music industries continue to generate significant income despite economic downturns [2] - The threshold for inclusion in Forbes' list of America's richest self-made women has increased, with the minimum net worth rising from $300 million last year to $350 million this year [3] Group 1: Wealth Trends - Sixteen celebrities made it to the Forbes list, with a total wealth of $14.1 billion, up from $13.3 billion last year, largely due to Selena Gomez's new entry with a net worth of approximately $700 million [3] - The beauty market is experiencing a downturn, impacting the wealth of several female celebrities, including Rihanna, whose net worth decreased by nearly 30% due to poor sales performance of her beauty brand [5][10] Group 2: Business Ventures - Selena Gomez launched her beauty brand Rare Beauty in September 2020, which reported revenues of $367 million by 2023 [4] - Rihanna's lingerie brand Savage x Fenty was valued at $1 billion in early 2021, but has faced challenges, including the departure of its CEO [4][10] - Reese Witherspoon's production company Hello Sunshine was sold for an estimated $900 million, but its current valuation is projected to be less than one-third of that amount by 2025 [5][26] Group 3: Individual Celebrity Performance - Taylor Swift's wealth increased by $300 million to $1.6 billion, driven by her record-breaking Eras Tour, which grossed over $2 billion [6][13] - Kim Kardashian's net worth remains stable at $1.7 billion, with her shapewear brand Skims launching a collaboration with Nike [10] - Judy Sheindlin's wealth grew by 4% to $580 million, thanks to her ongoing successful television program [20]