BY TOM RYAN
W
ith Hoka and On finding their stupendous growth
rewarded with soaring stock prices, running is on
the radar of Wall Street in a promising sign of the
prospects for the run specialty space.
Interest from the money crowd also comes as a
number of legacy brands, including Brooks, New Balance and
Asics, are generating robust top-line momentum while Saucony
is seeing signs of a healthy recovery.
"We're definitely positive on the run footwear space," said
Janine Stichter, an analyst at BTIG who covers Deckers Brands,
the parent of Hoka, and On.
Stichter, who was among a handful of analysts attending e
Running Event in Austin this past November, said the growth
is being helped by solid participation in running that's marked
by surveys showing heightened interest in run clubs and race
participation in part for social reasons. Increased emphasis in
WALL STREET
BULLISH ON RUN
8 • January/February 2025 sportstyle • sportstylemag.com
NEWS & ANALYSIS
