It has been a great year for adidas

In 2024, there were major changes in the world of sportswear. On one hand, the crisis of some legacy brands opened the door for new competitors, ready to earn their place in the sun in an increasingly large market. On the other hand, there was a clear shift in trend towards a greater interest in retro and archival collections rather than a focus on performance and modernity. In this landscape, adidas has been able to navigate perfectly, leveraging its strong positioning in vintage collections tied to successful trends such as blokecore and normcore, with the return of the Trefoil on third jerseys and in the lifestyle line and riding the wave of Samba. However, the German brand has exceeded expectations for the past year, with a +11% increase in revenue over the previous year, according to preliminary data that all publicly traded companies are legally required to report.

And it is precisely the financial data that shows how the Q4 for the Three Stripes has sealed an outstanding year, with a 24% increase in euros and a 19% increase in constant currency. Even in the last four months, adidas has confirmed itself as the most successful sportswear brand of the year, approaching 6 billion in revenue (compared to 4.8 in Q4 of 2023) and maintaining positive numbers in contrast to its main competitors. Both Nike and PUMA, in fact, have reported negative data, especially in the second half of the year, demonstrating once again how the world of sportswear is in the midst of a global revolution that will also change economic hierarchies. PUMA's difficulties, with its stock down -15.76% in the last year, were mainly caused by not meeting annual targets and slower growth than expected after major investments. For Nike, the decline is linked to poor performance in two historically strong markets, running and soccer, and to the incorrect wholesale strategy that led to the resignation of CEO John Donahoe last October.

In a challenging context for the largest players, the work of adidas shows the way for the future, as commented by the company's CEO, Bjørn Gulden. “I am very pleased with how the fourth quarter and the entire year have developed for adidas. A 19% increase in constant currency (+24% reported) in a quarter that was generally difficult for retail, underlines the strong momentum that our brand and products are currently experiencing. We can clearly see that consumer and retailer interest in our products is growing in both the Lifestyle and Performance segments. The strong growth in all regions and divisions demonstrates the excellent work our teams are doing in all areas and functions.” In particular, the interest generated in the past year around the world of soccer has driven adidas' sales, as the brand has taken advantage of the growth of MLS thanks to the Messi effect and that of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr in new markets. Therefore, 2025 opens with a renewed challenge among the major players in the sportswear industry, in what will be another crucial year in many ways.