Famous Footwear Reports Q2 Sales Decline Amid Weak Demand in Lifestyle Athletic Shoes
In its second quarter of 2026 earnings call, Famous Footwear reported a net sales decline of 6.3% compared to the prior year period, with comparable sales down by 5.9%. The drop was attributed primarily to weaker demand for lifestyle athletic shoes and a delayed start to back-to-school shopping. However, certain brands such as Jordan, Birkenstock, Skechers, Brooks, and Steve Madden showed strong performance within its fashion footwear category. Famous Footwear's CEO Jay Schmidt noted that the fashion segment outperformed athletics by over 10 points in August and early September, prompting plans to expand inventory investment in this area. The company is also planning non-athletic brand floor takeovers for the back half of the year as part of its strategy to improve sales. Despite these efforts, Schmidt acknowledged that second-quarter results were below expectations due to shifts away from athletic footwear and a later-than-usual start to back-to-school shopping. To address inventory issues, the company reduced receipts and increased clearance events during the quarter.
Topics: brand growth fashion vs athletic shoes sales performance