SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Brooks Running today announced it surpassed $1 billion in global revenue year to date through September, marking the first time the leading running brand has hit the major milestone prior to the start of its fourth quarter. Success over this horizon was driven by growth across all regions and channels, including a 10% year-over-year increase in North America, where its e-commerce channel grew 16%. Brooks maintained No. 1 market share in adult performance running footwear at U.S. national retail for the 11th consecutive quarter1 and held the top spot in the U.S. specialty footwear retail segment through third quarter of 2024.2
Brooks also drove strong third-quarter results in other regions. Revenue grew more than 30% in Asia Pacific - Latin America (APLA), while in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Brooks’ momentum resulted in a 10% revenue increase fueled by 24% direct e-commerce sales growth. In the running shoe markets of Germany and France, Brooks’ year-over-year growth approximately tripled that of the total performance running footwear growth in each country, leading to market share gains of 2.2 points and 1.0 points, respectively, for the quarter.3
“The Brooks team continues to execute at the highest level for customers and runners around the world,” said Dan Sheridan, Brooks CEO. “We’ve remained firmly anchored in delivering the very best performance running gear and experiences for those seeking it, regardless of where they choose to shop or engage with our brand. At the same time, every day we aim to meet more people and introduce them to what Brooks is all about so they think of us the next time they’re looking for a product to trust to move them through their days.”
Product Consistency + Innovation Drives Increased Demand with Runners
Brooks held half of the top 10 shoe styles at U.S. specialty retail for the fourth consecutive quarter with continued strong demand for the Ghost, Glycerin, Glycerin GTS, Adrenaline GTS, and Ghost Max.4 In September, Brooks posted more than 22% year-over-year footwear revenue growth in this discerning channel and outpaced the total market, which grew 7.9%.5
Among core runners globally, Brooks was again voted the top brand for both Training and Race Running Shoe categories as reported in the recently released 2024 Running USA Global Runner Survey. In each category, Brooks was listed as the No. 1 choice by more than 20% of the 7,400 survey participants, 90% of whom run at least three times per week.
Starting in September, Brooks activated a global launch of the all-new Glycerin Max, offering a high stack midsole featuring groundbreaking DNA Tuned, the next generation of nitrogen-infused foam created with a tuned dual-cell technique. With maximum cushioning for protection where you need it and GlideRoll Rocker technology for transitions, the highly anticipated shoe redefines a run experience that is both soft and springy. On its launch day in China, Glycerin Max was the No. 1 shoe sold on Tmall, China’s largest online retailer, while in the U.S. specialty channel, the $200 shoe gained a full point of market share during launch week.
Brand Expands to New Audiences Around the World
Two years following its entry into China with a digital-first strategy execution, Brooks celebrated in September the grand opening of a branded retail store in the bustling Shanghai metropolis. The new store signals brand acceleration in the hyper-competitive country, the second largest running market in the world. Brooks’ third-quarter revenue in China increased 70% year over year. That same month Brooks extended its Brooks Run Club digital loyalty program to EMEA, starting first in the U.K. With plans to expand to other countries, Brooks Run Club aims to engage the runners through exclusive promotions and reward games.
In the U.S., Brooks announced new partnerships aimed to introduce its brand to more people interested in performance gear. In the brand’s global headquarters city of Seattle, Brooks became the Official Off-Ice Performance Partner of the National Hockey League’s Seattle Kraken. Brooks will provide players, coaches, and staff with running footwear and apparel, and in future seasons, Brooks will create custom off-ice Kraken gear for runners and fans alike. In August, Brooks launched a collaboration with Extra Butter, the go-to streetwear destination in New York City’s Lower East Side, featuring exclusive designs of the Brooks Cascadia 18 sneakers. Earlier this month, runDisney announced a multi-year partnership naming Brooks the official running shoe of its popular runDisney race series. Starting in 2025, Brooks will offer limited-edition themed footwear, official race tops, and more to runDisney participants, Club runDisney members, and Disney fans.
Athletes Perform at Podium Levels Across the Globe
Brooks’ investment in elite athlete development led to global stage podiums in the quarter. In August, Brooks Beast Josh Kerr earned an Olympic silver medal in the men’s 1500m in Paris. Later that month, Paralympics athlete Michael Roeger also earned silver in the men’s 1500m in the T46 category.
In September, Kerr won the 5th Avenue Mile in New York City, defending his 2023 race title and breaking a 43-year-old course record. Meanwhile, Jess McClain, who became a Brooks athlete in March and was an alternate for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics in both the women’s marathon and 10,000m, broke tape at the 2024 USATF 10 km Championships.
On trails, Brooks celebrated remarkable achievements by athletes at the recent Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) ultramarathon events. Twenty-three Brooks athletes took on race challenges, leading to three podium finishes in the Experience Trail Courmayeur (ETC), a 15 km course with 1300 meters of elevation gain.
About Brooks Running
Brooks Running creates market-leading performance running footwear, apparel, sports bras, and accessories distributed worldwide. Brooks exists to inspire everyone to run and be active, through innovative gear, tools, and experiences designed to take you to the place that makes you feel more alive. Since 1914, Brooks has been propelled by a never-ending curiosity with how humans move, pushing the limits of motion science, engineering, and technology to create gear that unlocks the power of energy and movement for everyone. Brooks is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Visit www.brooksrunning.com for more information or follow @brooksrunning.
1 Circana, LLC, Retail Tracking Service, Adult Footwear, Road Running, Track & Field, Trail Running, U.S. Dollar Sales, January 2022 – September 2024
2 Upper Quadrant Specialty Run Market Data, July – September 2024
3 Circana, LLC, Retail Tracking Service, France and Germany, Adult Performance Running Footwear, Euros, July – September 2023 and July – September 2024
4 Upper Quadrant Specialty Run Market Data, July – September 2024
5 Upper Quadrant Specialty Run Market Data, July – September 2024
