Record Results for the adidas Group

Record sales for the adidas Group in Germany, Austria and Switzerland: As announced today ahead of the international sporting goods fair ISPO, which begins in Munich on Thursday, the sporting goods supplier achieved total sales of € 1 billion in these three markets in 2014 – more than ever before in the company’s history. 

In Germany, the Herzogenaurach- based company increased sales 15% in 2014. In particular the 2014 FIFA Football World Cup(TM) in Brazil and the top-selling ‘Germany jersey’ were key to the success of adidas, the leading football brand. The DFB supplier sold three million jerseys altogether – twice as many as for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. In total, football product sales for adidas in Germany increased more than 30% in 2014. In addition, the brand with the 3-Stripes recorded strong sales growth in its home market in the running and training categories and with lifestyle products.

Reebok also played a key role in the Group’s positive development in Germany: Sales of the fitness brand rose 9% in 2014. All distribution channels contributed to the positive sales development of the two brands. Notably, sales in the own-retail segment increased at a double-digit rate, with particularly strong growth in the e-commerce business. Roland Auschel, adidas Group Executive Board Member responsible for Global Sales, said: «Our business in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is growing significantly faster than the sporting goods market as a whole. We are very pleased with our development, but we remain on the attack». Winand Krawinkel, Managing Director Central Europe, added: «Consumers are more in the mood to buy than they have been for a very long time, and they are showing a palpable desire to buy adidas and Reebok».

The brand with the 3-Stripes continues to enjoy unbroken popularity in Germany, as shown by the recent survey ‘The Germans’ Favourite Brands’, conducted by Brandmeyer, an agency for brand consultancy: adidas ranked top of the list for the third time in a row.  The positive business development of the adidas Group is also creating new jobs in Germany. The Group has grown continuously over the last few years and will create more than 200 new jobs in Germany alone this year. The German magazine Focus has again named the adidas Group as the Top Employer in Germany.

The adidas Group is a global leader in the sporting goods industry, offering a broad portfolio of footwear, apparel and hardware for sport and lifestyle around the core brands adidas, Reebok, TaylorMade and Reebok-CCM Hockey. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany, the Group generated sales of € 14.5 billion in 2013 and currently employs 54,000 people across the globe, including 5,472 in Germany (as at December 31, 2014).