Apparel growth boosts adidas in Q1
Sports group adidas has reported revenues of just under €6.6 billion for the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 7% compared to the same quarter last year.
The company achieved growth in all major markets. Revenues in Europe were just under €2.1 billion, up by 6%. The figure for North America was €1.2 billion, up by 1%. The total for China was more than €1.1 billion, an increase of 10% year on year.
In terms of product categories, footwear revenues for the quarter were just under €3.7 billion, which represents a fall of 2%. Apparel brought in more than €2.4 billion, up by 24%. The rest of adidas revenues for the quarter came from accessories, reaching €451 million this time, growth of 6% year on year.
Chief executive, Bjørn Gulden, said: “Consumers all over the world like what we are offering. Our teams have worked hard to optimise our product offer.”
He said strong growth in apparel was the result of local and global product teams delivering “new and trendy concepts”. He said the apparel category had “never looked better” for adidas.
He pointed out that adidas’s direct-to-consumer business had achieved double-digit growth in all markets. “This is very very rare,” Mr Gulden commented, “and it is proof that our teams are doing a lot of things right.”
The chief executive said there was “much more to come”, pointing in particular to 3D-printed football and basketball shoes. These, he said, bring additive technology to performance footwear. He also mentioned the Adizero Dropset training shoe.
