JD Sports news and archive

British brand Montirex launches in Spain through JD Sports

British sportswear brand Montirex has chosen Spain as a key market in its European expansion strategy. It is leveraging the international distribution network of JD Sports for its launch into a selection of key points of sale across the country. Founded in Liverpool in 2019 by Daniel Yuen and Kieran Riddell Austin, the brand has successfully...

Retail

JD Sports to close 175 Hibbett stores as restructuring continues

JD Sports has said it is planning to close around 175 Hibbett stores over the next three years as part of an ongoing optimisation of its North American footprint. Speaking during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call, chief executive Régis Schultz said the retailer is focusing on closing smaller and lower-performing stores while...

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Business

JD Sports FY26 sales rise, North America leads growth

British sports fashion powerhouse JD Sports Fashion has reported a resilient performance for the 52 weeks ended January 31, 2026, despite what it described as a tough global industry backdrop. The group achieved total sales of 12.66 billion pounds (17.22 billion dollars), representing an 11.7 percent increase at constant currency and organic...

People

JD Sports chair exit linked to reported CEO tensions

Further details have emerged around the planned departure of Andy Higginson from JD Sports, with reports suggesting internal discussions over the future of CEO Régis Schultz. As previously announced, Higginson will step down at the retailer’s AGM on July 21. However, the Financial Times has reported that the chair had pushed for a change in...

People

Sky News report: JD Sports chairman Andy Higginson to depart in unexpected exit

UK-based retailer JD Sports Fashion is preparing for the departure of its chairman, Andy Higginson, who is expected to step down from the board in the coming months. The news, reported by Sky News, marks a significant change for the leadership of the largest listed sporting goods group in the UK. The report added that Higginson, a retail veteran...

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Fashion

Streetwear brand Hoodrich to launch footwear in the US

British streetwear brand Hoodrich, founded by Jay Williams from his bedroom in Birmingham, is launching its inaugural footwear collection in the US exclusively with JD Sports, in partnership with the Eastman Group, a global footwear and apparel licensing company. Hoodrich, which became part of the Iconix International group in November 2023, has...

BusinessPress Release

JD Sports chooses Checkpoint to transform inventory accuracy and shelf availability

Checkpoint Systems, a global leader in RFID technology and solutions, is pleased to announce it has signed a multi‑year global software agreement with JD Sports Fashion Plc to deploy their ItemOptix™ RFID Inventory Management Software across the retailer’s Sports Fashion Group stores, starting in Europe. This partnership modernizes inventory...

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Business

JD Sports Fashion to repurchase 200 million pounds of shares

JD Sports Fashion PLC said on Monday that it plans to return 200 million pounds of capital to shareholders through share buybacks in fiscal 2027. Under the first tranche, the share repurchase drive will commence immediately to repurchase up to 100 million pounds of shares. This repurchase is expected to be completed before July 31. Thereafter,...

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Business

JD Sports maintains full-year profit expectations despite mixed Q4 performance

JD Sports Fashion has released its fourth quarter trading update, reporting a resilient performance during the critical peak trading period despite a volatile consumer environment. The Group achieved organic sales growth of 1.4 percent for the nine-week period ending 3 January 2026, while like-for-like (LFL) sales saw a slight decline of 1.8...

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Business

JD Sports to allow US shoppers to purchase through AI platforms

The JD Group is due to enable US customers to purchase products through AI platforms. The sportswear retailer has announced a global agreement with digital commerce platform provider Commercetools and Stripe to allow for one-click purchases on platforms such as Gemini and ChatGPT. The company will leverage the duo’s Agentic Commerce Suite (ACS)...

People

JD Sports appoints new managing director of EMEA business

JD Group, the parent company of sportswear giant JD Sports, has confirmed the departure of its managing director, Michael Armstrong. It has subsequently announced the promotion of Paul Orange as the new managing director of JD EMEA (UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa). Armstrong’s exit comes over 30 years after he initially joined JD, and three...

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Business

JD Sports navigates weaker consumer confidence in Q3, adjusts outlook

JD Sports Fashion plc reported delivered stable trading despite persistent macroeconomic pressures and softer consumer confidence across key markets in the third quarter. Total Group sales for the 13 weeks to 1 November rose 8.1 percent at constant exchange rates, including contributions from recent acquisitions, while organic sales increased...