• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Farm groups saved Bayer in court over RoundUp cancer claims. Five days later, Bayer called for tariffs on the ingredient farmers rely on

2

Self-made multimillionaire says Canadians 'give no money away' compared with Americans—research shows U.S. giving is more than twice as high

3

Billionaire MacKenzie Scott just donated $20 million to support America’s youth mental health, as a fifth of teens struggle with suicidal thoughts

1

Farm groups saved Bayer in court over RoundUp cancer claims. Five days later, Bayer called for tariffs on the ingredient farmers rely on

2

Self-made multimillionaire says Canadians 'give no money away' compared with Americans—research shows U.S. giving is more than twice as high

3

Billionaire MacKenzie Scott just donated $20 million to support America’s youth mental health, as a fifth of teens struggle with suicidal thoughts
Under Armour

Here’s Why Under Armour Shares Are Sliding

By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
John Kell
John Kell
Contributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 4, 2016, 11:40 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Shares of Under Armour are dipping on Wednesday a day after the athletic gear purveyor reported two key executives would leave the brand, including the crucial chief merchant.

Chief Merchandising Officer Henry Stafford and Chief Digital Officer Robin Thurston are both leaving Baltimore-based Under Armour (UA), which has been a star performer in the broader athletic gear space that is dominated by Nike (NKE). Both are being succeeded by internal candidates.

Under Armour, which generated nearly $4 billion in sales last year, has reported consistent double-digit sales growth as it expands into new product categories, places a bigger bet on the women’s market, and sees stronger brand interest with key athlete endorsement deals including NBA star Stephen Curry and golfer Jordan Spieth.

But the executive losses are clearly concerning to Wall Street, with investors sending shares down nearly 6% on Wednesday.

Why? The chief merchandising officer is an important position for any apparel and footwear designer – they are the executive that sets the overall aesthetic for the brand. Stafford first joined Under Armour in 2010 and led the company’s apparel line, which is by far Under Armour’s largest product category. He later earned a few key promotions before becoming the merchandising chief in late 2014. Stafford will leave the company in July.

He is being succeeded on an interim basis by Kip Fulks, who most recently served as chief marketing officer.

“Henry Stafford is a great talent,” said Matt Powell, sports industry analyst at research firm The NPD Group. “He built a very good team at UA that should be able to carry on with his direction and vision.”

Meanwhile, Sterne Agee CRT analyst Sam Poser issued a note to clients advising the long-term outlook for Under Armour remained “intact” despite the departures.

“It is a coincidence the two are departing at the same time. Both employees have a non-compete in place. UA has a qualified bench under both positions,” Poser said. “Our long-term thesis that UA will continue to grow & investors should have 18-month-three-year time horizon remains intact despite the departures.”

The departure of Thurston is also notable as he first joined the company in 2013 after the $150 million acquisition of MapMyFitness, a fitness technology company that Thurston co-founded.

The digital business has become increasingly important to Under Armour, which touts “connected fitness” as the potential future of fitness. Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank has been especially bullish about the opportunity, spending $710 million to scoop up a handful of apps in the space. Connected fitness revenue only totaled $53.4 million in 2015 but some analysts say the business can perhaps hit $200 million by 2018.

Michael Lee, co-founder of MyFitnessPal, will assume the responsibilities of chief digital officer. MyFitnessPal is another digital platform that Under Armour recently acquired. He previously served as senior vice president, North America Digital, overseeing digital product strategy for Under Armour Connected Fitness.

About the Author
By John KellContributing Writer and author of CIO Intelligence

John Kell is a contributing writer for Fortune and author of Fortune’s CIO Intelligence newsletter.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Asia’s founders are decamping to the U.S. as the region suffers a protracted venture funding slump
AsiaVenture Capital
Asia’s founders are decamping to the U.S. as the region suffers a protracted venture funding slump
By Angelica AngJuly 9, 2026
5 hours ago
Hybrid‑work expert Nicholas Bloom says World Cup chaos and pricey commutes are turning July into the summer of remote work
Future of Workremote work
Hybrid‑work expert Nicholas Bloom says World Cup chaos and pricey commutes are turning July into the summer of remote work
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 9, 2026
7 hours ago
49% of young adults live at home, up 12 points since 2019. An economist says the fallout will reshape marriage, kids, and home-buying
Economybehavioral economics
49% of young adults live at home, up 12 points since 2019. An economist says the fallout will reshape marriage, kids, and home-buying
By Catherina GioinoJuly 9, 2026
7 hours ago
Microsoft’s emissions surged 25% in 2025 during data center boom
EnvironmentMicrosoft
Microsoft’s emissions surged 25% in 2025 during data center boom
By Matt Day and BloombergJuly 9, 2026
8 hours ago
Trump cheers Gwynne Shotwell as Elon Musk’s SpaceX No. 2 gives $325 million in stock to Trump Accounts
North AmericaSpaceX
Trump cheers Gwynne Shotwell as Elon Musk’s SpaceX No. 2 gives $325 million in stock to Trump Accounts
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 9, 2026
8 hours ago
Peter Cancro shakes oregano over an open sandwich.
RetailFood and drink
Jersey Mike’s $12 billion IPO filing reveals a $50 million payday for the founder’s stepson and a $41 million jet
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 9, 2026
9 hours ago

Most Popular

Farm groups saved Bayer in court over RoundUp cancer claims. Five days later, Bayer called for tariffs on the ingredient farmers rely on
Economy
Farm groups saved Bayer in court over RoundUp cancer claims. Five days later, Bayer called for tariffs on the ingredient farmers rely on
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 9, 2026
10 hours ago
Self-made multimillionaire says Canadians 'give no money away' compared with Americans—research shows U.S. giving is more than twice as high
Success
Self-made multimillionaire says Canadians 'give no money away' compared with Americans—research shows U.S. giving is more than twice as high
By Preston ForeJuly 9, 2026
11 hours ago
Billionaire MacKenzie Scott just donated $20 million to support America’s youth mental health, as a fifth of teens struggle with suicidal thoughts
Success
Billionaire MacKenzie Scott just donated $20 million to support America’s youth mental health, as a fifth of teens struggle with suicidal thoughts
By Emma BurleighJuly 9, 2026
11 hours ago
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
Success
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
By Preston ForeJuly 6, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 9, 2026
14 hours ago
Current price of gold as of July 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of July 8, 2026
By Danny BakstJuly 8, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.