Adidas is bracing for a $1.3 billion loss in revenue and $535 million drop in profit in 2023 if efforts to sell off its inventory of Yeezy-branded sneakers fail.
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, was once synonymous with Adidas. Now the German sneaker giant is dealing with the fallout of ending its partnership with the rapper and fashion designer last year after he made a series of anti-semitic remarks.
The biggest question facing the company is whether it can repurpose its Yeezy products or if it will be forced to write them off, putting a massive dent in revenue and profits. Regardless of the outcome, Adidas is expecting a challenging year ahead.
“The numbers speak for themselves. We are currently not performing the way we should”, said CEO Bjørn Gulden in a news release. “2023 will be a year of transition to set the base to again be a growing and profitable company."
He added that the company will focus on creating "brand heat" and improving its "product engine." "We need to put the pieces back together again, but I am convinced that over time we will make Adidas shine again. But we need some time," he said.
Shares were down around 9 percent in pre-trading on Friday after the announcement.
Stocks sank on Wall Street after the head of the Federal Reserve warned it could speed up its economy-rattling hikes to interest rates if pressure stays high on inflation.
If measures of the U.S. economy keep coming in hot, as they did in January, the Federal Reserve will likely have to raise interest rates even higher than it has already signaled — and keep them there longer — Chair Jerome Powell will likely warn in testimony to Congress on Tuesday.
The makers of Toblerone are stripping images of Switzerland's famed Matterhorn and the Swiss flag from the packaging of the milk-chocolate treat as they move some production to Slovakia.
Cheddar News looks ahead to Tuesday as Fed Chair Jerome Powell will testify on Capitol Hill about the central bank's response to inflation. Earnings are also on tap from Dick's Sporting Goods, Stitch Fix and Crowdstrike.
