• Loading stock data...
Sunday, October 19, 2025

Adidas Posts Early Earnings Surprise on Samba Wave

  • The German sneaker and sportswear company had good news to share, so it released its earnings two weeks earlier than planned.
  • Adidas upped its full-year guidance to reflect “brand momentum.”
Adidas
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Adidas dropped its fiscal third-quarter earnings Tuesday, two weeks earlier than planned. The company reported better-than-expected third-quarter results, and increased its full-year guidance to reflect the “current brand momentum.” 

The German sneaker and sportswear company originally scheduled its quarterly earnings for Oct. 29.

Adidas said Q3 revenues grew 7% to €6.438 billion, or around $7 billion, from the prior year. Excluding Yeezy sales, revenue increased 14% during the quarter.

The company’s operating profit is now expected to reach a level of around € 1.2 billion (or $1.3 billion); it previously expected to reach a level of around €1.0 billion.

Adidas has surprised on earnings to the upside two other times this year, raising its annual profit target amid soaring demand for classic sneakers like the Samba and more sales from the shrinking stockpile of Yeezy footwear.

The three-stripe brand has seen an enormous boost from sales of its popular Samba and Gazelle sneakers, as well as the trending SL 72 models. 

The Samba craze is “the main reason the landscape has shifted for Adidas over the past couple of years,” said Mike D. Sykes, who writes “The Kicks You Wear” blog. Sambas were so hot they were selling out on Adidas.com as well as retailers and resale sites, according to some reports.

In an earnings preview note published Oct. 1, French German financial services group ODDO BHF wrote it believes “that further double-digit top-line growth in Q3 2024 implies that Adidas is outgrowing major peers such as Nike and Puma.” 

Adidas Samba sneaker

Adidas is the No. 2 player in sportswear lifestyle products, well behind Nike. But Nike has seen a decline in sales over the past year as it’s struggled with its direct-to-consumer strategy and lack of product innovation; it brought in a new CEO this month to turn things around. 

But as with any trend-driven sales growth, it’s not a question of if it will pass, but when. 

Adidas is hoping its classic Superstar shoe—a retro style that was popular in the early 2000s—will spark another trend with a refresh. A spin on the original, the Superstar Millennium launched in August. 

The brand has strong momentum from Sambas, and “there’s reason to believe the momentum will continue into 2025,” says Jörg Philipp Frey, an analyst at Warburg Research GmbH, an equity research provider based in Germany. However, double-digit growth margins can’t last forever. 

It gets tougher to generate more momentum when everyone is expecting double-digit top-line growth, Frey tells Front Office Sports. “For the foreseeable future we are fine. But they can’t keep surprising to the upside,” because those surprises are getting tougher and getting smaller. “It’s a key headwind for Adidas,” he said, adding that the risk-reward ratio is not as great as some people believe, which is why Frey says he has a hold rating on Adidas.

“To think Samba can continue growing as much as it has is naive,” said Matt Powell, senior advisor with BCE Consulting. “I’d say make it more scarce.”

The full earnings release, with more detail, will come Oct. 29.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

How Vanderbilt Went From SEC Doormat to Dark Horse CFP Candidate

After beating LSU, Clark Lea said: “Internally, we expect to win.”

Financial Behemoth Dodgers Win NL Pennant, Eye History

The biggest spenders would be MLB’s first repeat champion in 25 years.
May 27, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) shoots a three point basket over New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the third quarter of game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

NBA Stars Swap Wine With League Friends and Foes

A wine-exchange tradition emerged from the bubble season’s close quarters.
Hansi Flick

Barcelona Players, Coach ‘Not Happy’ About Miami Game

La Liga is on the verge of relocating a December match.

Featured Today

@chef__tezz/Instagram

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance, balancing science, taste, and the demands of professional football.
May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Derek Jeter walks the red carpet on Sunday, May 25, 2025, ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
October 16, 2025

The Players’ Tribune Is Still Kicking 11 Years Later

Founder Derek Jeter is still closely involved in the publication.
Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) celebrates with her teammates after her last second shot to take the lead 90-88 against the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on Oct. 8, 2025.
exclusive
October 10, 2025

Standoff Over WNBA’s Future Has Dominated Finals

CBA negotiations have stolen the spotlight from the Aces’ dominant performance.
Paul Cartier
October 5, 2025

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Limited Hype
July 27, 2025

Sneaker Reselling Was Once Easy Money. Success Is Now Complicated

Vendors need to evolve what they’re selling and how they do it.
August 12, 2025

‘We Have Pricing Power’: On Smashes Earnings Expectations

U.S. tariffs haven’t cooled demand for On’s high-priced sneakers and apparel.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
Happy Gilmore 2 hockey stick putter
July 21, 2025

Callaway’s $500 ‘Happy Gilmore’ Putter Booming on Resale Market

Callaway released a limited-edition Odyssey-branded hockey stick putter.
A Lululemon store at Freehold Raceway Mall in Freehold Township, New Jersey on Nov. 30, 2023
July 2, 2025

Sportswear Stocks Rise as Trump Touts Vietnam Trade Deal

Tariffs on Vietnam imports will be 20%, down from a prior threat of 46%.
From vintage to unique collaborations, various Nike and Jordan shoes are displayed on a wall at Saved Soles inside West Ridge Mall.
June 26, 2025

Nike Stumbles Less Than Expected, Giving Wall Street Hope

The sports apparel and footwear giant beats Wall Street expectations.
Jun 20, 2024; Eugene, OR, USA; Detailed view of Nike Alphafly 3 racing flat at the Nike by Eugene store.
June 25, 2025

Investors Hunt for Signs Nike Has Regained Its Footing

Nike’s fundamentals are “still challenged.”