分类： 其他平台
2013-10-17 15:06:18
Besides, as Plank also noted in an interview at the time with Forbes, "We looked into our customers' closets and found 30 Tshirts. Four were synthetic, and the other 26 were cotton."
On entering a land of giants
"Basketball is a great example where one company dominates 90 plus percent of the market. And what I can commit to you is that I'm not going to make predictions on exactly how much market share, but I would much rather be sitting where we are because it's coming. We will take market share."
Naturally, that "90 plus percent" dominator in the massive basketball shoe market is none other than Nike , a largely unmatched foe that pulled in more than $13 billion in footwear revenue in 2012 alone. In retrospect, that makes Under Amour's $81 million in footwear revenue last year seem downright minuscule.
However, while many analysts have remained skeptical of Under Armour's perceived slow launch into footwear, remember that the company is only just getting started. In fact, Plank recently reminded us that he has purposely remained cautious and methodical in entering the alreadycrowded athletic footwear space: In2006, it introduced football cleats, followed by baseball cleats in 2007, training shoes in 2008, running shoes in 2009, and, finally, 2010 saw the launch of Under Armour's first basketball shoe.
And that reminds me of the final quote.
On keeping your eye on the prize
"You will hear about us one day."
In Under Armour's early days, Plank used to include this simple statement on a Christmas card he would send to Nike founder Phil Night every year.
Call it what you will, but this is exactly the kind of confidence Plank has used to turn Under Armour into a multibilliondollar business and a business he obviously cares for deeply. In the end, I'm apt to believe betting against this loyal founding CEO is a terrible idea, and that's just one of many reasons Under Amour remains one of my favorite longterm investments.
More expert advice from The Motley Fool
If you'd like to learn about another great athletic apparel company, consider Lululemon, which has the potential to grow its sales by 10 times if it can penetrate its other markets like it has in Canada. However, the competitive landscape is starting to increase. Can lululemon fight off larger retailers and ultimately deliver huge profits for savvy investors? The Motley Fool answers these questions and more in its. Thousands have already claimed their own premium ticker coverage. Gain instant access to your own by.
Fool contributor Steve Symington owns shares of Under Armour. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Nike and Under Armour. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
3 states still ban religious clothing on teachers
PORTLAND, Ore. A law backed by the Ku Klux Klan nearly a century ago to keep Catholics out of public schools is still on the books in Oregon, one of the last states in the nation to prohibit teachers from wearing religious clothing in classrooms.
