Wolverine Worldwide achieves strong Q1 growth driven by active group

The US footwear group Wolverine World Wide has reported a robust financial performance for the first quarter ended April 4, 2026. The company saw total revenue reach 457.60 million dollars, marking an 11 percent increase compared to the 412.30 million dollars recorded in the previous year.

On a constant currency basis, revenue grew by 7.3 percent. The results were bolstered by significant growth in the active group and international markets, alongside a strategic shift toward full-price sales.

Growth driven by Merrell and Saucony

The active group was the primary driver of growth, with revenue rising 13.7 percent to 371.60 million dollars. Within this segment, the US brand Saucony delivered a standout performance, with revenue increasing 20.1 percent to 155.90 million dollars.

Merrell, another key brand in the portfolio, reported a 12.7 percent rise in revenue to 169.70 million dollars. Conversely, the Wolverine brand saw a slight decline of 2.5 percent, generating 36.40 million dollars during the period.

Wolverine World Wide president and chief executive officer, Chris Hufnagel, stated: “The team delivered a solid start to 2026, with first quarter revenue, gross margin, and earnings per share all exceeding our expectations.” Hufnagel noted that WWW is leaning into building products and driving the business forward despite a dynamic operating environment.

Margin stability, international expansion and outlook Gross margin for the quarter remained steady at 47.6 percent.

International revenue saw a substantial jump of 20.1 percent to 249.60 million dollars. Direct-to-consumer (D2C) revenue increased by 3 percent to reach 99.30 million dollars, though it experienced a marginal dip of 0.2 percent on a constant currency basis.

The company's operating margin improved to 7.4 percent compared to 5.1 percent in the prior year. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) rose by 60 percent to 0.24 dollars, up from 0.15 dollars in the first quarter of 2025.

For the full year 2026, the company maintains its revenue guidance of approximately 1.96 billion dollars to 1.99 billion dollars. This represents a year-over-year (YoY) growth of 4.6 percent to 5.9 percent. Adjusted diluted EPS is now expected to be in the range of 1.43 dollars to 1.58 dollars, an increase from the previous guidance.