Merrell and Saucony Lead Broad-Based Q1 Turnaround for Wolverine Worldwide

May 15, 2026

Wolverine Worldwide is reporting a clear turnaround in its first‑quarter 2025 results, driven heavily by double‑digit growth at its Merrell and Saucony brands. Total revenue rose about 4.4–5.5 percent year‑on‑year to roughly 412.3 million dollars, with ongoing business revenue also up the same 5.5 percent when excluding the divested Sperry business. This marks a solid rebound after a period of sluggish performance and restructuring.

Merrell generated around 150.6 million dollars in sales, up 13.2 percent, while Saucony posted about 129.8 million dollars, a 29.6 percent jump versus the prior‑year quarter. The gains were led by strong performance in lifestyle and outdoor‑focused categories, signaling that Wolverine’s shift toward core athletic and outdoor brands is working.

Operationally, the company also improved profitability, with gross margin rising to about 47.3 percent from 45.9 percent the prior year and earnings per share turning positive compared with a loss in the same 2024 quarter. The strong Q1 performance has led to an upwardly revised full‑year profit outlook, reinforcing that the turnaround is becoming durable rather than just a one‑off quarter. SESO