Fashion
US’ Carter’s taps retail veteran Sharon Price John as new CEO
Richard F. Westenberger has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer and President in addition to his responsibilities as Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer and will serve in this capacity during the transition period until Ms. John joins the Company next month.
Carter’s, Inc. appointed Sharon Price John as CEO & president effective June 15, 2026, succeeding Douglas C. Palladini.
Richard F. Westenberger will serve as interim CEO.
John, ex-Build-A-Bear Workshop chief, drove profitability, omnichannel growth and brand transformation; she also joins the board.
Carter’s reaffirmed FY26 outlook, amid leadership transition and strategic reset.
Ms. John will join Carter’s following the conclusion of her successful 13-year tenure as Chief Executive Officer and President of Build-A-Bear Workshop (“Build-A-Bear”) (NYSE: BBW), which was recently announced. Ms. John led Build-A-Bear through a transformational period of improved profitability and growth. Over her tenure, Ms. John diversified the business model beyond traditional malls, accelerated e-commerce with an integrated omnichannel focus, expanded the company’s addressable market to gifting and collectors, and extended into content-led marketing. Under Ms. John’s leadership, Build-A-Bear was reimagined from both a consumer-facing and infrastructure perspective, while the company navigated retail headwinds and a global pandemic to deliver significant shareholder returns and the fifth consecutive year of record results in 2025.
Prior to joining Build-A-Bear, Ms. John held a number of executive positions, including President of Stride Rite Children’s Group, General Manager and Senior Vice President of Hasbro’s Global Playskool business, and worked at Mattel as the Vice President of International Marketing for the Disney business unit and as a Director of the Barbie brand.
Gretchen W. Schar, incoming Non-Executive Chair of Carter’s Board of Directors, said: “Sharon has a distinguished track record as a public company CEO and brings substantial and relevant experience in the children’s space. Her success in revitalizing Build-A-Bear gives us confidence in her ability to accelerate the work underway at Carter’s and leverage the power of our iconic brands to drive sustainable growth and shareholder value creation. Carter’s is showing solid momentum and we believe Sharon is the perfect fit to lead the Company into the future.”
Ms. John added, “For over 160 years, Carter’s has been a trusted resource as generations of young parents have made this brand their first choice in clothing for the many amazing moments in the life of a child. I am delighted to be joining a company with such a proud history and honored to be entrusted with leading it forward at this pivotal moment. As the leader in young children’s apparel, Carter’s enjoys rich brand equity with consumers and is trusted for the quality, style, and value of its products. We will remain focused on ensuring that Carter’s continues to meet the evolving needs of today’s families and caregivers.”
In connection with Ms. John’s appointment and effective immediately, Douglas C. Palladini has departed the Company as Chief Executive Officer and President, and as a member of the Board of Directors.
William J. Montgoris, outgoing Non-Executive Chair of the Board, commented, “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Doug for his contributions to Carter’s during a pivotal year of reset and regained momentum in the business. At the Board’s direction, Doug led a series of initiatives to help Carter’s manage the onset of record tariffs, streamline the organization structure, and improve the quality and productivity of our retail store fleet. We believe it is the right time to transition Carter’s leadership. We sincerely appreciate Doug’s contributions and wish him all the best in his next chapter.”
The Company today also reaffirmed its first quarter and full-year fiscal 2026 outlook that was provided on February 27, 2026. As announced this week, Carter’s will report its results for the first quarter and hold a call with investors and analysts on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) launched an online refund portal on April 20 to process claims linked to tariffs collected under President Donald Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
The Trump administration has begun refunding part of the $166 billion in global tariffs ruled unlawful by the US Supreme Court earlier this year.
US Customs launched an online claims portal, with over 1.7 million import entries already in the refund process.
The tariffs were originally introduced to address mounting US balance-of-payments deficits and rising trade imbalances.
According to court filings, claims covering around 1.74 million import entries had passed initial validation and entered the refund process by the end of April, while several million entries were rejected. The government is expected to provide its next status update to the US trade court on May 12.
The Supreme Court ruled against the tariffs in February but did not immediately settle how refunds would be handled, prompting further legal proceedings in New York. The administration has confirmed that approved refunds will include interest payments, although it has not guaranteed repayment for all tariffs collected under the programme.
The tariffs were originally introduced to address mounting US balance-of-payments deficits, rising trade imbalances, and concerns over financial stability. The White House had cited persistent goods trade deficits of about $1.2 trillion in both 2024 and 2025, alongside a deteriorating net international investment position.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (CG)
When large-scale orders are excluded, new orders were 5.1 per cent higher MoM. New orders excluding large-scale orders therefore reached the highest level recorded since February 2023.
New orders in the German manufacturing sector were up by 5 per cent month on month (MoM) in March, provisional official figures show.
When large-scale orders are excluded, new orders were 5.1 per cent higher MoM.
Foreign orders were up by 5.6 per cent in March 2026, with orders from the euro area rising by 10.1 per cent and orders from outside the euro area increasing by 2.7 per cent MoM.
The less volatile quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) comparison showed that total new orders were 4.1 per cent lower in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026 than in Q4 2025. This decline was attributed to a very high volume of large-scale orders towards the end of 2025. When large-scale orders are excluded, new orders rose by 1.6 per cent in the QoQ comparison.
Almost all economic branches contributed to the positive development of new orders in manufacturing in March 2026.
Foreign orders were up by 5.6 per cent in March 2026, with orders from the euro area rising by 10.1 per cent and orders from outside the euro area increasing by 2.7 per cent MoM. Domestic orders rose by 4 per cent MoM, a Destatis release said.
After revision of the provisional data, new orders in February 2026 increased by 1.4 per cent MoM.
According to provisional figures, real turnover in manufacturing (seasonally and calendar adjusted) in March 2026 was up by 0.7 per cent MoM. Compared with March 2025, the calendar-adjusted turnover was 2 per cent lower.
After revision of the provisional results, there was a decrease of 1.3 per cent MoM in manufacturing turnover in February 2026.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
The company recorded 20 per cent growth in North America and 30 per cent currency-neutral growth in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), while China sales surged 136 per cent year on year (YoY), reflecting rapid expansion in international markets.
Brooks Running has reported strong Q1 2026 growth, with sales rising 20 per cent in North America, 30 per cent in EMEA and 136 per cent in China.
Growth was driven by footwear innovation and expanding apparel demand.
The brand-maintained US leadership in performance running footwear and strengthened global presence through new launches, partnerships and athlete performances.
“Our record quarter is proof our long-term strategy is resonating,” said Dan Sheridan, CEO of Brooks Running, highlighting strong execution across product innovation, consumer engagement and global brand positioning.
“Across product, experiences, and how we show up for the sport globally, our teams are executing at the highest level and earning runners’ trust every day. Our record quarter is proof our long-term strategy is resonating,” added Sheridan.
Brooks maintained its leadership in the US, holding the No 1 market share in performance running footwear at specialty retail. At national retail, it sustained around 20 per cent market share for the 11th consecutive quarter, with its core franchises ranking among the top five styles.
Growth was supported by a broad product portfolio, with both new launches and core franchises delivering strong momentum. The newly introduced Glycerin Flex, featuring an articulated segmented midsole, accounted for 4 per cent of global footwear revenue within its first quarter. Trail segment performance was also notable, with the Cascadia Elite contributing to a 59 per cent rise in trail footwear sales, Brooks Running said in a press release.
Among established products, the Glycerin line grew 34 per cent YoY, while the Adrenaline GTS increased 31 per cent, underscoring continued consumer trust. Performance racing footwear also expanded sharply, with the Hyperion Elite franchise growing 114 per cent.
Brooks’ apparel segment recorded 33 per cent growth, driven by strong demand for products such as the Dash collection and sports bras. The brand also strengthened its position in the run-specialty channel, securing five of the top 10 bra styles at Fleet Feet.
Regionally, Brooks outperformed the market in Europe, with Germany and France recording growth of 24 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively.
The company also advanced its brand presence through partnerships and marketing campaigns, including global initiatives such as ‘Let’s Run There’ and collaborations with athletes and communities. Limited-edition collections and lifestyle collaborations further expanded its reach beyond performance running.
Brooks continued to invest in its athlete ecosystem, with strong performances across track, road and trail disciplines reinforcing its brand credibility.
Looking ahead, the company remains focused on scaling its global footprint, supported by innovation, community engagement and an expanded leadership structure aimed at driving long-term growth.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
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