Top 20 Adidas competitors (Updated in 2023)

The top Adidas competitors are Nike, Inc., Callaway Golf Company, PUMA SE, Fila, Converse, New Balance, K-Swiss and others. Located in Bayern Germany, Adidas is a popular brand for both the famous and the unknown. Adidas is one of the top most footwear companies getting its votes from the quality sportswear and equipment it makes and markets in over 160 countries globally through nearly 2,000 owned retail stores, 15,000 mono-branded franchise stores, and 150,000 wholesale doors. As of August 2023 Adidas has a market cap of $34.45 Billion.

Founded in the 1920’s, the company specialized in football footwear & apparel, basketball footwear & apparel, running footwear & apparel and training gear & apparel. It is also one of the few shoe making companies to feature lifestyle goods including the Y-3 and SLVR fashion brands. And with its other businesses namely Reebok-CCM Hockey and Taylor Made-Adidas Golf, it is a very formidable force to reckon in the industry but not without formidable competitors as well.

Top Adidas Competitors

1) Nike, Inc.

• Product Type: Athletic wear and equipment.
• Industry: Sportswear.
• Founded: 1964.
• Founders: Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman.
• Headquarters: Beaverton, Oregon, United States.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: John Donahoe.
• Revenue: $12.825B (May 31, 2023)
• Market cap: $155.23B (August 22, 2023)
• Number of employees: 83,700 (2023)

Are you the only visitor in the footwear industry who doesn’t know that Nike is the most popular and number one footwear manufacturing company? Then you should know. Much has been said about Nike and much more will be said in the future.

NIKE net income for the quarter ending May 31, 2023 was $1.031B. NIKE gross profit for the quarter ending May 31, 2023 was $5.595B. NIKE operating income for the quarter ending May 31, 2023 was $1.221B.

But everything the surrounds the Nike discussion leads us to one conclusion: Nike is the best company and the most trusted brand that you can trust when you are looking for quality shoes especially for running, training and leisure activities. Most of the soccer shoes, basketball footwear, and running shoes have been made by Nike. The only main reason why all roads are leading to Nike is because its products will never disappoint. It will take Adidas so many years to beat Nike and overthrow it from this first position.

2) Callaway Golf Company

• Product Type: Golf clubs, balls, bags, and other equipment.
• Industry:  Sportswear.
• Founded: 1982.
• Founders: Ely Reeves Callaway, Jr.
• Headquarters: Carlsbad, California, United States.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Oliver G. Brewer III.
• Revenue: $1,180 million (June 30, 2023)
• Market cap: $3.03B (August 23, 2023)
• Number of employees: 32,000 (2022)
  

Callaway is known for making premium-priced, durable golf clubs that are very popular within the ranks of amateurs as well as within the pros. The company is also known for its irons, wedges, fairway woods, hybrids, irons as well as putters, all of which are sold either under Odyssey or Callaway labels.

Golf bags, golf balls and uPro-branded GPS range finders by Callaway are also popularly sold in more than 100 countries. The above-mentioned products are just a jest of what Callaway does as at the top of the golf market, shoes and apparels, as well as eyewear, travel gear, and other golf accessories, features on the top of the list. Bearing in mind that Adidas is also trying to enter the golf industry, Callaway has managed to keep it out of this sport.

Topgolf Callaway Brands Quarterly Net Income as of June 30, 2023 is $117 million. Topgolf Callaway Brands Quarterly Gross Profit as of June 30, 2023 is $740 million.

3) PUMA SE

• Product Type:  Athletic wear and equipment.
• Industry: Sportswear.
• Founded: 1948.
• Founders: Rudolf Dassler and Adolf “Adi” Dassler.
• Headquarters: Herzogenaurach, Germany.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Arne Freundt.
• Number of employees: 18,071  (2022)
• Revenue: €2.12 billion (Q2, 2023)
• Market capitalization: $10.32 Billion (August 2023)

It is impossible to mention Adidas competitors without mentioning PUMA because if it weren’t for sibling rivalry, these two companies would today be operating as one. Founded by Rudi after being involved in a family feud with Adi, the founder of Adidas, PUMA has been able to overcome the storms and ended up among the most competitive in this sector.

This is because of its array of quality products in the footwear line among others. The company makes apparels, footwear, and other accessories sold not only under the PUMA brand but also under Tretorn as well as Cobra Golf Labels. Its heritage is in the shoes but it has also recently been taking a firm position in the industry through its apparels. I believe that the sibling rivalry between Adidas and PUMA out rightly makes PUMA, Adidas’ company to beat.

In January 2023, Puma was named a Top Employer globally, as well as in four regions and 22 countries.

Puma generated a Net income of € 117 million in the first quarter of 2023. Sales increase by 14.4% currency  to € 2,188 million.  Puma achieved its highest annual sales and EBIT ever in 2022.

4) Fila

• Product Type: Athletic wear and equipment.
• Industry:  Sportswear.
• Founded: 1911.
• Founders: Fila brothers (Ettore and Giansevero Fila).
• Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: So Yoon Kim.
• Number of employees: Over 11,000 (2023)
• Revenue: KRW 1.11 trillion( Q1, 2023)
• Market capitalization: $1.66 Billion( August 2023)

Fila comes among the top most Sports footwear manufacturing companies with a good market share. It is also one of the largest manufacturing companies of footwear with its cutting edge coming at its price. It is most liked by the medium income earners to low-income earners (who are the majority in the society). The reason behind this liking is because of the relatively lower pricing when compared with Nike, Adidas, and Puma.

The brand has over 100 stores all over the world and has a strong legacy since its inception.

The Net Profit was Euro 5.0 million. Fila brand revenues were Euro 233.2 billion in the first quarter of 2023.

5) Converse

• Product Type:  Athletic wear and equipment.
• Industry:  Sportswear.
• Founded: 1908.
• Founder: Marquis Mills Converse.
• Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Jared Carver.
• Number of employees: Over 1,800 (2023)
• Revenue: 2.43 billion U.S. dollars (May 31, 2023)
• Market share:  1.76%
• Parent: Nike, Inc. (2003–present)

This is a company that is given credits for making footwear beautiful. Everyone goes for Converse whenever they are looking for something to put on with their casual apparel. Though its signature products are its casual shoes, Converse is also known for the appealing sports shoe line. With annual revenue of about $2 billion, it is a company Adidas should watch its pace. Converse’s portfolio includes products under the Chuck Taylor All-Star, Cons, Jack Purcell, One Star, and Star Chevron trademarks.

Converse has a wide market worldwide, operating in more than 160 countries around the world.

6) New Balance

• Product Type: Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry: Sportswear.
• Founded: 1906.
• Founder: William J. Riley.
• Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Rob DeMartini.
• Number of employees: 6,500  (2023)
• Revenue: $5.3 billion (2022)
• Market share:  13.8%

This may be termed as the most premium sport’s shoe manufacturer. It is known for quality production with its shoes being stronger than those of Nike, Adidas, Puma, and Reebok. Its shoes are therefore the most expensive on the market. Since customers in first world countries like the UK and the USA prefer quality to anything else, New Balance is almost conquering such markets with Nike, Adidas and Puma having all reasons to worry.

New Balance currently has five manufacturing facilities in the United States.

New Balance had a 3.4% market share in the US sneaker market in 2022, making it the fifth-largest sneaker brand in the country in terms of dollar sales. New Balance said its worldwide sales totaled $4.4 billion last year.

7) K-Swiss

• Product Type:  Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry: Sportswear.
• Founded: 1966.
• Founders: Art and Ernie Brunner.
• Headquarters: Westlake Village, California, United States.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Michael Relich.
• Number of employees: 8,886(2022)
• Revenue: $1.157B (March 31, 2023)
• Market capitalization: $6.58B (August 18, 2023)

This is an American footwear brand with its concentration towards sneakers and tennis shoes. Besides the shoe line, K-Swiss also has a clothing and apparels line up to show off. As far as sneakers and tennis shoes are concerned, K-Swiss has almost pushed all the other major companies out of the topmost tag. It targets itself as the heritage of American tennis. It was founded in 1966 and is currently owned by Chinese sports equipment manufacturing company Xtep.

8) Asics

• Product Type: Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry: Sportswear.
• Founded: 1949.
• Founder: Kihachiro Onitsuka.
• Headquarters: Kobe, Japan.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Yasuhito Hirota.
• Number of employees: 8,886(2022)
• Revenue: $1.157B (March 31, 2023)
• Market capitalization: $6.58B (August 18, 2023)

The company has developed a formidable promotional strategy that has made it expand a great deal in the near past. Asics is a Japanese sports shoes manufacturing company with a specialty in athletics shoes. It is also known to have interests in hockey shoes, football, and cricket and netball shoes among others. Its main target markets are in the USA, the UK, and Australia where it is giving Adidas a real headache.

Today, ASICS is recognized as one of the world’s most influential sports brands, known for its high-quality footwear, apparel, and accessories

ASICS net income for the quarter ending March 31, 2023 was $0.124B. ASICS gross profit for the quarter ending March 31, 2023 was $0.581B.

9) Li Ning

• Product Type: Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry: Sportswear.
• Founded: 1990.
• Founder: Li Ning.
• Headquarters: Beijing, China.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Li Ning.
• Revenue: RMB25.80 billion (2022)
• Number of employees: 4,610 employees (2022)

This is a footwear manufacturing company with an origin in China. It has established itself as a major Adidas competitor in the Asian market, with china being its largest market. Li Ning specializes in the manufacture of sports shoes, ping pong equipment and badminton racquets with the production of gloves and scarves for various sporting activities being its common trend. The Big companies Nike, Adidas, Puma, and Reebok have been shaken by Li Ning.

The overall cost of sales of the Group amounted to RMB13.32 billion in 2022.

10) Air Jordan

• Product Type: Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry: Sportswear.
• Founded: 1984.
• Founders: Peter Moore, Tinker Hatfield, and Bruce Kilgore.
• Headquarters: Beaverton, Oregon, United States.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: John Donahoe.
• Number of employees: Over 7,000 (2023)
• Revenue: $5.1 billion (2022)

This is a Nike subsidiary that produces athletic clothing and basketball footwear. It was originally endorsed by Michael Jordan, the Chicago Bulls basketball superstar. Since the early 80’s, the company has been able to produce basketball footwear that can’t be matched by any other on the market. The Air Jordan series was revolutionary at the time for not including the famous Nike Swoosh anywhere on the sneaker, which made the Air Jordan line stand out and have its own identity. Jordan Brand has since expanded into other sports including American football, baseball, and soccer.

 The Jordan brand represents 10% of Nike’s total revenue; this has become 1/10 the size of Nike’s business model, which also comprises Converse as a separate brand.

The Air Jordan range has sold more than $3 Trillion dollars and changed an industry.  Nike also offers unique partnerships with musicians and fashion designers to collaborate on new designs.

11) Under Armour

• Product Type:  Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry: Sportswear.
• Founded: 1996.
• Founder: Kevin Plank.
• Headquarters: Baltimore, Maryland, United States.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Patrik Frisk.
• Number of employees: Over 17,000 (2023)
• Revenue: $1,317 Millions (June 30, 2023)
• Market capitalization: $3.13B (August 18, 2023)

Under Armour is an American sportswear company that manufactures footwear and apparel. It was founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank, a former football player, who set out to design T-shirts that would solve a common problem among athletes: ill-fitting T-shirts. Under Armour’s unique selling point (USP) is the high quality of its products, which no other firm can match. The company went public on November 17, 2005, trading at NASDAQ under “UARM” and becoming the first U.S.-based initial public offering in five years to double.

Under Armour’s product lines include athletic shoes, t-shirts, jackets, hoodies, pants, leggings, shorts, athletic bras, athletic bags, face masks, and accessories such as bags, gloves, caps, and protective gear. The company also produces American football, basketball, and soccer uniforms, among other sports. Under Armour is committed to breaking down barriers all over the world that keep young people from accessing sports and sports education. The company has set out to “Change the Game for Good,” an ongoing initiative from Curry Brand aimed at creating opportunity, access, and equality for youth sports in neighborhoods around the world.

Under Armour generated approximately two-thirds of its net sales from North America in 2023, with the remaining one-third coming from other regions worldwide. Under Armour Quarterly Net Income as of June 30, 2023 is $9 million.

12) Hanesbrands

• Product Type:  Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry:  Sportswear.
• Founded: 1900.
• Founder: John W. Hanes.
• Headquarters: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Gerald Evans.
• Revenue: $1,439 (June 30 2023)
  
• Market cap: $1.8B (August 23, 2023)
• Number of employees: 51,000 (2022)

HanesBrands is an American multinational clothing company based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The company employs over 51,000 people internationally and is known for making everyday apparel that is comfortable, of high quality, and affordable. HanesBrands owns several clothing brands, including Hanes, Champion, Playtex, Bali, L’eggs, Just My Size, Barely There, Wonderbra, Maidenform, Berlei, and Bonds. HanesBrands products are sold everywhere consumers shop: at mass-merchandise, mid-tier, department-store, college bookstores, dollar-stores, food and drug, and club-store retailers, as well as directly to consumers via the Internet and nearly 1,000 company-owned retail stores worldwide.

Hanesbrands Quarterly Gross Profit as of June 30 2023 is $483 million. Hanesbrands Quarterly Net Income as of June 30 2023 is $-22 million.

13) Foot Locker

• Product Type: Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry: Retail.
• Founded: 1974.
• Founders: Harry Haslam and Dee Brown.
• Headquarters: United States.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Richard Johnson.
• Revenue: $1,931 (April 30, 2023)
• Number of employees: 46,880 (2023)
• Market capitalization: $2.36B (August 2023)

Foot Locker, Inc. is a leading footwear and apparel retailer that operates approximately in 26 countries across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. The company specializes in selling athletic footwear and sportswear from popular brands such as Nike and Reebok. Foot Locker is known for staying ahead of its competition and offering a wide range of sizes, colors, and quantities for customers.

As of January 28, 2023, Foot Locker had a total of 2,714 stores in operation around the world. As of August 2, 2023, there are 869 Foot Locker stores in the United States.

Foot Locker Annual Gross Profit as of 2023 is $2,804 million. Foot Locker Annual Net Income as of 2023 is $342million.

14) Anta

• Product Type: Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry: Sportswear.
• Founded: 1991.
• Founder: Deng Qiling.
• Headquarters: Foshan, Guangdong, China.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Ding Shizhong.
• Number of employees: Over 70,000 (2023)
• Revenue: RMB 53.65 billion (2022)
• Market share: 20.4%

ANTA is a Chinese sportswear company that was founded in 1994 in Jinjiang, Fujian province, China. The company specializes in the design, production, marketing, and operation of sportswear, accessories, and other sports equipment. Anta offers a wide range of products, including basketball shoes and apparel, running shoes and apparel, lifestyle, and outdoor.  The company is the third-largest sports brand in the world and could soon overtake Adidas in market value.

Net profit for 2022 was CNY7.59 billion, slightly lower from CNY7.72 billion the previous year due to higher costs of sales and other expenses. The gross profit margin was 53.6% of sales for the year in 2022.

15) Lululemon Athletica Inc

• Product Type:  Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry:  Sportswear.
• Founded: 1998.
• Founder: Chip Wilson.
• Headquarters: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Laurent Potdevin.
• Revenue:$2.001B (April 30, 2023)
• Number of employees: 34,000 (Jan 2023)
• Market capitalization: $47.81B (August 17, 2023)

Lululemon is a Canadian multinational athletic apparel retailer that was founded in 1998 by Chip Wilson in Vancouver. Lululemon is known for its superb quality and performance apparel that is designed for yoga and other athletic activities. The brand has grown to include both women’s and men’s athletic wear, as well as hair accessories, bags, yoga mats, water bottles, and personal care products such as deodorant and dry shampoo.

Lululemon has trademarked its original fabric, Luon, which includes a higher-than-average amount of nylon microfiber, and has developed other fabrics that are geared toward specific uses.

Lululemon Athletica Inc net income for the quarter ending April 30, 2023 was $0.290B. Lululemon Athletica Inc gross profit for the quarter ending April 30, 2023 was $1.151B. Lululemon Athletica Inc has a market share of 6.84% as of 2023. The Company opened 23 net new company-operated stores during the third quarter, ending with 623 stores.

16) VF Corporation

• Product Type: Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry: Sports.
• Founded: 1899.
• Founder: Moses Strauss.
• Headquarters: Denver, Colorado, United States.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Steven Rendle.
• Number of employees: 33,000(2023)
• Revenue: $2.086B (June 30, 2023)
• Market capitalization: $7.89B (August 18, 2023)

VF Corporation is a global apparel, footwear, and accessories company that was founded in 1899. The company has a diverse portfolio of iconic outdoor and activity-based lifestyle and workwear brands, including The North Face, Vans, Timberland, and Lee.  VF Corporation controls 55% of the U.S. backpack market with its brands, and it is the world’s largest publicly traded apparel company.

Royalty income was $66.6 million in Fiscal 2022 (less than 1% of total revenues), primarily from the Dickies®, Vans and Timberland® brands. V.F net income for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $-0.057B. V.F gross profit for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $1.101B. VF has a market share of 7.15%.

17) Reebok

• Product Type: Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry: Sportswear.
• Founded: 1895.
• Founder: Joseph William Foster.
• Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Todd Krinsky.
• Number of employees: Over 5,000 (2023)
• Parent: Adidas (2005–2021) Authentic Brands Group

Reebok is an American fitness footwear and clothing brand that was established in England in 1958 as a companion company to J.W. Foster and Sons, a sporting goods company which had been founded in 1895 in Bolton, Lancashire. From 1958 until 1986, the brand featured the flag of the United Kingdom in its logo to signify the origins of the company. The Reebok Ventilator, a line of lightweight athletic shoes with vented side panels, was first introduced in 1990. In 1996, Reebok signed a $50 million endorsement deal with Allen Iverson when he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. Iverson collaborated with Reebok during his contract to create the second-longest running basketball shoe line in history, beginning with the Question shoe in 1996 and ending with Answer XIV. Reebok has a range of athletic shoes designed to support you with technology and comfort.

The net sales of the Reebok business under Adidas in 2022 amounted to about 353 million euros. Reebok will see global retail sales of more than $5 billion in 2022.

18) Skechers

• Product Type: Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry: Footwear.
• Founded: 1992.
• Founder: Robert Greenberg.
• Headquarters: Manhattan Beach, California, United States.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: David Weinberg.
• Number of employees: 15,100 (2022)
• Revenue: $2.013B (June 30, 2023)
• Market capitalization: $7.9B (August 18, 2023)

Skechers USA, Inc. is an American multinational footwear company founded in 1992 and headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California. It is the third largest footwear brand in the United States by revenue. Skechers offers one of the largest selections of lifestyle footwear that appeals to a broad range of consumers. Skechers is the third largest footwear brand in the United States by revenue. In 2023, Skechers had its debut on the Fortune 500

Skechers U.S.A net income for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $0.153B. Skechers U.S.A gross profit for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $1.061B.

Skechers has promoted its products with celebrities including singers Ava Max and Cha Eun-woo; television personalities Martha Stewart, Brooke Burke, and Amanda Kloots; baseball player Clayton Kershaw and boxer Sugar Ray Leonard; footballers Jamie Redknapp and Michael Ballack; and American football players Tony Romo, Howie Long, and Cris Carter. Skechers is now a global leader in footwear with more than 3,000 styles designed, developed, and marketed for men, women, and children.

19) Kappa

• Product Type: Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry: Sportswear.
• Founded: 1967.
• Founder: Marco Boglione.
• Headquarters: Turin, Piedmont, Italy.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Marco Boglione.

Kappa is an Italian sportswear brand that produces apparel, footwear, and accessories for sport and leisure. The brand was founded in 1916 as a little sock company, but the brand we know today was created in 1967 in Turin. Kappa is known for its iconic logo, which is composed of two silhouettes — man and woman — sitting back-to-back. The brand’s logo is a symbol of authentic and sexy fashion, an icon of vintage street style. Kappa is owned by BasicNet, which also owns such brands as K-Way, Superga, Briko, and a few others. Kappa is a leading sportswear brand worn by the world’s biggest teams and brightest stars.

Kappa is the official football supplier for several leagues and referees. In January 2022, it was announced that Kappa would begin a multi-year partnership with the Alpine F1 Team, supplying the drivers and backroom team with apparel, and featuring their logo on the new car livery. Kappa is also set to develop new apparel collections for Alpine’s team kit, fan apparel, footwear, and accessories, relying on a network of license to distribute these globally.

20) Columbia Sportswear Company

• Product Type:  Footwear, apparel, and accessories.
• Industry: Sportswear.
• Founded: 1938.
• Founder: Paul Lamfrom.
• Headquarters: Portland, Oregon, United States.
• Area Served: Worldwide.
• Current CEO: Tim Boyle.
• Revenue: $621 (June 30, 2023)
• Market cap: $4.53B (August 23, 2023)
• Number of employees: 9,450 (2022)

Columbia Sportswear is an American company that manufactures and distributes outerwear, sportswear, and footwear, as well as headgear, camping equipment, skiwear, and outerwear accessories. The company was founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, as a small, family-owned, regional hat distributor. Today, it is a global outdoor brand that crafts active lifestyle gear fortified with industry-leading technologies and tested in the Pacific Northwest.

Columbia Sportswear Quarterly Net Income as of June 30, 2023 is $8 million. Columbia Sportswear Quarterly Gross Profit as of June 30, 2023 is $314 million.

Conclusion

As far as the market force is concerned, Nike is the number one competitor of adidas. However, due to the sibling rivalry that began in the 1920’s, I can say that adidas has got two formidable competitors with PUMA being the other serious competitor. Family feuds always go down the generations even after the main people to have started the feuds are dead and that is exactly what is happening between adidas and PUMA.

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