# Columbia beats and raises as U.S. e-commerce turns; Thule buys bikepacking brand Aeroe

Canonical URL: https://jeffbrines.com/newswire/2026-10-30-daily/
Author: Outdoor Pulse
Published: 2026-10-30T00:00:00.000Z
Source: Outdoor Pulse Newswire

**Top line:** Columbia Sportswear beat its own third-quarter guidance and Wall Street's. Sales rose 2% to $962.6M and EPS came in at $1.66 against a $1.28 consensus, and the company raised its 2026 outlook to $3.46B–$3.50B in sales and $4.65–$4.90 in EPS. Management said a spring 2027 order book that has kept improving points to mid-single-digit wholesale growth in the first half of 2027, including low to mid-single-digit growth in the U.S. Shares rose 4.6% in the regular session and about 1.9% more after hours. ([Columbia](https://investor.columbia.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/393/columbia-sportswear-company-reports-third-quarter-2026), [CFO commentary](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1050797/000105079726000148/cfocommentaryq32026_vf.htm), [Investing.com transcript](https://www.investing.com/news/transcripts/earnings-call-transcript-columbia-sportswear-tops-q3-2026-estimates-93CH-4985458))

## Bike

-   **Thule acquired Aeroe, the New Zealand maker of rack-based bikepacking bags for mountain and gravel bikes.** Aeroe products will be relaunched under the Thule name in Q2 2027 alongside its Tour Rack line; terms were not disclosed. It is Thule's second bolt-on after Quad Lock in late 2024. ([Cycling Industry News](https://cyclingindustry.news/thule-acquires-new-zealand-bikepacking-brand-aeroe/), [Bike Europe](https://www.bike-eu.com/53496/thule-acquires-bikepacking-brand-aeroe))
-   **LiveWire, the Harley-Davidson spinoff that owns kids' electric balance-bike maker STACYC, issued a going-concern warning.** STACYC revenue rose 9% to $5.2M on 6,992 units, up 20%, but its operating loss widened to $0.6M on higher freight, and STACYC out-earned LiveWire's own motorcycle business in the quarter. Shares fell more than 35% to about $1.02. ([LiveWire](https://investor.livewire.com/news-events-1/news/news-details/2026/LiveWire-Group-Inc--Reports-2026-Third-Quarter-Financial-Results/default.aspx), [Axios](https://www.axios.com/2026/10/29/harley-davidson-livewire-electric-motorcycles))
-   **Zwift is raising its price ceiling with Zwift+**, a $29.99-a-month tier ($299 a year) against the $19 base plan, bundling adaptive coaching with newly filmed real-world video routes that look a lot like Rouvy, the rival it bought in April and still runs separately. ([DC Rainmaker](https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2026/10/zwift-plus-review-worth-it.html), [Bikerumor](https://bikerumor.com/new-zwift-plus-tier-premium-video-coach/))
-   **USWE's first-half sales fell 11% to SEK 62.8M** as the Swedish hydration-pack maker moves from distributors to selling direct to dealers, though second-quarter sales rose 14%. ([Bicycle Retailer](https://www.bicycleretailer.com/international/2026/10/29/uswe-sales-down-11-first-half))
-   **Trek priced the first North American bike with Bosch's new Active Line Plus motor**, the Marlin+ 6 Gen 2 e-MTB, at $2,999. ([Electrek](https://electrek.co/2026/10/29/new-trek-e-bike-is-first-to-get-boschs-new-motor-with-a-major-power-upgrade/))
-   **A federal judge dismissed a suit against Walmart over a Ridstar e-bike whose front wheel detached**, finding no facts showing Walmart knew of the defect before the crash; the CPSC's two Ridstar warnings came later. The dismissal is without prejudice. ([Bicycle Retailer](https://www.bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2026/10/29/judge-dismisses-womans-lawsuit-against-walmart-over-e-bike-front-wheel))
-   **Litespeed entered e-bikes** with two titanium road and two gravel models on Mahle's X20 hub motor, priced $9,995 to $12,495. ([Cycling Electric](https://www.cyclingelectric.com/news/litespeed-debuts-titanium-electric-bikes-in-road-gravel-formats))

## Ski & Snow

-   **Keystone opens today and Wolf Creek opens Saturday, Oct. 31**, joining A-Basin. Wolf Creek, which got 20 inches from the Oct. 23–24 storm, will run about 30% of the mountain through Nov. 3, then weekends only until more snow arrives. ([Vail Resorts](https://news.vailresorts.com/keystone-opening-2026), [SnowBrains](https://snowbrains.com/happy-halloween-from-wolf-creek-2026/))
-   **Breckenridge, Copper and Utah's Brian Head are a week from their Nov. 6 openers.** In Canada, Alberta and B.C. won't turn their clocks back on Nov. 1, so most resorts there plan to start lifts at 9:30 a.m. instead of 8:30 and run an hour later. ([Snow-Forecast](https://www.snow-forecast.com/whiteroom/northern-america-weekly-snow-roundup-338/))
-   **Columbia isn't hedging on winter:** CEO Tim Boyle said retailers came into the season "exceptionally clean" on inventory and the company expects a normal winter. Columbia's inventory is up 11%, mostly goods in transit and spring 2027 product it is producing early. ([Investing.com transcript](https://www.investing.com/news/transcripts/earnings-call-transcript-columbia-sportswear-tops-q3-2026-estimates-93CH-4985458))

## Outdoor

-   **Columbia's brands split:** the Columbia brand grew 3% and Sorel 2%, prAna fell 1% on late fall inventory, and Mountain Hardwear dropped 17% on weaker fall orders and closeouts. Longtime Columbia executive Peter Rauch is now Mountain Hardwear's president. ([Investing.com transcript](https://www.investing.com/news/transcripts/earnings-call-transcript-columbia-sportswear-tops-q3-2026-estimates-93CH-4985458), [SGB Media](https://sgbonline.com/outdoor/))
-   **Columbia's U.S. business is turning on e-commerce:** U.S. sales fell 1%, but U.S. e-commerce grew mid-single digits on fewer promotions, international sales rose 9%, and about $30M of wholesale shipments moved from Q3 into Q4. ([Columbia](https://investor.columbia.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/393/columbia-sportswear-company-reports-third-quarter-2026))
-   **Tariff refunds are carrying Columbia's 2026 margin.** It says IEEPA refunds, net of payments to factory partners, add about 180 basis points this year, and it called 2027 margins uncertain with possible new tariffs and rising input costs. ([Investing.com transcript](https://www.investing.com/news/transcripts/earnings-call-transcript-columbia-sportswear-tops-q3-2026-estimates-93CH-4985458))

## Upcoming

Wolf Creek opens Oct. 31; Western storm window Oct. 31 to Nov. 3; Fox Factory and Clarus report Nov. 5 after the close; Breckenridge, Copper and Brian Head open Nov. 6; bike helmet and trailer tariff exclusions expire Nov. 9; YETI Nov. 12; Youngone (Scott Sports' parent) Q3 expected around Nov. 13 per market-data listings, not yet confirmed by the company; Epic Pass prices rise after Nov. 15; Amer Sports Nov. 17.

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_The Outdoor Pulse is published weekday mornings. Weekly deep dives on Mondays._