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JD Sports to Optimize Hibbett Portfolio With Closures of Underperforming Stores
The British retailer, which acquired the Alabama-based chain for $1.1 billion in 2024, has already reduced Hibbett's store count from 999 to 982. Executives cited the need for fewer, larger locations that support greater investment in technology and customer experience. The closures form part of a broader reshaping of the North American portfolio.
May 12, 11:56 AM·1m read1 source
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U.S. over the next three years. The move continues a reshaping of the Hibbett store base that has already begun, with the chain operating 999 locations at the start of fiscal 2026 before falling to 982 by year-end after a mix of closures and new openings.
1 billion in 2024. , with a heavy focus on smaller Southeast markets. JD Sports has already started trimming and reshaping the Hibbett store base.
The company closed 39 stores overall last year. Dominic Platt, CFO of JD Sports, outlined the timetable on an earnings call Thursday.
Company leaders say the goal is to build fewer, bigger, and better stores that generate more sales and allow for greater investment in technology, store design, and the overall customer experience. Régis Schultz, CEO of JD Sports, explained the economics behind the strategy.
"Even though smaller stores can have strong sales for their size, they don’t always generate enough profit to justify keeping them open," Schultz said on the call.
"The problem of our small stores is that you need someone to open, you need someone to close. " The statements by Dominic Platt and Régis Schultz were made on an earnings call Thursday.
U.S. Market following the 2024 purchase. The chain's reduction from nearly 1,200 stores to its current base reflects an ongoing effort to adapt the portfolio to generate sustainable profit.
