Develop a Competitive Profile Matrix in Excel format.Include Under Armour, Nike and Adidas as the two largest competitors.Include Critical Success Factors, weights, ratings and weighted scores.Sum the weighted scores for Under Armour and each of the competitors.

In the 2000s, UA expanded rapidly after outfitting Warner Brothers with apparel for two films, and an advertisement placed inESPN Magazinegenerated $750,000 in sales. In 2003, UA became the outfitter of the now defunct XFL football league and launched its first TV advertisement with the motto "Protect this House." In 2011, the company purchased 400,000 square feet of office space for $60.5 million. UA has new contracts with the NFL, NBA, and MLB to produce footwear, apparel, and accessories. Many European football teams such as Tottenham Hotspur and other rugby teams are outfitted with UA products. In 2012, UA's women's apparel became a major focus with strong sells reported in the company's Studio and ArmourBra products.

UA reports its finances under four geographic segments: (1) North America, (2) Europe, the Middle East and Africa ("EMEA"), (3) Asia, and (4) Latin America. However, based on titles of executives, it appears UA operates from a divisional-by-region type structure with one person (Jason LaRose) handling North America and one person (Colin Browne) handling outside-North America.Exhibit1provides a possible depiction of UA's organizational structure.

UA's co-founder Kip Fulks announced in October 2017 he was taking a sabbatical. Also disturbing to investors is that UA's footwear chief, head of women's and kids' apparel, and its chief marketing officer also announced they were leaving after the company reported weak Q3 2017 results. UA is in some disarray and has hired Patrik Frisk, the former CEO of shoe retailer Aldo, as president and chief operating officer. Before that hire, Plank also served as president. Analysts have said the move is a sign that Under Armour realizes it needs some fresh blood to fix its many problems at home. On a positive note, UA's leading endorser, Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors just led his NBA team to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the NBA championship. Note inExhibit1above that all eleven top executives are male.

Current Strategies

Similar to Nike, UA's strategies largely focus on product development followed by heavy marketing. UA has contracts with many top professional leagues including the NBA and NFL. UA will become a Connected Fitness partner with major league baseball (MLB) starting in 2020. Connected Fitness offers digital fitness subscriptions to consumers through MapMyFitness platform and the UA Record platform. UA acquired both Endomondo and MyFitnessPal platforms which includes MapMyRun and MapMyRide. As of 2017, about 2 percent of revenues were derived from Connected Fitness, but the platform keeps data on customers, exposes customers to UA, and allows users to be rewarded with discounted UA gear for using the apps and staying fit.

Marketing

UA develops and markets products primarily for use in athletics, fitness, and other outdoor activities. UA attempts to drive demand through brand equity and increasing consumer awareness of their superior product. UA growth is largely dependent on sales from Dick's Sporting Goods (Dick's) and Foot Locker, with which it has developed store-within-a-store sales channels. However, UA has been making great strides selling its products directly to consumers, with 31 percent of revenue in the latest quarter coming from direct sales, up from 25 percent 6years earlier. Wholesale sales to retail companies such as Dick's Sporting Goods account for 65 percent of sales, with 4 percent of sales being derived from Connected Fitness and Licensing in fiscal 2016.

Like Nike, UA pays big money to secure endorsements for their products from high performing athletes who have significant influence in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and even high school teams. Sports stars such as Cam Newton and Tom Brady endorse and wear UA products. Many fans become familiar with UA products seeing them worn by high performing athletes on a year-round basis. In addition to focusing on the large market leagues, UA also focuses on brand authenticity from a more grassroots level by hosting camps, clinics, and other activities for young athletes.

UA uses broadcast, print, and social media outlets to promote the firm's product. UA also also owns 162 outlet stores and 19 brand house stores in North America. Plank and his team are excellent marketers; company ads resonate with athletes and those who aspire to become athletes. UA's bold logo and brash and edgy marketing campaigns inspire movement and physical fitness, positioning the company well within the healthier lifestyle megatrend. Plank and his team relish their underdog image versus big rival firms; they love to operate within and promote an "us versus them" philosophy. This competitive fire has served UA well and has encapsulated many athletes and fans.

Seasonality

UA generates a large portion of its revenue during the third (Q3) and fourth (Q4) quarters of each year. In fact, Q3 and Q4 account for 35 percent more revenues than Q1 and Q2, and account for about 58 percent of yearly revenues. Q3 and Q4 correspond to football season and the holiday and winter seasons in much of the world. Fall and cooler weather gear also cost more.

Finance

UA reported a 3 percent increase in revenues in 2017, but notice inExhibit2a large drop in net income from $256 million to negative $48 million, mostly attributed to higher operatingexpenses and cost of goods sold. About 50 percent of UA's cash and equivalents on the balance sheet are located outside the United States. UA's balance sheets are provided inExhibit3; note that property plant and equipment increased 10 percent in 2017.

Competitors

UA faces competition from Adidas, Nike, New Balance, Reebok, and Puma along with a few others in the production of athletic gear. In addition, being forward integrated, UA competes with retail stores such as Foot Locker, Dick' Sporting Goods, Bass Pro Shops, and many other firms. Competitors such as Nike and Adidas have copied NA's designs and technology. The fabrics UA uses are not unique to them, and they do not control any patents on fabrics or processes. This has always been a huge problem for UA. Thus, it is all about branding forUA.

UA's branding strategy has not been perfect because UA's stock declined as much as 75 percent from 2015 to 2017, while over the same period the S&P 500 increased nearly 50 percent and Nike increased around 10 percent. Nike and Adidas have much larger resources to draw upon, thus competing long term may be difficult for UA. Competing for floor space at large retailers is also becoming more difficult since many stores now have their own store brands, in addition to private label brands, all competing for floor space.

Exhibit9provides some comparative information for UA, and rival firms. Note that Nike and Adidas are 7 and 5 times larger revenue than UA, respectively, and in teams of market capitalization, both rivals are larger than UA.

Nike, Inc. (NKE)

Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike has over 70,000 full-time employees, operates 384 U.S.-based stores and 758 international stores. Nike reported 2017 revenues and net income of about $34 billion and $4 billion, respectively, both figures increasing nicely from the prior year.However, for Nike's second quarter (Q2) of fiscal 2018, revenues for the Converse division of Nike were $408 million, down 4 percent, due to faltering sales in North America. Nike's net income for Q2 2018 decreased 9 percent to $767 million. For both Q1 and Q2 of fiscal 2018, the company's footwear sales declined 5 percent and the company's equipment sales dropped 8percent in North America. Thus, rival companies are eating into Nike's financial performance in the United States. However, outside North America, Nike is doing really well, growing both revenues and net income in double digits.

Nike has recently doubled down on designing shoes on an individual basis by building its new Nike By You Studio in New York City. The studio utilizes augmented reality and projection systems to custom-design shoes that are then produced and available within an hour for the customer. The company has a team of 1,000 designers to oversee development and production of customer Nike shoes, incorporating such designs as Nike's Pro Hijab for Muslim athletes.

Nike is in the retail business, having forward integrated over the years. Nike operates 384 factory stores in the United States and 758 factory stores outside the United States.Exhibit10reveals revenues and EBIT for Nike (not including Converse) in 2017. Canada accounted for 54 percent of all revenue in 2017. China generated the most EBIT per dollar of revenue received, followed by North America. Central & Eastern Europe, followed by Western Europe, generate significantly lower EBIT for every dollar of revenue, compared to other parts of the world. Both regions in Europe also suffered from a 16 percent drop in their respective EBIT contribution for 2017.Exhibit10reveals that Nike revenues in all markets in fiscal 2017 experienced a net positive revenue change in 2017 with Japan and China experiencing 17 and 12 percent revenue growths and North America only growing revenue by 3 percent.

Adidas AG - (www.adidas-group.com)

Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, Adidas was founded in 1949 and operates over 2,800 stores. Adidas owns Reebok, TaylorMade, and CCM Hockey products. Adidas reported $54 billion USD in 2016 with net income of 1.3 billion. Adidas is the largest sportswearmanufacturer in Europe and the second largest in the world, behind Nike. In 2015, professional basketball player James Harden left Nike for Adidas, reportedly signing a 13-year contract worth $200 million. Adidas's strategic plan is very similar to Nike's; both companies use product development followed by heavy marketing, signing teams and players across almost all sports to market and promote their products.

Athletic Shoe Stores

The athletic shoe store industry in the United States generates over $15 billion in revenue annually with growth around 3 percent expected through 2022. The industry is fragmented with over 3,000 businesses, many small mom and pops with the two top players Foot Locker and Nike accounting for 32 and 18 percent of sales, respectively. Unlike many retail outlets, the industry is healthy as a growing number of consumers in the United States are world wild are becoming increasingly health conscious. In addition, a growing trend referred to as athleisure grew over 40 percent between 2009 and 2016 where consumers are increasingly wearing athletic apparel in every day settings including at work. Many work environments are calling workers back to the office and requiring increased levels of dress code, so it remains to be seen if the athleisure industry can continue to grow at such a rapid pace. Online merchants are also growing, and as athletic apparel becomes more popular, department stores that tend to offer business casual clothing are increasing their athletic shoe store spaces. Unlike most all clothing categories where women are the primary customers, men account for nearly 60 percent of athletic shoe sales with women and children both around 20 percent. The industry enjoys a fairly even distribution of sales volumes from varying age groups but customers under 55 account for 75 percent of sales. Nike holds nearly 50percent of the athletic-footwear industry based on market capitalization, followed by V.F. Corp at 14percent. UA has only 2.5 percent of the athletic-footwear industry.

Under Armour Nike Adidas

Critical Success Factors Weight Rating Score Rating Score Rating Score Advertising

Global Expansion

Financial Position

Management

Product Quality

Customer Loyalty

Price Competitiveness

Market Share

Total

Yes, Under Armour would be able to assess their competitiveness.