While Wolverine World Wide's Q1 2024 earnings call focused heavily on stabilization and the promising uptick in Merrell's performance, a closer look reveals a potentially explosive story unfolding within the Saucony brand. This isn't just about a return to growth; this is about a brand rediscovering its soul and poised for a level of market dominance not seen since its early days as a niche running shoe darling.

The transcript reveals a palpable excitement around Saucony, bordering on giddy anticipation. Chris Hufnagel, Wolverine's CEO, doesn't just praise the brand's recent performance – he practically bubbles over with enthusiasm. Words like "fascinating," "bullish," "encouraging," and "break out" pepper his commentary, painting a picture of a brand on the cusp of something big.

But this isn't just hype. Hufnagel backs up his enthusiasm with concrete data points, specifically highlighting the success of Saucony's new product launches. The Ride 17, Guide 17, Endorphin collection, and most recently, the Triumph 22, have all been met with enthusiastic responses from both consumers and retailers, particularly in the crucial Run Specialty channel.

Hufnagel explicitly acknowledges Saucony's previous myopic focus on the extremes of the running market – the elite runner and the sneakerhead. While these segments remain important for brand credibility and innovation, the new strategy focuses on capturing the vast, untapped potential of the "everyday Saucony run" and the surging popularity of retro tech designs.

""In February, I said I was bullish on Saucony's future prospects driven by a much improved innovation pipeline, and I'm even more excited today on the potential of the brand moving forward. We're also making important progress cleaning up the marketplace, spearheaded by our newly created brand protection team. To date, we've closed or restricted over 30 customers and partners and shuttered approximately 400 retail accounts. This will continue as we work to be great brand managers coupled with a stronger focus on sell through versus sell in and our brands better managing supply and demand in the marketplace." - Chris Hufnagel, CEO of Wolverine World Wide"

Saucony's Search Interest Growth

The following chart illustrates the surge in global search interest for Saucony, indicating a significant increase in consumer awareness and interest.

While the transcript doesn't explicitly quantify the potential upside, it's clear that Saucony is playing a different game this time around. They're building a brand, not just chasing sales, and their long-term vision suggests a potential market impact far exceeding even the most optimistic Wall Street projections.

This is a brand on the verge of a renaissance. A brand rediscovering its core values, embracing its heritage, and setting its sights on a level of market dominance not seen in decades. And this, my friends, is a story that Wall Street would be foolish to ignore.

"Fun Fact: Saucony's name originates from the Saucony Creek in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, where the company was founded in 1898. The creek's Native American name, "Saconk," means "where there is a mouth," referring to its confluence with another creek. This connection to its roots highlights Saucony's enduring commitment to authenticity and heritage."