# Wolverine Worldwide

> Wolverine Worldwide is a Rockford, Michigan-based footwear and apparel company that designs, markets and licenses a portfolio of global brands including Merrell, Saucony, Wolverine, Hush Puppies, Cat Footwear, Chaco, Bates, Harley-Davidson Footwear, HYTEST and Sweaty Betty. Founded in 1883 as a leather tannery and shoe maker, the company today sells performance, work, casual and lifestyle footwear and apparel to consumers in roughly 170 countries through wholesale, e-commerce and direct-to-consumer channels, generating about $1.87 billion in fiscal 2025 revenue.

- **Founded:** 1883
- **Headquarters:** Rockford, Michigan, United States
- **Founders:** G.A. Krause (Co-founder), Fredrick Hirth (Co-founder)
- **Team size:** ~3,100 employees (per provided data; broader workforce including retail/seasonal reported higher)
- **Products:** Merrell, Saucony, Wolverine, Hush Puppies, Cat Footwear
- **Notable:** Named Footwear News' 2025 Company of the Year, Grew ongoing fiscal 2025 revenue ~7.1% to about $1.87 billion, Saucony net sales grew 31% in 2025; Merrell surpassed $648 million

## Products & services

- **Merrell** — Global outdoor and hiking footwear and apparel brand; the company's largest brand at roughly $649M in fiscal 2025 net sales.
- **Saucony** — Performance and lifestyle running footwear brand; fastest-growing in the portfolio with 31% net sales growth in 2025 to about $533M.
- **Wolverine** — Heritage work and outdoor boots and shoes, including the durable pigskin 1000 Mile boot line.
- **Hush Puppies** — Iconic casual suede footwear brand launched by the company in 1958.
- **Cat Footwear** — Rugged work and lifestyle footwear licensed under the Caterpillar Inc. brand.
- **Chaco** — Outdoor sandals and footwear known for adjustable-strap designs.
- **Bates** — Uniform, military and duty footwear for professional and tactical use.
- **HYTEST** — Safety and industrial work footwear with protective features.
- **Harley-Davidson Footwear** — Licensed motorcycle-inspired boots and footwear.
- **Sweaty Betty** — Premium women's activewear and apparel brand acquired in 2021.

## Achievements

- Named Footwear News' 2025 Company of the Year
- Grew ongoing fiscal 2025 revenue ~7.1% to about $1.87 billion
- Saucony net sales grew 31% in 2025; Merrell surpassed $648 million
- Operating a footwear business continuously since 1883 (public since 1965 on NYSE)
- Pioneered employee stock ownership as early as 1928
- Created the Hush Puppies casual footwear category in 1958

## Latest updates

- **2026-Q1** — Total revenue rose ~11% to $457.6M; Merrell up 12.7% and Saucony up 20.1%, prompting raised full-year profitability guidance.
- **2025-12** — Closed fiscal 2025 with ongoing revenue of ~$1.87B, up ~7.1%, led by Merrell and Saucony growth.
- **2024-01** — Completed sale of the Sperry brand as part of a portfolio-simplification strategy.
- **2023** — Appointed Chris Hufnagel as President and CEO and consolidated U.S. operations to Rockford/West Michigan.

## Links

- Website: https://wolverineworldwide.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/wolverineworldwide
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/WolverineWW
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/wolverineworldwide

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/wolverine-worldwide
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-25