PORTLAND — Adidas’ strong financial run continued in its third quarter, with North American sales jumping 23 percent to top $1 billion for the first time.
The German sportswear and sneaker company with its North American headquarters in Portland also is on a tear in China, where sales grew 28 percent. Adidas made a lot of money in the period: Operating earnings for the three months ending in September rose 35 percent to 795 million euros.
The contrast between surging Adidas and its top rival, Oregon-based Nike, is dramatic. Adidas continues to take market share from both Nike and Under Armour.
Mark King, who heads Adidas’ North American operations, said the company is showing no ill effects from the college basketball bribery scandal that erupted in September. An Adidas executive and a company consultant have been charged with bribing high school players to attend Adidas-affiliated universities. Rather, the company doubled its footwear market share in North America, the company said.