Brooks Running has opened 2026 with the strongest quarter in its 112-year history, the company said Friday, reporting 23 percent global growth and a near-tripling of sales in China.
The Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary does not publicly report revenue figures. But it said sales rose 20 percent in North America and 30 percent on a currency-neutral basis across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Sales in China climbed 136 percent year over year. The quarter follows a record-breaking 2025 for the brand.
“Across product, experiences, and how we show up for the sport globally, our teams are executing at the highest level and earning runners’ trust every day,” said Dan Sheridan, the chief executive of Brooks Running. “Our record quarter is proof our long-term strategy is resonating.”
Holding the lead at run specialty
Brooks again held the No. 1 market share position in performance running footwear at U.S. specialty retail, citing data from Upper Quadrant. At national retail, the company said it has held roughly 20 percent market share for 11 straight quarters, according to Circana figures.
Three of the top five performance running shoes sold during the quarter came from Brooks’ core franchises, the company said, accounting for more than 12 percent of all performance running footwear sales in the United States.
In Europe, the brand grew 24 percent in Germany and 15 percent in France on a rolling-year basis, outpacing the broader market at all price points.
A new shoe lands in Times Square
The Glycerin Flex, a daily trainer with what Brooks calls an industry-first articulated, strategically segmented midsole, debuted in the quarter. The brand backed the launch with its first three-dimensional out-of-home takeover in Times Square. By the end of its first quarter on shelves, the Glycerin Flex accounted for 4 percent of Brooks’ global footwear revenue.
The new Cascadia Elite, which the brand calls its most podium-tested trail racer, helped drive the trail category up 59 percent year over year.
Existing models also held up well. The Glycerin remained Brooks’ top seller, up 34 percent globally. The Adrenaline GTS, now in its 25th year, grew 31 percent. In carbon-plated racing, the Hyperion Elite franchise jumped 114 percent, with the broader Hyperion family up 32 percent and the Hyperion Max up 64 percent.
Apparel sales rose 33 percent, led by the Dash collection, Chaser Padded Bra and Convertible Bra. Brooks captured five of the top 10 bra styles sold at Fleet Feet, the company said, citing the running retailer’s data.
Athletes deliver across disciplines
Brooks-sponsored runners had a strong quarter on the track, on the road and in the mountains. The British middle-distance runner Josh Kerr won the 3,000-meter race at the World Indoor Championships and announced Project 222, his planned attempt to break the mile world record in London this summer.
Casey Clinger placed fifth at the Houston Half Marathon in 59:34, the third-fastest time ever recorded by an American at the distance. He then finished as the top American at the Tokyo Marathon in 2:08:43, wearing the new Hyperion Elite 6. Anna Gibson took fourth in the ski mountaineering mixed relay at the Milan Cortina Olympics, where the sport made its Olympic debut.
The British actor and singer Cynthia Erivo also turned in a notable run. Coached by Brooks athlete Erika Kemp and wearing the Hyperion Max 3, Erivo set a personal best of 3:21:40 at the London Marathon last weekend. Brooks documented her training as part of its Shine Under Pressure campaign.
The brand added several new athletes during the quarter, including the Olympic marathoner Clayton Young, the European trail and mountain runner Théo Detienne, and the high school national cross country champion Natasha Dudek, who joins under a name, image and likeness agreement.
Pushing into lifestyle
Brooks expanded beyond running through a streetwear collaboration with STAPLE. The Brooks x STAPLE Cascadia 1 and Brooks x STAPLE Ghost Trail debuted at Paris Fashion Week in January. In February, the company released the Adrenaline GTS 10, a reimagined heritage silhouette built with DNA Tuned foam. The lifestyle category more than doubled year over year.
The company also became an official partner of the Seattle Mariners and continued its work with runDisney, where race-weekend sales set records for both expo and e-commerce.
Brooks, founded in 1914, is headquartered in Seattle.
Sources: Brooks Running press release via Business Wire, May 1, 2026; reporting by Vicki M. Young for WWD, “Brooks Races to Best First Quarter in Brand History,” May 1, 2026.
