JD Sports to close 175 Hibbett stores as restructuring continues

JD Sports has said it is planning to close around 175 Hibbett stores over the next three years as part of an ongoing optimisation of its North American footprint.

Speaking during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call, chief executive Régis Schultz said the retailer is focusing on closing smaller and lower-performing stores while prioritising larger locations with stronger sales potential.

Schultz said the stores being eyed are mainly lower-volume locations with a legacy sporting goods offer that no longer aligns with the group’s wider strategy. The strategy follows JD Sports’ acquisition of Hibbett in 2024 in a deal valued at 1.11 billion dollars.

The optimisation programme had already begun last year, when the company initiated 61 store closures and 44 new openings, ending the year 2025 with 982 Hibbett locations.

The update came as JD Sports reported a 11.7 percent increase in annual net sales to 12.7 billion pounds. However, profit before tax and adjusting items fell 7.7 percent to 852 million pounds. Apparel sales rose 5 percent, while footwear sales remained flat.

North America has officially overtaken the UK as the largest region for JD Sports, now accounting for 38 percent of total sales. Revenue has been supported by the annualisation of the Hibbett acquisition, a report stated

Looking ahead, the company said it expects muted market conditions in fiscal 2027 and forecast flat organic sales growth for the year.