The footwear sector was one of the outperforming categories on Tuesday after the Conference Board reported that consumer confidence improved in May after five straight months of declines. Consumer confidence rose 12.3 points for the month to a reading of 98 to mark the first monthly gain since November and top the consensus expectation of economists for a reading of 88. Investors may also be looking at the delay of tariffs on goods imported into the U.S. from the European Union as another indication that the Trump Administration is backing off its harshest rhetoric on tariff rates. Footwear stocks have been particularly hard hit by investor concerns about tariffs due to the difficulty in relocating manufacturing plants. The footwear sector has also attracted more attention since the buyout of Skechers U.S.A. () raised the M&A profile of some of the mid-sized players. Designer Brands (NYSE:) was the top gainer in the footwear sector, with a 9.3% pop. Deckers Outdoor Corporation (NYSE:) was one of the top advancers in the S&P 500 Index with a 6.6% jump. Fossil Group () +6.4%, Steven Madden () +5.7%, Wolverine World Wide () +4.8%, Nike () +3.7%, Rocky Brands () +3.7%, On Holding AG () +3.0%, and Birkenstock () +2.4% were also notably higher.

Deckers, Designer Brands, and Nike lead big day for the footwear sector

The footwear sector outperformed in May 2025 as consumer confidence rose after five months of declines, driven by delayed U.S. tariffs on EU imports and strong stock performance. Key companies like Deckers Outdoor, Designer Brands, and Nike led gains, while the Skechers U.S.A. buyout highlighted M&A activity in the sector.