Crocs Steps Into Trouble With Worst Trading Day Since Pandemic

Even donut-themed clogs couldn’t sweeten the worst day in three years for CrocsCROX

. The shoemaker’s stock plunged up to 29% Thursday after warning of growth well below Wall Street’s expectations. Having relied heavily on partnerships and promotions lately, Crocs is abandoning these growth drivers despite their short-term gains.

• The company doubled down on collaborations, launching $90 Krispy KremeDNUT
  and $80 WindowsMSFT
  XP-themed Crocs — featuring charms of donuts, Clippy, and the MSN logo.
• Still, CEO Andrew Rees noted consumers are “not even going to the stores, and we see traffic down” — leading the “decision to pull back on promotions to preserve brand image” (Bloomberg).

Reality check: The tactic did deliver quick wins as Q2’s revenue and EPS beat expectations, with Crocs brand sales climbing 5% from last year. But the sugar rush faded fast after management warned of an 11% plunge in Q3 revenue, compounded by tariff pressures on China, which produces 22% of US-bound products. Meanwhile, rival UGGDECK

continues to walk tall with premium positioning and steady growth, making Crocs’ stumbles look all the more painful.