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STORY: Adidas posted its first annual loss in more than 30 years on Wednesday (March 13).

The German sportswear giant lost just over $63 million, marking its first year in the red since 1992.

It proved a challenging first full year in charge for CEO Bjorn Gulden.

He had to deal with the fallout from breaking ties with Kanye West.

Adidas suspended sales of the rapper's highly profitable Yeezy sneaker line in 2022.

Gulden resumed sales to clear remaining stock, while trying to boost popular products like Samba shoes.

Adidas shares have recovered and overtaken Nike and Puma since Gulden took over.

The firm said it expects its underlying business to improve in 2024, and sees double-digit growth in the second half.

Adidas aims to claw back market share from rivals even as consumer appetite for sportswear declines.

It has benefited from a trend for low-rise sneakers like the Samba and Gazelle lines, and ramped up production.

That trend helped footwear sales grow by 8% in the fourth quarter, even as apparel sales fell 13%.

Adidas sees sales this year falling in North America, its second-biggest market.

But it expects a strong recovery in China, with sales there forecast to grow at a double-digit rate.