• Business Week, Monday, April 23, 2007 11 AM

Net income at sports apparel maker Under Armour nearly doubled in 2006--to $39 million--on sales of $430 million, but hedge funds and others are betting its stock is headed for a fall, due to the company's aggressive expansion plans and rich valuations.

The company has made its fortune by exploiting the niches largely overlooked by the biggest names in sports stuff. When founder and CEO Kevin A Plank started the business 11 years ago, he targeted fitness buffs with a line of tight-fitting T-shirts made of a material designed to keep participants cool and dry during workouts.

Building off that brand recognition, Under Armour made its first foray into footwear in June 2006, with cleats for football players. It followed with similar products for softball and baseball at the end of last year. Now management plans to introduce a sports sneaker. The more mainstream footwear categories--unlike cleats--are already crowded with Nike, New Balance, and Adidas, which are expected to defend their turf aggressively.

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