The company designs, distributes and licenses casual sneakers, apparel and accessories under the Converse, Chuck Taylor, All Star, One Star, Star Chevron and Jack Purcell trademarks.

Geographic Reach

Massachusetts-based Converse sells its footwear and other items globally through retailers in more than 160 countries and through about 85 company-owned retail stores nationwide and half a dozen international retail stores. The company maintains a facility in Ontario, California, from which it ships products for two of NIKE's affiliate brands -- Converse and Hurley.

Its largest direct distribution markets are the US, the UK, and China.

Sales and Marketing

Foot Locker, the company's largest customer, accounts for about a fifth of sales. Converse sells products to retailers through local and regional distributors.

Financial Performance

Converse's revenues decreased by 1% to in fiscal 2016 to $1.96 billion. The company accounted for 6% of NIKE's total revenues that year.

Strategy

Converse is recognized as a top contributor among a handful of NIKE's brands. To this end, NIKE divested its big-name Cole Haan and Umbro units to focus on growing the NIKE, Jordan, Converse, and Hurley brand names.

Converse counts its strategy of regularly rolling out new products to keep consumers enticed to keep adding Converse shoes to their closets. The rise can be attributed to increased consumer demand in the US and internationally.

What has helped to spur sales increases is Converse's launch of a sneaker line linked to classic rock brands, such as The Who and Pink Floyd. The Who tribute shoe even outpaced the firm's previous best seller -- the basic black Chuck Taylor. Converse has added to its collection by debuting sneakers featuring Metallica and AC/DC, as well as a line of Dr. Seuss-inspired sneakers for men, women, and children through a deal with Dr. Seuss Enterprises. The shoe company further identifies with musicians through its Converse Rubber Tracks, a recording studio it opened in Brooklyn in mid-2011 that's offered free to recording artists and groups. In 2014 Converse partnered with British luxury brand Hancock Vulcanised Articles to enhance the Jack Purcell mid-top sneaker with rubber-bonded, water-repellant materials.

It relocated its world headquarters in early 2015 to Boston.