DZ Bank Reiterates Buy Rating for NIKE (NYSE:NKE)

Key Points

• DZ Bank reaffirmed its Buy rating on NIKE (NKE) in a research note issued Tuesday.
• Analyst coverage is mixed—17 Buys, 17 Holds and 2 Sells—resulting in a MarketBeat consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $62.34 after several firms trimmed targets.
• Insiders have been buying shares (CEO Elliott Hill purchased 23,660 shares, ~ $1.0M; Director John W. Rogers Jr. bought 4,000 shares), while Nike posted a slight quarterly EPS beat ($0.35 vs. $0.29) but still faces margin pressure and execution/inventory risks.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE - Get Free Report)'s stock had its "buy" rating reaffirmed by equities research analysts at DZ Bank in a research report issued on Tuesday,MarketScreener reports.

Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on NKE. BNP Paribas Exane cut their price target on NIKE from $35.00 to $23.00 and set an "underperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. Robert W. Baird dropped their target price on NIKE from $85.00 to $70.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. Piper Sandler reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $50.00 price target (down from $60.00) on shares of NIKE in a research report on Friday, April 10th. BTIG Research lowered their price target on NIKE from $90.00 to $75.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. Finally, Evercore decreased their target price on NIKE from $69.00 to $57.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seventeen have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $62.34.

NIKE Stock Performance

NKE opened at $46.86 on Tuesday. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $54.34 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $60.98. The firm has a market capitalization of $69.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 1.31. The company has a quick ratio of 1.45, a current ratio of 2.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. NIKE has a 12-month low of $42.09 and a 12-month high of $80.17.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, March 31st. The footwear maker reported $0.35 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.29 by $0.06. NIKE had a net margin of 4.84% and a return on equity of 16.41%. The firm had revenue of $11.28 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $11.23 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.54 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that NIKE will post 1.52 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at NIKE

In other news, CEO Elliott Hill purchased 23,660 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 13th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $42.27 per share, with a total value of $1,000,108.20. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer owned 265,247 shares of the company's stock, valued at $11,211,990.69. This trade represents a 9.79% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director John W. Rogers, Jr. acquired 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 9th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $43.34 per share, with a total value of $173,360.00. Following the purchase, the director directly owned 41,022 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,777,893.48. This trade represents a 10.80% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Insiders bought a total of 64,441 shares of company stock worth $2,734,204 over the last three months. 0.80% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Mizuho Markets Cayman LP acquired a new stake in NIKE during the third quarter worth approximately $34,200,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC boosted its holdings in shares of NIKE by 697.5% during the 3rd quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 228,889 shares of the footwear maker's stock worth $15,960,000 after buying an additional 200,187 shares in the last quarter. Strive Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of NIKE during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $1,743,000. Park National Corp OH grew its position in shares of NIKE by 81.5% during the 4th quarter. Park National Corp OH now owns 431,055 shares of the footwear maker's stock worth $27,463,000 after buying an additional 193,514 shares during the period. Finally, Kranot Hishtalmut Le Morim Ve Gananot Havera Menahelet LTD increased its stake in shares of NIKE by 106.1% in the 3rd quarter. Kranot Hishtalmut Le Morim Ve Gananot Havera Menahelet LTD now owns 205,082 shares of the footwear maker's stock valued at $14,343,000 after acquiring an additional 105,569 shares in the last quarter. 64.25% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key NIKE News

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Insider buying: Nike executives recently made notable share purchases, which provided a short‑term lift and signals management confidence in either valuation or the turnaround plan. Investors often view insider buys as a bullish signal when fundamentals are otherwise uncertain. Insider Trades: Nike Sees More CEO Buys
• Positive Sentiment: Turnaround thesis remains alive: Several long‑form pieces argue Nike is deeply discounted versus peak and outline a path to recovery if product, inventory and brand execution improve—supporting a higher risk/reward for patient investors. Just Fix It: Nike's stock is down 70% — but there's hope for a comeback
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro/geopolitical volatility: Coverage highlights tariffs, oil shocks and broader market volatility that have impacted consumer behavior and supply‑chain costs; these are external risks that could swing results but are not company‑specific positives or negatives on their own. Tariffs, Oil Shocks, and Volatility: Is Nike Still Worth Owning in 2026?
• Neutral Sentiment: High‑profile skepticism: Market commentators like Jim Cramer say they’re not yet convinced by the turnaround, which can temper momentum even if fundamentals slowly improve. Jim Cramer Isn’t Convinced About Nike’s (NKE) Turnaround
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure persists despite inventory cleanup: Reports note Nike’s inventory reductions are underway but heavy discounting and product‑mix issues continue to compress gross margins and delay a meaningful profitability rebound. That keeps near‑term earnings risk elevated. Are NIKE's Inventory Fixes Boosting Global Profitability Yet?
• Negative Sentiment: Dividend cut risk flagged: Some analysts and commentators are warning that continued weak financials could force management to reconsider the dividend, which would be a negative catalyst for income‑oriented holders. Is a Dividend Cut Inevitable for Nike?
• Negative Sentiment: Brand/execution concerns: A recent Boston store ad backlash and critical opinion pieces raise questions about messaging and brand positioning at a sensitive time for the company—reputational missteps can amplify investor worry during a turnaround. Nike Boston Ad Backlash Raises Fresh Questions For Brand And Investors Nike: Please Just Don't Do It

NIKE Company Profile

Nike, Inc NYSE: NKE is a global designer, marketer and distributor of athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories. Founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman and renamed Nike in 1971, the company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon. Nike develops and commercializes products across performance and lifestyle categories for sports including running, basketball, soccer and training, and is known for signature technologies and design-driven product lines.

The company markets products under several primary brands, including Nike, Jordan and Converse, and sells through a combination of wholesale relationships, branded retail stores and direct-to-consumer channels such as company-operated stores and digital platforms (e.g., Nike.com and mobile apps).

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