Nuance Investments LLC Raises Holdings in NIKE, Inc. $NKE

Key Points

• Nuance Investments LLC boosted its NIKE stake by 83.3% in the fourth quarter, ending with 143,086 shares valued at about $9.1 million. Other institutional investors also increased or initiated positions, and hedge funds now own 64.25% of NIKE.
• NIKE’s latest earnings beat expectations, with $0.35 EPS versus the $0.29 estimate and revenue of $11.28 billion slightly above forecasts. Analysts currently have a consensus rating of Hold with an average target price of $62.04.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share, payable July 1, implying an annualized yield of about 3.8%. Recent insider buying also stood out, including purchases by directors Timothy D. Cook and John W. Rogers, Jr.

Nuance Investments LLC lifted its holdings in shares of NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE - Free Report) by 83.3% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 143,086 shares of the footwear maker's stock after purchasing an additional 65,004 shares during the period. NIKE comprises approximately 1.0% of Nuance Investments LLC's holdings, making the stock its 26th biggest holding. Nuance Investments LLC's holdings in NIKE were worth $9,116,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Mizuho Markets Cayman LP bought a new stake in shares of NIKE in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,200,000. PFA Pension Forsikringsaktieselskab bought a new stake in shares of NIKE during the 4th quarter valued at about $43,188,000. Strive Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of NIKE during the 3rd quarter valued at about $1,743,000. Nicholas Company Inc. boosted its position in shares of NIKE by 33.3% during the 4th quarter. Nicholas Company Inc. now owns 123,652 shares of the footwear maker's stock valued at $7,878,000 after purchasing an additional 30,890 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Park National Corp OH boosted 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 valued at $27,463,000 after purchasing an additional 193,514 shares in the last quarter. 64.25% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Telsey Advisory Group cut their target price on NIKE from $65.00 to $55.00 and set a "market perform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. Berenberg Bank restated a "neutral" rating on shares of NIKE in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. DZ Bank restated a "buy" rating on shares of NIKE in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Needham & Company LLC restated a "hold" rating on shares of NIKE in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded NIKE from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, May 16th. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seventeen have given a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, NIKE currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $62.04.

Insider Transactions at NIKE

In other news, Director Timothy D. Cook bought 25,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, April 10th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $42.43 per share, with a total value of $1,060,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 130,480 shares of the company's stock, valued at $5,536,266.40. This represents a 23.70% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director John W. Rogers, Jr. bought 4,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on 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 completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 41,022 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,777,893.48. The trade was a 10.80% increase in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders acquired 64,441 shares of company stock valued at $2,734,204. Corporate insiders own 0.80% of the company's stock.

NIKE Stock Down 1.3%

NKE stock opened at $43.05 on Friday. NIKE, Inc. has a twelve month low of $41.35 and a twelve month high of $80.17. The company has a quick ratio of 1.45, a current ratio of 2.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The stock's 50 day moving average is $44.85 and its 200-day moving average is $56.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $63.75 billion, a PE ratio of 28.51, a P/E/G ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 1.12.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, March 31st. The footwear maker reported $0.35 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.06. NIKE had a return on equity of 16.41% and a net margin of 4.84%.The company had revenue of $11.28 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.54 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that NIKE, Inc. will post 1.49 EPS for the current fiscal year.

NIKE Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 1st will be given a $0.41 dividend. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 1st. NIKE's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 108.61%.

Key Stories Impacting NIKE

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: NIKE is leaning into its football business ahead of the World Cup, and analysts said the company’s investor event reinforced CEO Elliott Hill’s plan to rebuild the brand sport by sport and region by region. That could support the long-term turnaround narrative. Nike bets big on Beautiful Game ahead of World Cup
• Positive Sentiment: Investor interest in NIKE remains elevated, with recent coverage highlighting that the stock is still drawing attention from market watchers as they evaluate the company’s outlook and earnings trajectory. NIKE, Inc. (NKE) is Attracting Investor Attention: Here is What You Should Know
• Positive Sentiment: NIKE continues to push a high-profile marketing campaign, “Rip The Script,” featuring major athletes and celebrities, which may help brand visibility and demand heading into a key sports calendar. NKE Stock Eyes Red Week Ahead Of FIFA World Cup: Nike’s Star-Studded Campaign Can’t Stop It From Falling
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles focused on shifting investor narratives and watched-the-stock commentary, but no new price target or major fundamental update was announced, limiting the immediate catalyst. How The Narrative Around Nike (NKE) Is Evolving Without A New Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary on a possible legal inquiry about insider duties did not provide clear evidence of wrongdoing, so it is more of a headline risk than a confirmed stock-moving event. Did NIKE, Inc. Insiders Breach their Fiduciary Duties to Shareholders?
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage suggests NIKE still faces questions about regaining momentum in a changing consumer market, while the stock has also been pressured by broader concerns that the turnaround may take time. Can Nike Regain Momentum In A Changing Consumer Market?
• Negative Sentiment: Market chatter also highlights a “red week” narrative ahead of the FIFA World Cup, implying investors remain skeptical that NIKE’s ad campaign alone will quickly reverse the stock’s weakness. Curry Defection And World Cup Push Test Nike Turnaround Expectations

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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