NIKE (NYSE:NKE) Sets New 52-Week Low Following Analyst Downgrade

Key Points

• NIKE hit a new 52-week low, trading as low as $51.95 (last $52.05) after Telsey Advisory Group cut its price target from $72 to $65 and moved to a Market Perform rating.
• The analyst picture is mixed: the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy with a $73.20 target (22 Buys, 10 Holds, 1 Sell), but several recent downgrades and price-target cuts (e.g., Needham, Deutsche Bank, Bank of America) raise near-term downside risk ahead of Q3 earnings.
• Insider and shareholder notes: CEO Elliott Hill bought 16,388 shares at about $61.10, Nike declared a $0.41 quarterly dividend (3.2% yield), and roughly 64% of the stock is held by institutional investors.

NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE - Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Thursday after Telsey Advisory Group lowered their price target on the stock from $72.00 to $65.00. Telsey Advisory Group currently has a market perform rating on the stock. NIKE traded as low as $51.95 and last traded at $52.0510, with a volume of 7759289 shares. The stock had previously closed at $52.98.

A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. Needham & Company LLC lowered shares of NIKE from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price objective on shares of NIKE from $77.00 to $76.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Bank of America lowered their target price on shares of NIKE from $84.00 to $73.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their price target on NIKE from $67.00 to $54.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday. Finally, Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a "market perform" rating on shares of NIKE in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $73.20.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Elliott Hill acquired 16,388 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 29th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $61.10 per share, for a total transaction of $1,001,306.80. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer directly owned 241,587 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,760,965.70. This represents a 7.28% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.80% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Key NIKE News

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst and bullish writeups argue Nike’s turnaround is working — Q2 FY2026 showed a 43% EPS beat, strong running category growth, and wholesale revenue gains; some see margin headwinds as transitory, supporting a bullish view and a higher target price. Nike At 5-Year Lows: Why The Turnaround Is Already Working
• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America keeps a Buy view, citing improving North America results and product tailwinds (World Cup SKUs) that bolster confidence in Nike’s turnaround despite China weakness. Nike gaining traction in North America ahead of Q3 earnings, Bank of America says
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlights Nike’s strong history of earnings surprises and argues the company currently has the setup to beat the next quarterly estimates again, which could provide upside if confirmed. Will Nike (NKE) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?
• Neutral Sentiment: Wall Street previews and investor guides ahead of Nike’s Q3 print (after close Mar 31) summarize consensus top‑/bottom‑line and key metric expectations — these previews increase focus on gross margin, China sales, and inventory trends. Stay Ahead of the Game With Nike (NKE) Q3 Earnings: Wall Street's Insights on Key Metrics
• Neutral Sentiment: General market coverage and investor primers remind traders that Nike has been a trending watchlist name and that the Q3 release will likely determine near‑term direction. NIKE, Inc. (NKE) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
• Negative Sentiment: Pre‑earnings previews warn of margin contraction (≈200 bps) and weaker total sales driven by persistent weakness in China and inventory liquidation — negative if management can’t show near‑term margin recovery. Nike Q3 Preview: Gross Margin Contract, Decline In Total Sales On Soft China Performance
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst downgrades and estimates cuts: Erste Group trimmed FY2026 EPS slightly, and Telsey cut its price target to $65 and moved to Market Perform — these actions increase downside risk from revisions. Erste Group Lowers FY2026 EPS Estimate for NIKE Telsey Lowers Nike Price Target to $65
• Negative Sentiment: Some firms (e.g., Deutsche Bank coverage) have issued pessimistic forecasts for Nike’s share price, adding to bearish pressure ahead of earnings. Deutsche Bank Issues Pessimistic Forecast for NIKE

Hedge Funds Weigh In On NIKE

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NKE. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its holdings in NIKE by 388.5% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 202,411 shares of the footwear maker's stock valued at $15,316,000 after purchasing an additional 160,980 shares during the last quarter. Caxton Associates LLP purchased a new position in shares of NIKE during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $311,000. United Bank grew its position in shares of NIKE by 11.3% during the second quarter. United Bank now owns 17,067 shares of the footwear maker's stock worth $1,212,000 after buying an additional 1,736 shares in the last quarter. AlphaCore Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of NIKE in the second quarter worth $154,000. Finally, Waterloo Capital L.P. acquired a new stake in NIKE in the second quarter valued at $227,000. 64.25% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

NIKE Stock Down 2.0%

The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $60.67 and its 200 day simple moving average is $64.35. The stock has a market capitalization of $76.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.55, a P/E/G ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a current ratio of 2.06, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50.

NIKE Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Investors of record on Monday, March 2nd will be issued a $0.41 dividend. This represents a $1.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 2nd. NIKE's payout ratio is currently 96.47%.

About NIKE

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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