NIKE's (NKE) "Buy" Rating Reiterated at Sanford C. Bernstein

Key Points

• Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a Buy on NIKE, and the analyst consensus is a Moderate Buy with a $74.61 average target (22 Buys, 12 Holds, 1 Sell).
• NIKE beat the quarter with $0.53 EPS vs. $0.37 est. and $12.43B revenue, while the stock trades near $57 (52‑week range $52.28–$80.19) and the company has a market cap of $84.4B and a P/E of 33.54.
• Management disclosed about a $300M pre‑tax restructuring/severance charge that will pressure near‑term results, even as insiders recently bought shares (including purchases by directors Robert Holmes Swan and Timothy D. Cook) and insiders acquired ~75,079 shares worth $4.45M over 90 days.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE - Get Free Report)'s stock had its "buy" rating reaffirmed by equities researchers at Sanford C. Bernstein in a research report issued on Thursday,MarketScreener reports.

Several other analysts also recently commented on the stock. Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of NIKE from $84.00 to $73.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 19th. DZ Bank restated a "buy" rating on shares of NIKE in a research report on Friday, December 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on NIKE from $100.00 to $86.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 17th. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their target price on NIKE from $77.00 to $76.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated a "market perform" rating on shares of NIKE in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, NIKE currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $74.61.

NIKE Trading Down 1.7%

Shares of NYSE:NKE opened at $57.01 on Thursday. NIKE has a 52-week low of $52.28 and a 52-week high of $80.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a current ratio of 2.06. The company has a market capitalization of $84.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $63.26 and a 200 day simple moving average of $66.47.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, December 18th. The footwear maker reported $0.53 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.16. The company had revenue of $12.43 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.19 billion. NIKE had a return on equity of 18.43% and a net margin of 5.43%.The firm's revenue for the quarter was up .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.78 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that NIKE will post 2.05 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at NIKE

In related news, Director Robert Holmes Swan purchased 8,691 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 22nd. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $57.54 per share, for a total transaction of $500,080.14. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 43,293 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,491,079.22. This represents a 25.12% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Timothy D. Cook acquired 50,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 22nd. The shares were bought at an average price of $58.97 per share, for a total transaction of $2,948,500.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 105,480 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,220,155.60. This trade represents a 90.12% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders purchased 75,079 shares of company stock worth $4,449,887. Company insiders own 0.80% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of NIKE

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake in NIKE by 388.5% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 202,411 shares of the footwear maker's stock worth $15,316,000 after buying an additional 160,980 shares in the last quarter. Caxton Associates LLP bought a new stake in shares of NIKE during the 1st quarter worth approximately $311,000. United Bank lifted its holdings in shares of NIKE by 11.3% during the 2nd quarter. United Bank now owns 17,067 shares of the footwear maker's stock worth $1,212,000 after acquiring an additional 1,736 shares during the period. Golden State Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of NIKE by 22.7% during the 2nd quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,565 shares of the footwear maker's stock worth $253,000 after acquiring an additional 660 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Achmea Investment Management B.V. boosted its position in shares of NIKE by 23.8% during the 2nd quarter. Achmea Investment Management B.V. now owns 36,149 shares of the footwear maker's stock worth $2,568,000 after acquiring an additional 6,940 shares in the last quarter. 64.25% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about NIKE

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: RBC/other analysts still see recovery potential, particularly from China, and some firms reaffirm bullish long‑term views (RBC’s thesis supports upside to the stock). Nike Faces China Recovery as Key Growth Driver, RBC Says
• Positive Sentiment: Bullish writeups (Rebound Capital summaries syndicated to retail sites) argue NKE’s multiple and brand strength make it a buy for investors positioning for a turnaround. Is NIKE, Inc. (NKE) Stock A Good Buy Right Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Stifel Nicolaus and other houses are taking cautious stances (e.g., hold ratings remain), reflecting mixed near‑term visibility even as some firms set higher price targets. Stifel Nicolaus Sticks to Its Hold Rating for Nike (NKE)
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst roundups offer mixed takes on consumer cyclicals (Nike included); these compilations add little immediate catalyst but reflect diverging views on timing of the recovery. Analysts Offer Insights on Consumer Cyclical Companies
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports suggest Nike may consider strategic moves around the Converse business — this is speculative and could be either positive (streamlining/non‑core sale) or negative (execution risk/one‑time costs). ‘Nike Could Exit Converse,’ Says BNP Paribas
• Negative Sentiment: NIKE announced ~ $300M in pre‑tax restructuring/severance charges tied to organizational changes and recent layoffs; management signals ongoing cost realignment that will pressure near‑term results and prompted the stock pullback. Nike to Record $300 Million Charge From Cost‑Cutting Efforts (WSJ)
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple outlets highlight the same $300M severance hit and note CEO Elliott Hill’s restructuring could include additional cuts — increasing short‑term execution and margin risk. Nike Restructuring And Severance Charge Test Turnaround Under New CEO

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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