Sanford C. Bernstein Reaffirms Buy Rating for NIKE (NYSE:NKE)

Key Points

• Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed its Buy rating on NIKE (NKE), but analysts are evenly split (17 Buy, 17 Hold, 2 Sell), leaving an average consensus of Hold with a $62.34 price target.
• NIKE beat the quarter with $0.35 EPS (vs. $0.29 expected) and $11.28B revenue, yet the stock trades near $45 (12‑month low $42.09), signaling muted investor confidence despite the beat.
• Company insiders, including directors Robert Holmes Swan and Timothy D. Cook, bought shares at about $42.44 (insiders purchased 64,441 shares worth ~$2.73M last quarter) even as Nike announced roughly 1,400 layoffs as part of a cost‑cutting "Win Now" plan.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE - Get Free Report)'s stock had its "buy" rating reiterated by Sanford C. Bernstein in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday,MarketScreener reports.

Several other research firms have also recently commented on NKE. DZ Bank reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of NIKE in a research note on Tuesday. UBS Group cut their target price on shares of NIKE from $58.00 to $54.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. HSBC cut shares of NIKE from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and cut their target price for the company from $90.00 to $48.00 in a research note on Monday, April 13th. Telsey Advisory Group cut their target price on shares of NIKE from $65.00 to $55.00 and set a "market perform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. Finally, Needham & Company LLC cut shares of NIKE from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Seventeen 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $62.34.

NIKE Stock Performance

NYSE:NKE traded up $0.51 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $45.29. 2,001,827 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 19,296,932. The stock has a market capitalization of $67.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.99, a P/E/G ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 1.31. NIKE has a twelve month low of $42.09 and a twelve month high of $80.17. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $53.36 and a 200 day moving average of $60.58. The company has a current ratio of 2.14, a quick ratio of 1.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50.

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. The firm had revenue of $11.28 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $11.23 billion. NIKE had a net margin of 4.84% and a return on equity of 16.41%. The business's quarterly revenue was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.54 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that NIKE will post 1.52 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at NIKE

In other NIKE news, Director Robert Holmes Swan purchased 11,781 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 7th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $42.44 per share, with a total value of $499,985.64. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 55,074 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,337,340.56. This represents a 27.21% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Timothy D. Cook purchased 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, April 10th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $42.43 per share, for a total transaction of $1,060,750.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 130,480 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,536,266.40. This trade represents a 23.70% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders bought 64,441 shares of company stock worth $2,734,204. Corporate insiders own 0.80% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On NIKE

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC boosted its position in NIKE by 4.2% in the second quarter. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC now owns 3,441 shares of the footwear maker's stock valued at $244,000 after buying an additional 139 shares in the last quarter. Spirepoint Private Client LLC boosted its position in NIKE by 0.4% in the third quarter. Spirepoint Private Client LLC now owns 36,140 shares of the footwear maker's stock valued at $2,520,000 after buying an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. Diligent Investors LLC boosted its position in NIKE by 4.3% in the fourth quarter. Diligent Investors LLC now owns 3,719 shares of the footwear maker's stock valued at $237,000 after buying an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. CVA Family Office LLC boosted its position in NIKE by 8.0% in the third quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 2,113 shares of the footwear maker's stock valued at $147,000 after buying an additional 156 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Naples Global Advisors LLC boosted its position in NIKE by 1.9% in the third quarter. Naples Global Advisors LLC now owns 8,514 shares of the footwear maker's stock valued at $597,000 after buying an additional 159 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.25% of the company's stock.

NIKE News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Nike says the 1,400 layoffs are part of its "Win Now" efficiency push to reduce costs and improve speed to market, which could help margins if executed cleanly. Nike cuts 1,400 roles in second round of layoffs this year
• Positive Sentiment: After‑hours trading showed a modest uptick on the layoff news, indicating some investors view the job cuts as a constructive step for cost control. NKE stock ticks higher after hours on second round of layoffs in 2026
• Positive Sentiment: At least one broker (DZ Bank) has recently reaffirmed a buy rating on NKE, suggesting some analysts still see long‑term upside despite near‑term challenges. DZ Bank Reaffirms Buy Rating for NIKE
• Neutral Sentiment: Internal memo and coverage note that most cuts are in technology and global operations as Nike reshapes its organization to prioritize speed and efficiency. Read Nike's memo announcing 1,400 job cuts
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary frames these cuts as the latest step in a larger shake‑up; execution and follow‑through will determine stock impact. Nike is cutting 1,400 more jobs — the company's shake-up is not done yet
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage highlights that Nike has lost significant market value in recent years and faces intensified competition from nimble brands (On, Hoka, Anta), raising questions about demand and share recovery. Nike chopping over 1,000 jobs as struggling sneaker giant tries to rebound
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst and commentator pieces warn the turnaround remains incomplete (mentions of a possible "generational reset" and critical takes from pundits), which keeps downside risk if execution falters. Jim Cramer Shares Hot Take on Nike

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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