What is Zacks Research's Estimate for NIKE FY2026 Earnings?

Key Points

• Zacks Research now forecasts FY2026 EPS of $1.46 for NIKE, down from $1.53 previously, versus the market consensus full‑year estimate of $2.05 per share.
• Multiple brokers have cut targets and adjusted ratings, leaving a consensus rating of "Hold" with a $62.34 price target and a split of 17 Buy / 17 Hold / 2 Sell from covering analysts.
• Management confidence is being signaled by insider buying — CEOs and directors purchased shares recently (CEO Elliott Hill bought ~23,660 shares), with insiders acquiring 64,441 shares worth about $2.73M in the last quarter.

NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE - Free Report) - Research analysts at Zacks Research dropped their FY2026 earnings per share estimates for shares of NIKE in a research report issued on Tuesday, April 14th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the footwear maker will post earnings per share of $1.46 for the year, down from their prior estimate of $1.53. The consensus estimate for NIKE's current full-year earnings is $2.05 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for NIKE's Q2 2027 earnings at $0.63 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $0.43 EPS, Q1 2028 earnings at $0.66 EPS, Q2 2028 earnings at $0.80 EPS and Q3 2028 earnings at $0.58 EPS.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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. The company had revenue of $11.28 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.23 billion. NIKE had a return on equity of 16.41% and a net margin of 4.84%.The firm's revenue for the quarter was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.54 EPS.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. DZ Bank reissued a "buy" rating on shares of NIKE in a research note on Thursday, April 2nd. Citigroup decreased their target price on shares of NIKE from $65.00 to $53.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. China Renaissance decreased their target price on shares of NIKE from $74.60 to $50.30 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 2nd. CICC Research lowered NIKE from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $69.00 to $58.00 in a report on Monday, April 6th. Finally, Berenberg Bank reiterated a "neutral" rating and set a $70.00 price target on shares of NIKE in a report on Friday, December 19th. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $62.34.

NIKE Trading Up 3.0%

NKE opened at $44.19 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 2.14 and a quick ratio of 1.45. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $55.73 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $61.71. NIKE has a 1-year low of $42.09 and a 1-year high of $80.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $65.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 1.31.

NIKE Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 2nd were given a dividend of $0.41 per share. This represents a $1.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 2nd. NIKE's payout ratio is presently 108.61%.

Insider Activity at NIKE

In related news, CEO Elliott Hill acquired 23,660 shares of NIKE stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, April 13th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $42.27 per share, for a total transaction of $1,000,108.20. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 265,247 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,211,990.69. This represents a 9.79% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director John W. Rogers, Jr. acquired 4,000 shares of NIKE stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 9th. The stock was bought at an average price of $43.34 per share, for a total transaction of $173,360.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 41,022 shares in the company, valued at $1,777,893.48. This trade represents a 10.80% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have bought a total of 64,441 shares of company stock valued at $2,734,204 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.80% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of NIKE

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC raised 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 purchasing an additional 139 shares during the period. St. Clair Advisors LLC raised its position in NIKE by 0.9% in the third quarter. St. Clair Advisors LLC now owns 15,217 shares of the footwear maker's stock valued at $1,061,000 after purchasing an additional 140 shares during the period. Spirepoint Private Client LLC raised 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 purchasing an additional 153 shares during the period. Diligent Investors LLC raised 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 purchasing an additional 153 shares during the period. Finally, CVA Family Office LLC increased its stake in NIKE by 8.0% during the third quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 2,113 shares of the footwear maker's stock worth $147,000 after purchasing an additional 156 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.25% of the company's stock.

NIKE News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Insider buying: CEO Elliott Hill purchased ~23,660 shares (~$1.0M at ~$42.27) and Director Timothy D. Cook bought 25,000 shares (~$1.06M at ~$42.43). Management accumulation is supporting the rally and signals confidence in the company’s turnaround. Read More. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Brand strength with youth: surveys show Nike ranks No.1 with U.S. teens for footwear/apparel, a demographic tailwind if it translates into higher demand and product traction. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Sales mix shift: Nike is increasing wholesale partnerships as digital sales soften — could stabilize margins if execution is solid, but raises near‑term top‑line risk from DTC weakness. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Shelf registration / ESOP filing: up to $2.332B of Class B shares was filed related to employee offerings — watch timing and dilution implications. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Major brokers are cautious: JPMorgan reaffirmed Neutral, leaving upside catalysts muted from some large institutions. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research cut near‑term EPS estimates across multiple quarters and trimmed FY2026 — downward revisions raise the bar for a sustained recovery and justify cautious positioning. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst downgrades and price‑target cuts: HSBC downgraded to Hold and cut its target sharply; Piper Sandler trimmed its target — these reports have driven selling and signal skepticism about near‑term catalysts. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Bear case / execution risk: analysts and market commentary (TipRanks, media) highlight a delayed turnaround, weak guidance in recent results and China exposure — keeps sentiment pressured until clearer recovery evidence. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Governance/legal headline risk: a PR notice questioning insider conduct raises potential governance/legal overhangs to monitor. Read More.

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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