NIKE’s (NKE) “Neutral” Rating Reiterated at Berenberg Bank

Berenberg Bank reaffirmed their neutral rating on shares of NIKE (NYSE:NKE) in a report issued on Friday,MarketScreener Latest Ratings reports. They currently have a $70.00 target price on the footwear maker’s stock.

Several other analysts have also recently issued reports on NKE. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $115.00 price objective on shares of NIKE in a research note on Friday, December 12th. TD Cowen upgraded NIKE from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the company from $62.00 to $85.00 in a research report on Wednesday, September 10th. Bank of America reduced their price objective on NIKE from $84.00 to $73.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $85.00 target price on NIKE and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of NIKE in a research note on Friday, October 10th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have given a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $78.14.

NIKE Trading Down 10.4%

Shares of NKE stock opened at $58.80 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $65.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is $69.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 1.45 and a current ratio of 2.19. The firm has a market capitalization of $86.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.59, a PEG ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 1.29. NIKE has a fifty-two week low of $52.28 and a fifty-two week high of $82.44.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE) last released its earnings results on Thursday, December 18th. The footwear maker reported $0.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.37 by $0.16. The business had revenue of $12.43 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.19 billion. NIKE had a net margin of 5.43% and a return on equity of 18.61%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.78 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that NIKE will post 2.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

NIKE Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 1st will be issued a dividend of $0.41 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, December 1st. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. This is a boost from NIKE’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.40. NIKE’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 96.47%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Jorgen Vig Knudstorp purchased 16,150 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 7th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $62.09 per share, for a total transaction of $1,002,753.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 21,388 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,327,980.92. The trade was a 308.32% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Treasure Heinle sold 4,300 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.27, for a total transaction of $306,461.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 29,396 shares in the company, valued at $2,095,052.92. This trade represents a 12.76% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of NIKE

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in NIKE during the second quarter worth $26,000. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of NIKE by 952.6% in the 2nd quarter. Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors LLC now owns 400 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 362 shares during the period. Saudi Central Bank acquired a new position in NIKE during the 1st quarter worth about $30,000. Matrix Trust Co boosted its holdings in NIKE by 53.1% during the 2nd quarter. Matrix Trust Co now owns 441 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 153 shares during the period. Finally, Twin Peaks Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in NIKE in the 2nd quarter valued at about $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.25% of the company’s stock.

NIKE News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 beat on top and bottom line — Nike reported $12.4B in revenue and $0.53 EPS, both ahead of expectations, showing resilience in demand overall. Nike Beats on Earnings But Struggles in China and Faces Tariffs
• Positive Sentiment: North America strength and product wins — North American sales rose ~9% and running category grew ~20%, supporting the turnaround thesis for key categories. Nike’s China conundrum deepens
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst mix — Some firms reaffirm buys (Guggenheim, Needham/Buys remain) while others cut price targets or mark to market; Berenberg reiterated neutral with a $70 PT. This leaves Street views mixed but not uniformly bearish. MarketScreener Latest Ratings
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff and margin pressure — Gross margin fell ~300 bps (to ~40.6%) and management flagged substantial tariff headwinds (reported ~$1.5B FY impact) and guidance for further margin contraction next quarter. Nike Plunges 11% As Tariffs, China Woes Cloud Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: China slump — Greater China sales plunged (~16–20% reported across outlets), with Chinese DTC digital revenue down sharply, raising concerns that Nike’s China playbook isn’t yet working. Nike is struggling to stay culturally relevant in China
• Negative Sentiment: Guidance and investor reaction — Management guided to low‑single‑digit revenue declines next quarter and warned of margin headwinds; markets focused on that guidance and tariffs, driving heavy selling and large intraday volume. Nike says turnaround plans are ‘in the middle innings’

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).