NIKE (NYSE:NKE) Given Neutral Rating at Bank of America

NIKE (NYSE:NKE)‘s stock had its “neutral” rating reaffirmed by equities research analysts at Bank of America in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $55.00 target price on the footwear maker’s stock, down from their previous target price of $73.00. Bank of America‘s target price indicates a potential upside of 4.11% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other brokerages also recently weighed in on NKE. KeyCorp cut their price target on shares of NIKE from $90.00 to $75.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Citigroup reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $65.00 target price (down from $70.00) on shares of NIKE in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Robert W. Baird decreased their price target on shares of NIKE from $93.00 to $85.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price target on NIKE from $67.00 to $54.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, March 23rd. Finally, UBS Group cut their price objective on NIKE from $62.00 to $58.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 19th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $72.10.

NIKE Stock Up 3.1%

NKE opened at $52.83 on Wednesday. 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 $78.21 billion, a PE ratio of 31.08, a P/E/G ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 1.27. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $59.68 and its 200-day moving average is $63.66. NIKE has a one year low of $50.95 and a one year high of $80.17.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, March 31st. The footwear maker reported $0.35 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $11.28 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $11.23 billion. NIKE had a return on equity of 18.43% and a net margin of 5.43%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.54 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that NIKE will post 2.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of NIKE

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Mizuho Markets Cayman LP purchased a new stake in shares of NIKE during the third quarter worth $34,200,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC grew its stake in NIKE by 697.5% in the third quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 228,889 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $15,960,000 after purchasing an additional 200,187 shares in the last quarter. Strive Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in NIKE in the third quarter valued at about $1,743,000. Soros Fund Management LLC increased its position in NIKE by 33.0% in the 2nd quarter. Soros Fund Management LLC now owns 302,320 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $21,477,000 after purchasing an additional 75,000 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Brighton Jones LLC increased its position in NIKE by 54.6% in the 3rd quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 104,791 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $7,307,000 after purchasing an additional 37,019 shares during the last quarter. 64.25% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting NIKE

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 results beat consensus on both top and bottom lines (EPS $0.35 vs. ~ $0.31 and revenue ~$11.28B in line/above estimates), showing some operational progress and product demand in running/performance categories. TipRanks Q3 Preview
• Positive Sentiment: Management reiterated parts of the “Win Now” turnaround — tighter discounting and new product innovation were credited with stabilizing demand in some segments. Reuters: Sales Beat
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue was essentially flat year‑over‑year (reported ~$11.3B) with mixed regional performance: wholesale held up while NIKE Direct declined — important context but not an immediate positive/negative catalyst by itself. Business Wire Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Some analysts still highlight long-term upside tied to brand strength and product cycles; coverage remains skewed bullish overall despite short-term concerns. WSJ: Analyst Context
• Negative Sentiment: Forward guidance disappointed: Nike warned current-quarter revenue could decline ~2–4% and projected China sales to drop about 20%, a major hit given China’s size for the business — this is the primary driver of the stock’s decline. Invezz: Weak Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Gross‑margin pressure and narrower operating profit were highlighted (management expects margin recovery over multiple quarters), raising near‑term profitability concerns. Seeking Alpha: Margin Pressure
• Negative Sentiment: Geopolitical risk: executives warned that unrest in the Middle East could further complicate the turnaround, adding a macro tail‑risk that may keep investors cautious. Reuters: Middle East Risk
• Negative Sentiment: Immediate market reaction: shares slid sharply in after‑hours / premarket trading, reflecting investor skepticism that the turnaround will accelerate given the new guidance and China slump. Blockonomi: Stock Plunge
• Neutral Sentiment: Some houses (e.g., Citi) maintained neutral/hold ratings citing the beat but cautious outlook; watch for upcoming analyst revisions and updated models. TipRanks: Citi Hold

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).