Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. Purchases 148,224 Shares of NIKE, Inc. $NKE

Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. boosted its position in shares of NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) by 6.0% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 2,636,061 shares of the footwear maker’s stock after purchasing an additional 148,224 shares during the quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s holdings in NIKE were worth $166,810,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of NKE. Guerra Advisors Inc bought a new position in shares of NIKE during the third quarter worth $34,000. Gordian Capital Singapore Pte Ltd bought a new stake in shares of NIKE in the 3rd quarter valued at $35,000. Accredited Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in NIKE by 268.6% during the 3rd quarter. Accredited Wealth Management LLC now owns 516 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 376 shares during the period. Matrix Trust Co raised its stake in NIKE by 43.6% during the 4th quarter. Matrix Trust Co now owns 596 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 181 shares during the period. Finally, Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new position in NIKE during the fourth quarter worth about $40,000. Institutional investors own 64.25% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have issued reports on NKE. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of NIKE in a research note on Monday, April 13th. DZ Bank reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of NIKE in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of NIKE in a research report on Friday, April 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $52.00 target price (down from $76.00) on shares of NIKE in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada restated a “buy” rating on shares of NIKE in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Seventeen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seventeen have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, NIKE currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $62.34.

NIKE Stock Up 1.9%

NKE stock opened at $43.87 on Thursday. NIKE, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $42.09 and a fifty-two week high of $80.17. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $64.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.05, a PEG ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 1.12. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $50.56 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $59.30.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, March 31st. The footwear maker reported $0.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.06. NIKE had a net margin of 4.84% and a return on equity of 16.41%. The firm had revenue of $11.28 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.23 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.54 EPS. The business’s revenue was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts anticipate that NIKE, Inc. will post 1.51 earnings per share for the current year.

NIKE Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 1st will be given a dividend of $0.41 per share. This represents a $1.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.7%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 1st. NIKE’s payout ratio is currently 108.61%.

Key NIKE News

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: NIKE declared a quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share (record June 1, payable July 1), implying a ~3.8% yield — a cash-return move that can steady income-oriented holders and improve sentiment. (Company release)
• Positive Sentiment: Market commentary is bullish on the dividend and potential restart of growth, arguing the payout signals management confidence in cash flows and could help stabilize the stock. MSN: Dividend Confidence
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst-target commentary highlights a large gap between the current share price and the Wall Street consensus target (~$62), creating a narrative of meaningful upside for value-seeking investors — this thesis can attract bargain hunters and long-only funds. 247wallst: 41% Upside Thesis
• Neutral Sentiment: Berenberg reiterated a “neutral” rating on NKE — a reminder that some brokers remain cautious even as others highlight upside, contributing to mixed analyst signals. MarketScreener: Berenberg Neutral
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on NIKE’s wholesale rebuild notes that restoring wholesale relationships is key to market-share recovery but may not immediately offset margin pressure — this is a medium-term operational story rather than an immediate earnings cure. Zacks: Wholesale Rebuild
• Negative Sentiment: Short interest has surged, according to reporting, increasing bets against NIKE and adding pressure on CEO Elliott Hill — elevated shorting can amplify downward moves and heighten volatility. Reuters: Short Bets Surge
• Negative Sentiment: NIKE is under an EEOC probe over DEI practices, a governance/legal overhang that increases execution risk and could weigh on multiple stakeholder relationships while the investigation proceeds. The Motley Fool: EEOC Probe

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other NIKE news, Director Timothy D. Cook purchased 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 10th. The stock was bought at an average price of $42.43 per share, with a total value of $1,060,750.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 130,480 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,536,266.40. This represents a 23.70% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director John W. Rogers, Jr. acquired 4,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 9th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $43.34 per share, with a total value of $173,360.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 41,022 shares in the company, valued at $1,777,893.48. The trade was a 10.80% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have bought 64,441 shares of company stock valued at $2,734,204 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

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).