NIKE (NYSE:NKE) Given “Buy” Rating at BTIG Research

BTIG Research reissued their buy rating on shares of NIKE (NYSE:NKE) in a report published on Tuesday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $100.00 target price on the footwear maker’s stock.

Several other analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “buy” rating on shares of NIKE in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Argus dropped their price objective on shares of NIKE from $85.00 to $70.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 23rd. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of NIKE from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a report on Monday, January 12th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $110.00 target price on shares of NIKE in a report on Monday, January 12th. Finally, Robert W. Baird cut their price target on NIKE from $93.00 to $85.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $74.65.

NIKE Price Performance

NKE stock opened at $63.11 on Tuesday. NIKE has a 1 year low of $52.28 and a 1 year high of $82.44. The stock has a market capitalization of $93.42 billion, a PE ratio of 37.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.38 and a beta of 1.28. The company’s 50-day moving average is $63.97 and its 200-day moving average is $68.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 2.06 and a quick ratio of 1.40.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 18th. The footwear maker reported $0.53 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.37 by $0.16. NIKE had a return on equity of 18.43% and a net margin of 5.43%.The business had revenue of $12.43 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.19 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.78 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up .6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that NIKE will post 2.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

NIKE Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 1st were paid a $0.41 dividend. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 1st. This is a boost from NIKE’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.40. NIKE’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 96.47%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other NIKE news, Director Timothy D. Cook purchased 50,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 22nd. The stock was bought at an average cost of $58.97 per share, with a total value of $2,948,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 105,480 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,220,155.60. The trade was a 90.12% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Elliott Hill purchased 16,388 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 29th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $61.10 per share, for a total transaction of $1,001,306.80. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer directly owned 241,587 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,760,965.70. This trade represents a 7.28% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders purchased a total of 91,229 shares of company stock valued at $5,452,640 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of NIKE

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NKE. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC increased its holdings in shares of NIKE by 697.5% in the third quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 228,889 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $15,960,000 after buying an additional 200,187 shares during the period. Soros Fund Management LLC grew its position in NIKE by 33.0% during the 2nd quarter. Soros Fund Management LLC now owns 302,320 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $21,477,000 after acquiring an additional 75,000 shares during the last quarter. Brighton Jones LLC increased its stake 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 period. Soltis Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in NIKE by 238.8% in the second quarter. Soltis Investment Advisors LLC now owns 141,356 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $10,042,000 after purchasing an additional 99,638 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Banco Santander S.A. boosted its stake in shares of NIKE by 28.3% during the second quarter. Banco Santander S.A. now owns 221,117 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $15,708,000 after purchasing an additional 48,764 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.25% of the company’s stock.

Key NIKE News

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: BTIG reaffirmed a “buy” on NKE and set a $100 price target, signaling strong upside from current levels and giving investors a reason to view recent weakness as a buying opportunity. Benzinga: BTIG buy rating
• Positive Sentiment: Insider/management buying highlighted in commentary (Fool) — Nike’s CEO has been buying shares, which investors often see as a vote of confidence in the turnaround. Nike Stock Is Down, but Is It a Buy?
• Neutral Sentiment: Longer-term debate over relative value persists — several write-ups compare Nike to peers (Adidas) and weigh valuation vs. growth, leaving investors to decide if the pullback offers a durable value entry. ADDYY or NKE: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Some analysts note top-line stabilization but mixed segment trends — commentators say Nike’s revenue has steadied but certain regions/products still lag, making the recovery uneven. Down More Than 50% in 3 Years, Is Now Finally the Time to Buy Nike Stock?
• Negative Sentiment: Nike announced plans to cut ~775 U.S. distribution jobs to accelerate automation and improve margins — the move reduces costs but raises near-term execution and reputational risks; it’s a key reason for today’s negative sentiment. Nike to cut 775 jobs in US distribution centers, CNBC reports
• Negative Sentiment: Nike is investigating claims by a ransomware group that it leaked 1.4 TB of company data — a potential breach raises legal, operational and brand risks; uncertainty around scope likely weighed on the stock. Nike says it is investigating possible data breach
• Negative Sentiment: Demand headwinds in China and softer digital traffic are testing Nike’s two major growth engines, raising questions about the pace of the turnaround and near-term revenue recovery. Can NIKE Regain Its Stride as China and Digital Momentum Falter?
• Negative Sentiment: Market reports and wire coverage note the stock fell on the session as these operational and security concerns outweighed the positive notes. Nike (NKE) Stock Sinks As Market Gains: Here’s Why

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).