NIKE’s (NKE) “Buy” Rating Reaffirmed at Sanford C. Bernstein

NIKE (NYSE:NKE)‘s stock had its “buy” rating reissued by investment analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein in a note issued to investors on Wednesday,MarketScreener reports.

NKE has been the subject of a number of other reports. Piper Sandler reduced their price target on shares of NIKE from $75.00 to $60.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Raymond James Financial restated a “market perform” rating on shares of NIKE in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on shares of NIKE from $67.00 to $54.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, March 23rd. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of NIKE from $73.00 to $67.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, DZ Bank reissued a “buy” rating on shares of NIKE in a report on Friday, December 19th. Nineteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $64.57.

NIKE Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:NKE traded down $7.94 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $44.89. 87,936,225 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 17,079,348. The company has a market cap of $66.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.42, a P/E/G ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a quick ratio of 1.40 and a current ratio of 2.06. NIKE has a one year low of $44.67 and a one year high of $80.17. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $59.68 and a 200 day moving average of $63.66.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, March 31st. The footwear maker reported $0.35 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.29 by $0.06. NIKE had a return on equity of 18.43% and a net margin of 5.43%.The company had revenue of $11.28 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.23 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.54 EPS. NIKE’s revenue for the quarter was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that NIKE will post 2.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On NIKE

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of NKE. Purpose Unlimited Inc. bought a new position in NIKE in the 4th quarter worth $57,000. Cornerstone Planning LLC bought a new stake in NIKE during the fourth quarter valued at about $1,431,000. Bank of New Hampshire grew its holdings in NIKE by 3,257.1% during the fourth quarter. Bank of New Hampshire now owns 1,175 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $75,000 after purchasing an additional 1,140 shares during the period. World Investment Advisors increased its position in NIKE by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 54,578 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $3,477,000 after buying an additional 644 shares in the last quarter. Finally, ARP Global Capital Ltd bought a new position in shares of NIKE in the fourth quarter worth about $4,715,000. 64.25% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

NIKE News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 results beat estimates on both top and bottom lines (EPS $0.35 vs. ~$0.29 consensus; revenue ~$11.28B roughly in line-to-slightly-above expectations), showing the turnaround still produces tangible operational progress. NIKE, Inc. Reports Fiscal 2026 Third Quarter Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Management says the company has taken intentional actions (clearing unhealthy inventory, rebalancing wholesale vs. DTC) that pressure near‑term margins but are intended to set up later improvement — a strategic move that could pay off but delays visible recovery. Nike Takes ‘Intentional’ Hit To Clear ‘Unhealthy Inventory’ In Q3 As CEO Eyes Turnaround By Year-End
• Negative Sentiment: Weak guidance drove the selloff: Nike guided fiscal Q4 revenue to decline (company-range), below Street expectations, and warned Greater China sales will remain soft — management said the China reset could take multiple quarters. Nike Stock Sinks to Lowest Level Since 2014 as Weak Sales Outlook Spooks Investors
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure from tariffs, promotions and inventory actions pushed operating profit and net income materially lower year‑over‑year, undercutting confidence in a near‑term margin rebound. Nike third-quarter sales beat estimates as turnaround efforts gain traction
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts reacted quickly: multiple firms cut price targets or downgraded forecasts (Wells Fargo, Truist, Telsey and others), amplifying downward pressure and raising the risk of further revision. These Analysts Cut Their Forecasts On Nike After Q3 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Investor sentiment soured after candid executive comments about the slow turnaround — headlines and tone (including a blunt CEO remark) reinforced the view that recovery is taking longer than planned. Nike CEO vents as company struggles to regain footing after disappointing profits : ‘I’m so tired’

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).