Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S. Grows Stock Holdings in NIKE, Inc. $NKE

Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S. lifted its holdings in NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) by 48.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 1,185,742 shares of the footwear maker’s stock after purchasing an additional 389,047 shares during the period. NIKE comprises 1.4% of Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S.’s holdings, making the stock its 24th biggest position. Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S.’s holdings in NIKE were worth $75,543,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC lifted its position in shares of NIKE by 4.2% in the 2nd quarter. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC now owns 3,441 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $244,000 after purchasing an additional 139 shares during the period. Diligent Investors LLC lifted its position in shares of NIKE by 4.3% in the 4th quarter. Diligent Investors LLC now owns 3,719 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $237,000 after purchasing an additional 153 shares during the period. CVA Family Office LLC lifted its position in shares of NIKE by 8.0% in the 3rd quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 2,113 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $147,000 after purchasing an additional 156 shares during the period. Naples Global Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of NIKE by 1.9% in the 3rd quarter. Naples Global Advisors LLC now owns 8,514 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $597,000 after purchasing an additional 159 shares during the period. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its position in shares of NIKE by 4.3% in the 4th quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 3,978 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $253,000 after purchasing an additional 163 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.25% of the company’s stock.

NIKE Price Performance

NIKE stock opened at $42.44 on Wednesday. NIKE, Inc. has a 12-month low of $41.35 and a 12-month high of $80.17. The stock has a market cap of $62.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.11, a PEG ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $47.29 and a 200 day moving average price of $57.70. The company has a current ratio of 2.14, a quick ratio of 1.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, March 31st. The footwear maker reported $0.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $11.23 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.54 earnings per share. NIKE’s revenue was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that NIKE, Inc. will post 1.51 earnings per share for the current year.

NIKE Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 1st. Investors of record on Monday, June 1st will be paid a $0.41 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 1st. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.9%. NIKE’s payout ratio is currently 108.61%.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Robert Holmes Swan acquired 11,781 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 7th. The shares were bought at an average price of $42.44 per share, with a total value of $499,985.64. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 55,074 shares in the company, valued at $2,337,340.56. This trade represents a 27.21% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Timothy D. Cook acquired 25,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, April 10th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $42.43 per share, for a total transaction of $1,060,750.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 130,480 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,536,266.40. This represents a 23.70% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have purchased 64,441 shares of company stock worth $2,734,204 over the last three months. Insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about NIKE

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: NIKE is expanding its digital and technology strategy by partnering with Google to use AI tools that could improve product discovery and support sales growth. Nike Turns to Google’s AI to Lift Sales, But NKE Stock Keeps Falling
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles frame NIKE versus Wolverine as a comparison of business models, with NIKE leaning on athlete-led innovation and direct-to-consumer reach while Wolverine emphasizes niche brands and tighter promotions. NIKE vs. Wolverine: Which Footwear Player Is Built to Win?
• Neutral Sentiment: Some investors and commentators are asking whether NIKE stock looks attractive after recent weakness, suggesting the market is weighing recovery potential against ongoing execution risks. Should You Buy the Dip on Nike Stock?
• Negative Sentiment: Ongoing weakness in China remains the biggest near-term concern, with reports citing soft consumer demand, stronger local competition, and inventory issues that could delay a sustained rebound. Is NIKE’s China Recovery a Catalyst or Continuing Concern?

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

NKE has been the subject of several research reports. BTIG Research lowered their price target on shares of NIKE from $90.00 to $75.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. Piper Sandler restated a “neutral” rating and set a $50.00 price target (down from $60.00) on shares of NIKE in a research note on Friday, April 10th. KeyCorp dropped their price objective on shares of NIKE from $90.00 to $75.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Citigroup dropped their price objective on shares of NIKE from $65.00 to $53.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price target on shares of NIKE from $110.00 to $90.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $62.04.

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).