NIKE’s (NKE) Buy Rating Reiterated at Royal Bank Of Canada

Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed their buy rating on shares of NIKE (NYSE:NKE) in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday morning,MarketScreener reports.

Several other equities research analysts also recently commented on NKE. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $110.00 target price on shares of NIKE in a report on Monday, January 12th. Telsey Advisory Group lowered their price target on NIKE from $75.00 to $72.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 19th. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $85.00 price target on shares of NIKE in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Piper Sandler set a $75.00 price objective on shares of NIKE and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane decreased their target price on shares of NIKE from $38.00 to $35.00 and set an “underperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 19th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have given a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, NIKE currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $74.65.

NIKE Stock Down 0.7%

NKE stock traded down $0.49 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $64.97. The stock had a trading volume of 11,239,554 shares, compared to its average volume of 16,777,450. The business has a 50-day moving average of $63.91 and a two-hundred day moving average of $69.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 2.06 and a quick ratio of 1.40. The firm has a market cap of $96.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.38 and a beta of 1.28. NIKE has a 52-week low of $52.28 and a 52-week high of $82.44.

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

NIKE Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 2nd. Investors of record on Monday, December 1st were given a dividend of $0.41 per share. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. This is a positive change from NIKE’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.40. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 1st. NIKE’s payout ratio is currently 96.47%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Jorgen Vig Knudstorp purchased 16,150 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 7th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $62.09 per share, with a total value of $1,002,753.50. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 21,388 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,327,980.92. This represents a 308.32% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Elliott Hill acquired 16,388 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 29th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $61.10 per share, with a total value of $1,001,306.80. Following 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 ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have bought a total of 91,229 shares of company stock valued at $5,452,640 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On NIKE

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in NKE. Bridgewater Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of NIKE by 5.0% in the fourth quarter. Bridgewater Advisors Inc. now owns 9,361 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $607,000 after buying an additional 446 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its position in NIKE by 23.7% in the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 26,490 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $1,688,000 after acquiring an additional 5,083 shares during the period. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of NIKE by 29.4% during the 4th quarter. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 11,194 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $713,000 after acquiring an additional 2,542 shares during the last quarter. Freestone Capital Holdings LLC boosted its stake in shares of NIKE by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Freestone Capital Holdings LLC now owns 523,319 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $33,341,000 after acquiring an additional 2,610 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cura Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of NIKE by 4.5% during the 4th quarter. Cura Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 11,532 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $735,000 after acquiring an additional 500 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.25% of the company’s stock.

More NIKE News

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Investors are revising expectations for NIKE’s strategic turnaround after coverage describing the company’s “Win Now” overhaul — management actions (store, inventory and go‑to‑market changes) are being framed as improving growth and margin visibility. This story supports a constructive view on execution improving near‑term results. How Nike’s “Win Now” Overhaul At NIKE (NKE) Has Changed Its Investment Story
• Positive Sentiment: Distribution expansion: DoorDash’s partnership to sell footwear/apparel through ~1,000 Hibbett stores increases Nike’s omnichannel reach and could boost sales convenience and liquidate slow inventory — a tangible channel tailwind if adoption scales. DoorDash Taps 1,000 Hibbett Stores In Push For Instant Retail
• Neutral Sentiment: KeyCorp lowered its price target (from $90 to $75) but kept an overweight rating — that reduces upside expectations versus prior targets but still signals analyst confidence in mid‑term recovery; this is a mixed catalyst for the stock. Nike price target lowered by KeyCorp
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst roundups and valuation pieces note NIKE’s premium multiple and recent trading volatility — helpful context for investors but not an immediate directional catalyst. Analysts Offer Insights on Consumer Cyclical Companies: Nike (NKE)
• Neutral Sentiment: Personal‑finance pieces showing how large a position you’d need for a target dividend (and Dogs of the Dow lists) raise investor interest in yield but don’t change NIKE’s payout profile materially. These stories can attract income‑seeking flow but are not fundamental drivers. How much to invest in Nike stock for $1,000 in annual dividends (2026)
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation/coverage articles highlighting recent choppiness and a valuation premium may weigh on sentiment if results don’t accelerate, but they largely restate current market positioning. Evaluating Nike (NKE) Shares As Recent Trading Choppiness Highlights Valuation Premium
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish analysis warns NIKE has “too little room for error” — high expectations and a premium multiple mean small execution misses could pressure earnings and the stock. This type of critique can amplify selling if subsequent guidance disappoints. Nike: Too Little Room For Error
• Negative Sentiment: Opinion pieces questioning whether NIKE will regain its former outperformance highlight multi‑year investor losses and structural concerns, which may keep sentiment cautious and limit a sustained rally until clearer evidence of durable growth appears. Will Nike Stock Ever Be a Winner Again?

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).