Piper Sandler Issues Pessimistic Forecast for NIKE (NYSE:NKE) Stock Price

NIKE (NYSE:NKE) had its target price reduced by investment analysts at Piper Sandler from $75.00 to $60.00 in a research note issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an “overweight” rating on the footwear maker’s stock. Piper Sandler’s target price indicates a potential upside of 33.31% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other equities analysts also recently commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on shares of NIKE from $65.00 to $55.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of NIKE in a research report on Thursday, March 12th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price target on NIKE from $67.00 to $54.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, March 23rd. Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on NIKE from $93.00 to $85.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Finally, Bank of America reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $55.00 target price (down from $73.00) on shares of NIKE in a research note on Wednesday. Nineteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, NIKE presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $68.10.

NIKE Stock Down 14.8%

NYSE:NKE traded down $7.81 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $45.01. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 77,884,329 shares, compared to its average volume of 16,982,994. The company has a quick ratio of 1.40, a current ratio of 2.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. NIKE has a 1 year low of $45.11 and a 1 year high of $80.17. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $59.68 and a 200-day moving average of $63.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $66.63 billion, a PE ratio of 26.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 1.27.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, March 31st. The footwear maker reported $0.35 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.06. NIKE had a net margin of 5.43% and a return on equity of 18.43%. The business had revenue of $11.28 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.54 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that NIKE will post 2.05 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Mizuho Markets Cayman LP acquired a new stake in NIKE in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,200,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC increased its stake in NIKE by 697.5% during the 3rd quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 228,889 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $15,960,000 after purchasing an additional 200,187 shares in the last quarter. Strive Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of NIKE in the third quarter worth $1,743,000. Soros Fund Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of NIKE by 33.0% during the second quarter. Soros Fund Management LLC now owns 302,320 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $21,477,000 after buying an additional 75,000 shares during the period. Finally, Brighton Jones LLC lifted its stake in shares of NIKE by 54.6% during the third quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 104,791 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $7,307,000 after buying an additional 37,019 shares during the period. 64.25% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting NIKE

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’

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).