Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. Boosts Stake in NIKE, Inc. $NKE

Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. boosted its position in NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) by 8.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 3,049,658 shares of the footwear maker’s stock after purchasing an additional 248,502 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s holdings in NIKE were worth $125,190,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. J. Stern & Co. LLP grew its stake in shares of NIKE by 49,010.4% during the fourth quarter. J. Stern & Co. LLP now owns 48,054,542 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $3,061,555,000 after buying an additional 47,956,692 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of NIKE during the 4th quarter worth approximately $829,956,000. Harris Associates L P purchased a new position in NIKE during the 2nd quarter valued at $621,525,000. Capital World Investors boosted its holdings in NIKE by 16.2% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 49,069,951 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $3,126,246,000 after acquiring an additional 6,830,938 shares during the period. Finally, Jasper Ridge Partners L.P. grew its position in NIKE by 2,492.4% in the 4th quarter. Jasper Ridge Partners L.P. now owns 4,883,229 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $311,111,000 after acquiring an additional 4,694,859 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.25% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other NIKE news, COO Venkatesh Alagirisamy sold 890 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.60, for a total value of $37,024.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer owned 74,820 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,112,512. This trade represents a 1.18% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CFO Matthew Friend sold 2,463 shares of NIKE stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.60, for a total transaction of $102,460.80. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 82,165 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,418,064. This trade represents a 2.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 26,142 shares of company stock valued at $1,169,380. 1.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have weighed in on NKE. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $55.00 target price on shares of NIKE in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. CICC Research lowered their target price on shares of NIKE from $58.00 to $44.80 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 2nd. Oppenheimer cut their price target on shares of NIKE from $120.00 to $60.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, June 26th. Bank of America reduced their price target on shares of NIKE from $55.00 to $47.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of NIKE from $45.00 to $40.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $53.53.

NIKE Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:NKE opened at $40.06 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.36, a current ratio of 1.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. The company has a market capitalization of $59.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 1.11. NIKE, Inc. has a 52 week low of $38.86 and a 52 week high of $80.17. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $42.73 and a 200 day moving average of $48.29.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, June 30th. The footwear maker reported $0.20 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.11 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $10.97 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.85 billion. NIKE had a return on equity of 16.54% and a net margin of 6.70%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.14 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that NIKE, Inc. will post 1.74 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

NIKE Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 1st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 1st will be given a $0.41 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 1st. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.1%. NIKE’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 78.47%.

NIKE News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Recent results showed improving wholesale demand, particularly in North America, alongside a sharp improvement in gross margin and better-than-expected earnings. Management’s focus on product innovation and marketplace execution is giving some investors hope that the reset under CEO Elliott Hill can eventually restore growth. Why Nike Stock Is Up Today
• Positive Sentiment: Valuation and income appeal are attracting contrarian investors. The stock offers a dividend yield near 4%, and NIKE could potentially extend its dividend-growth streak for a 25th consecutive year in 2026. Several company insiders have also purchased shares recently. Nike Stock Dividend Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst targets imply substantial potential upside, with reports citing an average target around $50.66 and a median six-month target of $47.50. However, targets vary widely, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding the turnaround. Nike Price Target Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain concerned that the turnaround is taking too long. NIKE has lost roughly 78% from its 2021 peak and more than $200 billion in market value, while weak direct-to-consumer demand, international pressure and a reported decline in China sales continue to weigh on sentiment. Nike Stock Hits Lowest Level Since 2014
• Negative Sentiment: A recent analyst downgrade and weak digital sales have reinforced fears that product and distribution problems will persist. Technical analysts also describe the stock’s trend as severely damaged, limiting confidence that the current rebound represents a durable bottom. What Is Dragging Nike Down?

NIKE 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).