NIKE (NYSE:NKE) Cut to “Sell” at Wall Street Zen

Posted by Stanley Muller on Oct 6th, 2026

Wall Street Zen lowered shares of NIKE (NYSE:NKE – Free Report) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report issued on Saturday,Wall Street Zen reports.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on NKE. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on NIKE from $40.00 to $36.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $50.00 target price (down from $60.00) on shares of NIKE in a research report on Friday. Benchmark upgraded shares of NIKE to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Oppenheimer set a $52.00 price target on shares of NIKE and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Finally, Barclays restated an “overweight” rating and set a $48.00 price objective (down from $52.00) on shares of NIKE in a research note on Wednesday, September 23rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have issued a Buy rating, twenty-two have assigned a Hold rating and eight have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, NIKE currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $41.80.

Read Our Latest Research Report on NIKE

NIKE Trading Up 0.2%

NYSE:NKE opened at $33.95 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $50.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.32, a PEG ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a current ratio of 2.07, a quick ratio of 1.39 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. NIKE has a 12 month low of $31.97 and a 12 month high of $72.39. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $38.72 and a 200-day simple moving average of $42.64.

NIKE (NYSE:NKE – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 1st. The footwear maker reported $0.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.43 by $0.05. NIKE had a return on equity of 15.94% and a net margin of 6.74%.The firm had revenue of $11.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.32 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.49 EPS. The firm’s revenue was down 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. NIKE has set its FY 2027 guidance at 1.150-1.350 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that NIKE will post 1.46 earnings per share for the current year.

NIKE Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 1st were issued a $0.41 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 1st. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.8%. NIKE’s payout ratio is presently 78.85%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other NIKE news, insider Amy Montagne sold 4,867 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $42.05, for a total value of $204,657.35. Following the sale, the insider owned 57,436 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,415,183.80. This represents a 7.81% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CFO Matthew Friend sold 2,463 shares of the firm’s 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 sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 82,165 shares in the company, valued at $3,418,064. The trade was a 2.91% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last three months, insiders sold 14,974 shares of company stock valued at $600,126. Insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of NIKE

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NKE. Scarborough Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of NIKE during the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of NIKE in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Sankala Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of NIKE in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in NIKE by 108.4% in the 1st quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 548 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 285 shares during the period. Finally, Atlas Wealth LLC acquired a new position in NIKE in the 1st quarter worth about $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.25% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting NIKE

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

Positive Sentiment: NIKE’s planned “Pace” program targets approximately $2.5 billion in cumulative savings through fiscal 2031. Protecting spending on innovation and marketing could improve profitability without sacrificing long-term brand investment. NIKE’s Cost Controls vs. Growth Investments
Positive Sentiment: The company’s dividend and partnerships—including visibility from basketball star Caitlin Clark—could support investor interest and provide potential catalysts if management executes its turnaround. Nike Stock Near 52-Week Lows
Neutral Sentiment: Some investors see NIKE’s strong balance sheet and debt reduction as a foundation for recovery, while others argue that the business—not the brand—is currently impaired. Options activity also indicates heightened investor focus and positioning around the stock. Could Nike’s Brutal Sell-Off Finally Be Running Out of Steam?
Negative Sentiment: S&P Global Ratings downgraded NIKE’s credit rating to A from A+ and assigned a negative outlook, adding pressure to investor confidence and potentially raising future financing costs. Nike Stock Slips as S&P Downgrades Credit Rating
Negative Sentiment: Fiscal first-quarter results beat EPS expectations but missed on revenue, while management expects fiscal 2027 revenue to contract by the high single digits. China sales reportedly fell 26%, inventory remains elevated, and weakness has spread beyond the core North American business. NIKE Cuts 2027 Revenue Outlook
Negative Sentiment: Analyst target reductions and a Hold rating reinforce concerns that the turnaround may take several years. Commentary also questions whether the roughly 4.8% dividend yield is sustainable if earnings and free cash flow continue to deteriorate.

NIKE Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

NIKE, Inc is a global sportswear company that designs, develops, markets and sells athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories and related services. Its products are marketed under the NIKE, Jordan and Converse brands and are used across a broad range of sports and lifestyle activities, including running, basketball, football, training and outdoor pursuits.

The company distributes its products through a combination of wholesale partners, NIKE-owned retail stores and digital platforms.