Franklin Resources Inc. Has $551.19 Million Stock Position in NIKE, Inc. $NKE

Franklin Resources Inc. cut its stake in shares of NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) by 2.1% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 8,651,613 shares of the footwear maker’s stock after selling 189,635 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc. owned approximately 0.58% of NIKE worth $551,194,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in NKE. Norges Bank bought a new position in NIKE during the fourth quarter worth about $829,956,000. Harris Associates L P acquired a new stake in shares of NIKE in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $621,525,000. Capital World Investors raised its position in shares of NIKE by 16.2% in 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. Capital International Investors boosted its stake in NIKE by 83.3% during the 4th quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 7,642,382 shares of the footwear maker’s stock worth $486,895,000 after acquiring an additional 3,472,515 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its holdings in NIKE by 129.4% during the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 5,849,636 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $411,951,000 after purchasing an additional 3,299,155 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 64.25% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Elliott Hill purchased 23,660 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, April 13th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $42.27 per share, with a total value of $1,000,108.20. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 265,247 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $11,211,990.69. This trade represents a 9.79% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Robert Holmes Swan acquired 11,781 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 7th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $42.44 per share, with a total value of $499,985.64. Following the acquisition, the director owned 55,074 shares in the company, valued at $2,337,340.56. The trade was a 27.21% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have bought 64,441 shares of company stock valued at $2,734,204 in the last ninety days. 0.80% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

NIKE Stock Up 0.7%

NIKE stock opened at $43.26 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $64.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 1.12. NIKE, Inc. has a 1-year low of $41.35 and a 1-year high of $80.17. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $44.67 and a 200 day simple moving average of $55.89. 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 issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 31st. The footwear maker reported $0.35 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.29 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $11.28 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $11.23 billion. NIKE had a net margin of 4.84% and a return on equity of 16.41%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.54 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that NIKE, Inc. will post 1.49 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

NIKE Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 1st will be paid a $0.41 dividend. This represents a $1.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 1st. NIKE’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 108.61%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

NKE has been the topic of several analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group cut their target price 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. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “buy” rating on shares of NIKE in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. Williams Trading dropped their target price on shares of NIKE from $80.00 to $57.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of NIKE in a report on Monday, May 11th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lowered their target price on NIKE from $65.00 to $56.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. Sixteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, NIKE has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $62.04.

Key NIKE News

Here are the key news stories impacting NIKE this week:

• Positive Sentiment: NIKE’s footwear business is showing early signs of stabilization, with running and football products gaining traction and innovation-led products improving the sales mix. Is NIKE’s Footwear Business Showing Signs of Stabilization?
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street is looking more favorably on NIKE’s World Cup and football push, seeing it as a way to reconnect with the brand’s core sports identity and support a turnaround. Nike’s football push gains Wall Street optimism ahead of World Cup, but turnaround concerns remain
• Positive Sentiment: Under CEO Elliott Hill, NIKE is accelerating an operational and brand reset with initiatives like “Win Now” and “Sport Offense,” aimed at refocusing on core sports, wholesale relationships, and athlete-driven marketing. Nike’s Reset Under Elliott Hill Tests Core Sports And Investor Patience
• Neutral Sentiment: Some investors remain cautious, with recent articles noting recovery risks, tariff pressure, softer demand in Greater China, and competitive threats from brands like Li Ning.
• Neutral Sentiment: Several recent fund and stock-commentary pieces highlight that institutional sentiment is still mixed, with some investors selling while others argue NIKE remains attractively positioned for a longer-term rebound.

About NIKE

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).