Stifel Says Under Armour And Adidas Gaining, But Nike Still Reigns Supreme

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Stifel analysts Jim Duffy and Peter McGoldrick acknowledged the fact that both
Under Armour IncUA
and
adidas AG (ADR)ADDYY
are gaining in the athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories and services market. However, the analysts believe
Nike IncNKE
reigns supreme in the segment.

Therefore, the brokerage not only maintained its Buy rating but also kept the price target of $68 on the shares of the company.

In a back-to-school athletic footwear survey, 85 percent indicated Nike styles as the favorite. The brokerage has been conducting the survey for nearly a decade now and found the company retaining its dominant position in the footwear before the back-to-school season. However, the gap narrowed to nine percentage points on a year-over-year basis from 94 percent to 85 percent.

Related Link: How Old Sneakers Have Created A $1.2 Billion Market

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"While we remain confident in the achievability of NIKE's FY1Q and FY17 outlook and our Buy rating, we are adjusting our previously above-consensus estimates to reflect a more conservative view on US wholesale footwear given recent suggestion of share loss. In our view, any pull-back on concerns about share loss in the US should be viewed as an opportunity to build position," said Stifel.

The lead analyst expects Nike to face pressure in its signature basketball sector from rivals like Under Armour and the revival of casual/retro style, despite enjoying a dominant position.

At time of writing, Nike was trading at $59.28, down 1.56 percent on the day.

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Posted In: Analyst ColorLong IdeasPrice TargetPreviewsReiterationSportsAnalyst RatingsTrading IdeasGeneralJim DuffyPeter McGoldrickStifel
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