What's Going On With Nike Shares Today?

Nike Inc. NKE shares are trading higher Thursday as investors prepare for the company's fourth-quarter earnings report due after market close.

What To Know: Analysts expect Nike to report fourth-quarter revenue of $10.71 billion, down from $12.61 billion in the same quarter last year. Earnings per share are projected to come in at 12 or 13 cents, a drop from 99 cents a year ago.

Although Nike has a strong track record of beating earnings expectations, doing so in nine of the last ten quarters, the stock has declined after eight of the last nine earnings releases. According to Freedom Capital Markets strategist Jay Woods, the market remains skeptical of a near-term turnaround. He noted the stock is still down over 65% from its 2021 highs and warned that any real recovery could take several quarters of consistent growth.

Needham analyst Tom Nikic expressed similar concerns, maintaining a Buy rating but cutting his price target from $75 to $66. He cited ongoing issues with brand momentum and market execution. Other analysts, including those from Truist, Evercore, Deutsche Bank and Barclays, also lowered their price targets ahead of earnings.

Some investors may be eyeing Nike's dividend yield as a reason to hold through the volatility. The company currently offers a 2.63% annual yield or $1.60 per share annually. However, analysts say that potential upside in the near term will depend on Nike's ability to address weak demand in China, improve its North American performance and provide clear updates on growth initiatives like its upcoming product collaboration with SKIMS and its renewed partnership with Amazon.

NKE Price Action: Nike shares were up 2.29% at $62.23 at the time of writing, according to benzinga Pro.

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