Nike Stock Forecast: Trending Cautiously Among Analysts

Nike (NKE) stock has fallen 4.3% over the past week, dropped 24.5% over the last month, and is down 17.8% over the past year, leaving many investors cautious. Wall Street’s analysts are moderately bullish, forecasting a move toward a 12‑month average price target of $62.58 from a last close of $42.69.

Analyst Lorraine Hutchinson of Bank of America reiterated a Hold rating on Nike with a price objective of $55, signaling limited near‑term upside from current levels. Her neutral stance reflects solid regional performance but doubts that the stock will see multiple expansion before a clearer sales inflection.

Hutchinson noted that Nike’s margins are under pressure, but the impact varies by region, with North America hit hardest by higher tariffs that shaved roughly 300 basis points off gross margin in the recent quarter. By contrast, EMEA and Greater China showed margin improvement, helped by better product costs and healthier inventory positions.

Nike has already paid about $1 billion in IEEPA tariffs, and management does not expect to recover these costs, though tariff headwinds should ease notably after 1Q27 and give way to margin expansion from 2Q27. Inventory trends look healthier in North America and China, with units down and closeout activity low, while EMEA remains an outlier with higher inventory that may pressure results into the next quarter.

Operational changes have also driven $230 million of pre‑tax severance and other employee costs in the latest quarter, as Nike adjusts its cost base after heavy pandemic‑era investments in digital and direct channels. For now, consensus earnings estimates continue to look for growth over the coming years, but Hutchinson’s Hold rating suggests investors may need patience before the next big move in the stock. Never miss a stock rating. Find all the latest ratings on TipRanks’ Top Wall Street Analysts page.