Companies and Brands

Nike Falls Flat Despite Solid Earnings Beat

Chris Lange

Published: March 21, 2017 4:35 pm

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 1:44 pm

Nike, Inc. (NYSE: NKE) reported its most recent quarter financial results after the markets closed on Tuesday. The company posted $0.68 in earnings per share (EPS) and $8.4 billion in revenue versus consensus estimates from Thomson Reuters that called for $0.53 in EPS and $8.47 billion in revenue. The fiscal third-quarter from last year had $0.55 in EPS and $8.03 billion in revenue.

Revenues for the Nike brand were up 7% to $7.9 billion, on a currency-neutral basis, driven by double-digit growth in Western Europe, Greater China and emerging markets as well as the sportswear and Jordan brand categories. Revenues for Converse were up 3% to $498 million, driven by growth in North America.

Futures orders were not mentioned in the release from Nike but instead can be heard on the conference call.

During this quarter, the company repurchased $475 million worth of shares as part of its four-year, $12 billion program approved in November 2015. Approximately $8.4 billion remains under the current repurchase plan.

On the books, cash and short-term investments totaled $6.2 billion, an increase of $1.1 billion compared with the prior year as growth in net income and proceeds from the issuance of debt in the second quarter of fiscal 2017 as well as proceeds from employee exercises of stock options more than offset share repurchases, higher dividends and investments in infrastructure.

Mark Parker, Chairman, President and CEO, Nike, commented:

The power of NIKE’s diverse, global portfolio delivered another solid quarter of growth and profitability. To expand our leadership and ignite NIKE’s next phase of growth, we’re delivering a relentless flow of innovation through performance and style, increasing speed throughout the business and creating more direct connections with consumers leveraging digital and membership.

Shares of Nike closed Tuesday down 1.1% at $58.01, with a consensus analyst price target of $62.47 and a 52-week trading range of $49.01 to $65.44. Following the release of the earnings report the stock was initially down 1.5% at $57.16 in the after-hours trading session.