Nike Sinks 8% as Weak Outlook and Layoffs Follow Revenue Miss; Lululemon and On Holding Remain Flat
Nike is cratering on earnings while rivals Lululemon and On Holding barely flinch, raising a pointed question about whether the sportswear giant is fighting a problem unique to itself or simply the first to feel an industry-wide reckoning.
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Nike (NYSE:NKE | NKE Price Prediction) is taking a company-specific hit to its turnaround story, while the rest of athletic apparel holds largely steady. Shares of Nike are down 8% to $32.34 in morning trading after fiscal 2027 first-quarter results showed a revenue miss, a weak outlook and job cuts. Nike stock was already trading near its 52-week low.
Meanwhile, shares of Lululemon (NASDAQ:LULU) are nearly unchanged at $95.85. On Holding (NYSE:ONON) stock trades at $30.18, also practically unchanged and showing no signs of contagion.
The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEARCA:XLY) is unchanged at $108.81, showing the damage is confined to Nike. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE ARCA:SPY) is up 1% to $771.34, so the broad equities market is holding up well.
Nike carries a weight of just 1.2% in the XLY sector fund, so the drop barely moves it.
Revenue Miss and Job Cuts Drive Nike Lower
Nike’s quarterly revenue came in at $11.21 billion, missing the $11.32 billion consensus and falling 4.3% year over year. Diluted earnings came in at $0.48 per share, ahead of expectations, on a wider gross margin.
The heavier blow came from Nike’s fiscal 2027 outlook, which calls for revenue to decline by a high-single-digit percentage.
Nike also unveiled Pace, an overhaul targeting $2.5 billion in cumulative savings through fiscal 2031 at a cost of $1 billion in pre-tax charges, mostly employee-related. Chief Executive Officer Elliott Hill wrote in a letter to employees: “This work will result in fewer roles across Nike, and I want to acknowledge that news like this creates uncertainty. I don’t take that lightly.” Decisions on affected roles are expected to begin next calendar year and beyond.
Lululemon and On Holding Hold Their Ground
Lululemon stock is down 54% year to date, a slide that deepened after the company cut its full-year guidance in September. During the earnings call, Lululemon executives traced the company’s weakness to brand sentiment and traffic, stating, “We’re not pointing to macro specifically as a key issue.” That framing helps explain why Nike’s warning leaves Lululemon steady.
On Holding stock is down 35% year to date, yet its recent results look far healthier than Nike’s. Net sales rose 13.5% in the latest quarter, while gross margin expanded to 65.4%, moving management to lift its full-year floor to at least 65%. That momentum gives it little reason to track Nike lower.
Dick’s Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) offers a retail-channel read. In August, the retailer’s chief executive cited “growing pressure across portions of the athletic footwear and apparel marketplace,” while Dick’s executives described running and performance product as healthy. Nike’s call reflected that split, with its performance business growing at a high-single-digit pace as Nike Sportswear declined by a low-double-digit percentage.
Nike’s Investor Day Shapes the Next Move
Nike stock is now down 48% year to date. Hill stated that Nike has “more work to do in NIKE Sportswear, Jordan Brand and Greater China,” and management expects pressure there could remain into fiscal 2028. More detail on Pace and longer-term targets is due at its investor day in November.
Nike still has supports, including its performance business, wider gross margin and quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share, though the dividend offers limited buffer in a multiyear turnaround. Investors should size holdings carefully given falling revenue guidance and Pace savings that mostly arrive in fiscal 2029 and 2030.
Lululemon shareholders should weigh the company’s lowered full-year outlook, which calls for revenue to fall 5% to 7%. On Holding looks stronger, though Section 301 tariffs imposed in July could lift costs, so stakes there may warrant moderation. Dick’s remains a useful channel check on how quickly Nike’s lifestyle inventory sells.
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