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Nike Inc. is facing supply-chain hurdles, cotton-price inflation and other challenges, but Goldman Sachs analysts say now is the time to buy the stock.
Goldman initiated coverage of Nike
NKE,
with a buy rating and a 12-month price target of $172 in a note published Tuesday.
“Currently, Nike is facing more macro headwinds … than it has in some time,” wrote analysts led by Kate McShane. But they believe Nike is well-positioned to navigate the headwinds and emerge in an relatively stronger position.
Some past instances of Nike underperformance of the S&P 500 index
SPX,
include a period in 2015 and 2016 when sales of Adidas AG’s
ADS,
Stan Smith shoes soared and Nike struggled to compete, and Sports Authority went bankrupt, leaving a ton of merchandise on the market. The stock was back at record heights in January 2018.
See: Newly public On Holding is following in New Balance’s footsteps, in Baird’s view
Also: Levi Strauss diversified its supply chain a long time ago and says it’s now reaping the rewards
Now, Nike is facing problems tied to COVID-19, with manufacturing in Vietnam stalled by facility shutdowns, and the soaring price of cotton, which Goldman analysts say was up 45% on a year-over-year basis in August. Apparel is big business for Nike, and high cotton prices could hurt gross margins.
Moreover, Goldman says there has been backlash against American brands in China, with analysts seeing a drop-off in downloads of the SNKRS app, though sentiment could be slowly improving.
Nike’s stock has fallen about 11.2% from its Aug. 5 record close of $173.85 but was still up 10.5% so far this year. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 index
SPX,
has gained 16.2% to date in 2021 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average
DJIA,
has climbed 12.3%.
“[W]e think there could still be upside to the stock as Nike will likely benefit from more customers focusing on wellness, a likely increased casualization of fashion trends post the pandemic, continued execution of the company’s differentiated retail strategy which should drive stronger sales and margins, the leveraging of its rich customer data and suite of apps to drive membership and demand globally, and as supply/demand remains extremely tight; limiting promotions,” Goldman wrote.
Analysts highlight the 300 million SNKRS app members, the company’s millions of fans on social media and the length of time that a Nike shoe stays in style, in part because of the technology that goes into the merchandise.
A pair of women’s Dunks, released in September.
Nike
“The Dunks were originally released in 1985, making them a somewhat vintage style of shoe,” the note said.
“Despite this, we have seen the Dunks popularity skyrocket in recent years, suggesting a kind of timeless, nostalgic interest in certain Nike platforms, driving engagement from sneaker fans decades after the shoes originally came out.”
Goldman also expects growth from the Jordan brand, in the women’s business and in Nike direct-to-consumer initiatives.
“By consistently bringing new and creative sneaker technology to the market, Nike has produced differentiated products that set them apart from competing brands, which we believe helps drive customer loyalty and supports pricing power,” analysts said.
Nike is scheduled to report its second-fiscal-quarter earnings on Dec. 23, according to FactSet.
