Nike (NKE) Q1 2026 earnings

Nike on Tuesday posted shock gross sales progress in its fiscal first quarter, however the sneaker big nonetheless has work forward to execute its turnaround.

The corporate mentioned income rose 1% within the three months ended Aug. 31, after beforehand saying it anticipated gross sales would fall by a mid-single digit share within the interval.

Nonetheless, Nike’s earnings fell 31% whereas gross margin dropped 3.2 share factors to 42.2% through the quarter — a warning signal to traders that its efforts to clear by means of previous stock are nonetheless ongoing.

In a press launch, finance chief Matt Good friend warned that “progress is not going to be linear.”

“I am inspired by the momentum we generated within the quarter, however progress is not going to be linear as dimensions of our enterprise get well on completely different timelines,” mentioned Good friend. “Whereas we navigate a number of exterior headwinds, our groups are targeted on executing in opposition to what we will management.”

This is how Nike carried out through the quarter in contrast with what Wall Road was anticipating, in line with consensus estimates from LSEG:

• Earnings per share: 49 cents vs. 27 cents anticipated
• Income: $11.72 billion vs. $11.0 billion anticipated

Nike’s reported internet revenue for the interval was $727 million, or 49 cents per share, in contrast with earnings of $1.05 billion, or 70 cents per share, within the year-ago quarter.

Gross sales rose to $11.72 billion, up about 1% from $11.59 billion a 12 months earlier.

In a press release, CEO Elliott Hill mentioned the corporate is making strides in three key areas: wholesale, working and North America. Throughout the quarter, wholesale income rose 7 to about $6.8 billion%, whereas gross sales in North America climbed 4% to $5.02 billion — higher than the $4.55 billion analysts had been anticipating, in line with StreetAccount.

Nevertheless, past these three areas, Hill acknowledged components of the enterprise are nonetheless struggling.

“Whereas we’re getting wins underneath our belt, we nonetheless have work forward to get all sports activities, geographies, and channels on an analogous path as we handle a dynamic working setting,” mentioned Hill.

Throughout the quarter, Nike direct gross sales fell 4% to about $4.5 billion. Income in China — one of many firm’s most vital markets — was down 9%.

Since Hill took over almost a 12 months in the past, he is been working to get Nike again to progress and undo among the work his predecessor John Donahoe applied. One of the crucial vital components of that technique has been reigniting Nike’s innovation engine and clearing by means of stale stock to make method for brand spanking new kinds.

Although the technique is essential to Nike’s efforts to develop once more and take again market share, it comes with ache within the brief time period. Clearing out previous stock has required Nike to depend on discounting and fewer worthwhile gross sales channels to maneuver merchandise, which has impacted its profitability.

Throughout the quarter, inventories had been down 2% in comparison with the prior 12 months as models decreased, which was offset by elevated product prices associated to larger tariffs.

Forward of Nike’s launch, traders had been searching for any clues into how these efforts are going and the way for much longer they’re going to take. The corporate was anticipated to supply extra perception into its progress throughout a convention name with analysts at 5 p.m. ET.

Past stock administration, Hill has additionally pledged to realign Nike’s company construction so it could as soon as once more phase groups by sport as an alternative of by ladies’s, males’s and youngsters. In late August, the corporate began shuffling groups. As a part of the restructuring, Nike mentioned it could lower round 1% of its employees, and most staff can be moved into new roles by Sept. 21. 

Hill has mentioned a deal with sports activities over life-style will assist the corporate win again its essential athlete shopper, however life-style merchandise remains to be an vital a part of the technique as a result of it permits Nike to succeed in a bigger shopper phase, and extra ladies. Rising the variety of feminine prospects has been one other vital a part of Hill’s technique and Nike’s current partnership with Kim Kardashian’s shapewear model Skims is without doubt one of the methods it is getting there.

NikeSKIMS, initially slated to launch within the spring, formally launched final week. Traders can be looking for shade on how the brand new model is performing and the way it might have an effect on gross sales.

This story is growing. Please verify again for updates.