Why should I trade Nike shares?

You probably know Nike and their iconic swish logo. You might even own a pair of their athletic shoes or some of their apparel. Many people all around the world do. So why not trade in their stock too? As one of the best-known global brands, Nike shares are a good way to speculate on global fashion trends, and potentially profit from them as well. Plus, Nike shares have been very good at trending higher over the years, making the stock an attractive target for traders of all types.

Is Nike the best sports apparel stock for trading?

Nike is definitely one of the better apparel stocks for trading, and at times it can even be considered the best. As market conditions and the fortunes of various companies change so do the best stocks for trading. At times Nike may be trending strongly, making it a best choice for traders who use a trend following or momentum strategy. At other times the stock may be moving sideways in consolidation, and there are traders who can take advantage of this sideways market and find the stock to be best at these times. Either way, Nike shares are a good choice for traders of all stripes.

What’s the best strategy for trading Nike shares?

Because Nike tends to spend most of its time in a trend, the best strategy for trading the stock is any trend following or momentum-based strategy. That does mean there are times you will need to remain on the side-lines with Nike, as it can turn sideways in consolidation from time to time, but the majority of the time is spent trending. There’s also the opportunity for traders to use a strategy that depends on trading off bounces when the stock pulls back during an uptrend. This can also be a very successful and potentially profitable strategy for traders of all types.

Nike

Trade Nike Stocks

Headquartered in Oregon, Washington, Nike stock was founded on the 25^th of January 1964 by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman. While the company has now grown to virtually become the world’s largest sports apparel and equipment seller, it started simply as one man’s dream for better shoes. Phil Knight had seen how Japanese cameras (Nikon and Canon) had replaced their German counterparts in the US and imagined the same scenario for the then-dominant German shoes, Adidas and Puma. In a visit to Japan, Phil met shoemaker, Onitsuka Tiger, and they formed a hypothetical company, Blue Ribbon Sports, which landed an exclusive agreement to distribute the Tiger Japanese shoes in the US. Phil, together with his co-founder Bill, later incorporated Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS) and started aggressively distributing Tiger shoes in the US.

By 1971, BRS broke up with Onitsuka Tiger and sought to set its own production line with independent contractors. It was the same year that the Nike name and the trademark ‘swoosh’ logo would be introduced, just in time for the 1972 Munich Olympics. The name Nike is a reference to the ancient Greek goddess of Victory, and in 1972, the company made its first steps towards international success and recognition. A series of strategic marketing and international expansion campaigns catapulted Nike to become the world’s biggest seller of athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories and services.

Some of their memorable marketing messages include: ‘Your limit is only you’; ‘If you have a body, you are an athlete’; ‘Train insane or remain the same’; ‘Pain is temporary, victory is eternal’; and the latest, ‘Just Do It’. Nike now operates in 6 key regions: North America, Western Europe, Central & Eastern Europe, Greater China, Japan and Emerging Markets; and its product portfolio is categorised into nine groups: Running, Men’s Training, Women’s Training, NIKE Basketball, the Jordan Brand, Football (Soccer), Action Sports, Sportswear and Golf. Nike held its IPO on the 12^th of December 1980, listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), where it trades under the ticker symbol NKE.

Create Account or Continue with Demo

Mergers and Acquisitions

Nike has maintained an active portfolio throughout its existence, making key acquisitions and divestitures in the process. Its major buys include: Converse ($305 million), a rad sneakers and apparel maker; Hurley International, a surf apparel maker; Celect, a cloud-based predictive analytics platform; and TraceMe, a sports technology company.

Its major divestitures include: Umbro, a sportswear and football equipment supplier; and Starter, a throwback sportswear manufacturer.

Nike Stock History

Nike went public with a price of $23 per share, and the company has had 7 stock splits since then as follows: 2-for-1 on the 7^th of January 1983; 8^th of October 1990; 31^st of October 1995; 2-for-1 on the 24^th of October 1996; 2-for-1 on the 3^rd of April 1997; 2-for-1 on the 26^th December 2012; and 2-for-1 on the 24^th of December 2015. When adjusted for splits, Nike’s IPO price was $0.18 per share.

Nike’s price chart shows a stock that has seemingly been in eternal growth, extracting great value for its long-term investors. The stock first broke above the split-adjusted price of $10 in September 2004, embarking on a rally that printed a temporary high of circa $17 by April 2008. The trickle effects of the Great Recession welcomed the lows of circa $10 by February 2009 before the stock turned higher. The subsequent economic recovery pushed the stock to break the $20 barrier by October 2010. A multi-year rally followed that drove the stock to highs of just below $70 by November 2015, before a retracement occurred to circa $50 in November 2016. The stock has traded higher since, managing to print its all-time high of $97 in October 2019.

Nike Dividends

Nike has been a generous dividend payer. The company started paying quarterly dividends in 1984 and has increased its payouts consistently since 2004 to the current 0.22 per share in 2019. This is a clear demonstration of the success of its business, as well as the company’s commitment to increasing shareholder value.

More investors nowadays are willing to forego dividends for bigger capital gains through high stock growth. But dividends remain a distinct quality of mature, profitable companies. Nike, though, remains a high growth and dividend-paying stock that has proven its ability to provide long term returns as well as be a consistent provider of short-term income to investors. For investors that wish to gain even bigger returns, Nike also offers a dividend reinvestment plan.

Trading Nike Stocks

Here is what to consider when trading the high-value Nike stock:

Tariffs and Trade Agreements

Nike contracts with multiple manufacturers and has retail stores in different places around the world. This means that its bottom line remains exposed to even small tariffs and trade agreements in different jurisdictions.

Legislative or Taxation Policy

Nike operates in an industry that is largely labor intensive. This means that it is a target of various legislative and taxation threats. There is also the danger of counterfeit, cheap products that Nike undoubtedly requires active legislation to curb.

Competitor Performance

The high and fast shoe and apparel industry is becoming increasingly crowded. Major competitors such as Adidas, Under Armour, and Puma, are not resting on their laurels to displace Nike from its envious top position. Nike is also actively entering the fitness technology space, which will pit it against tech giants such as Apple and Samsung.

New Product Rollout

Trends shift dynamically in the high and fast apparel industry. Nike has previously been boosted by successful new product launches in the past, such as the Air Jordan brand. New product releases have a direct impact on the performance of Nike stock.

Periodical Earnings Reports

The Nike fiscal year runs from January to December, and the company releases quarterly reports that show the business health of the company. Nike investors should assess the performance of the company in the key segments it operates in. Strong numbers will trigger demand for the stock, while weak numbers will always provide headwinds.

Why Trade Nike on AvaTrade

Trade Nike on the new and advanced AvaTrade MetaTrader 5 (MT5) trading platform and take advantage of the following:

More Assets
Trade numerous other financial assets alongside Nike and other stocks. The other types of assets available on the MetaTrader 5 platform include currency pairs (forex trading) such as the EURUSD, commodities such as crude oil and gold, indices such as the Dow Jones, futures, bonds, energies, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies.
Multiple Order Types
You can place traditional buy/sell orders on Nike on the MetaTrader 5 platform, but there are 6 other pending order types (buy stop, sell stop, buy limit, sell limit, buy stop limit and sell stop limit) to help you take advantage of even more opportunities on the stock’s price action.
Comprehensive Analysis Tools
As of October 2019, Nike stock has been in a steady uptrend, and the AvaTrade MT5 platform has numerous technical analysis tools (21 timeframes, 38 technical indicators and 44 graphical objects) that can help you capture optimal entry points in the direction of the trend. There are also fundamental tools and resources, such as the Economic Calendar and an integrated Financial News widget, to help you take advantage of important Nike news, such as earnings reports and new product introductions.
Hedging and Netting Allowed
MetaTrader allows hedging and netting. As of the third quarter of 2019, Nike is an appreciating stock, but traders can hedge against retracement losses by opening simultaneous opposite trades. Netting allows traders to add on to their profitable Nike positions, or decrease the position size of their losing trades.
Leveraged Trading
Trade Nike stock on the MT5 platform with leverage of 10:1. This means that a $1,000 Nike position can be placed with a margin capital of only $100.
Automated Trading Solutions
MetaTrader 5 supports the use of automated trading solutions when trading Nike or other available financial assets. Take advantage of the automated trading services and resources such as MetaEditor, Multi-threaded Strategy Tester and the entire MQL5 community.

Open an AvaTrade account and start trading Nike stock CFDs Today!

Create Account or Continue with Demo

Nike Stock FAQ

Why should I trade Nike shares?
You probably know Nike and their iconic swish logo. You might even own a pair of their athletic shoes or some of their apparel. Many people all around the world do. So why not trade in their stock too? As one of the best-known global brands, Nike shares are a good way to speculate on global fashion trends, and potentially profit from them as well. Plus, Nike shares have been very good at trending higher over the years, making the stock an attractive target for traders of all types.
Is Nike the best sports apparel stock for trading?
Nike is definitely one of the better apparel stocks for trading, and at times it can even be considered the best. As market conditions and the fortunes of various companies change so do the best stocks for trading. At times Nike may be trending strongly, making it a best choice for traders who use a trend following or momentum strategy. At other times the stock may be moving sideways in consolidation, and there are traders who can take advantage of this sideways market and find the stock to be best at these times. Either way, Nike shares are a good choice for traders of all stripes.
What’s the best strategy for trading Nike shares?
Because Nike tends to spend most of its time in a trend, the best strategy for trading the stock is any trend following or momentum-based strategy. That does mean there are times you will need to remain on the side-lines with Nike, as it can turn sideways in consolidation from time to time, but the majority of the time is spent trending. There’s also the opportunity for traders to use a strategy that depends on trading off bounces when the stock pulls back during an uptrend. This can also be a very successful and potentially profitable strategy for traders of all types.