The announcement that Nike Inc (NYSE: NKE) is bringing in Elliot Hill as the new CEO could be a positive change given his experience and company tenure, but it raises questions about the company's strategy for a turnaround and plans to return to revenue growth.
The Nike Analysts:
- Piper Sandler analyst Anna Andreeva maintained a Neutral rating with a $80 price target.
- KeyBanc analyst Ashley Owens maintained a Sector Weight rating with no price target.
- Stifel analyst Jim Duffy maintained a Hold rating with a $79 price target.
- BMO analyst Simeon Siegel reiterated an Outperform rating with a $92 price target.
- Truist analyst Joseph Cirello maintained a Hold rating and raised the price target from $81 to $85.
- RBC Capital analyst Piral Dadhania maintained a Sector Perform rating with a $75 price target.
- JPMorgan analyst Matthew Boss maintained a Neutral rating with an $83 price target.
"This removes an overhang in leadership and creates a potentially interesting setup with the Investor Day in November," Andreeva said.
The analyst said that the announcement came sooner than expected, adding that a CEO with deep company experience could positively impact the company culture.
While the news is positive for the stock, Andreeva said Nike could stay "range-bound" until more color is provided on the company's new strategy.
KeyBanc on NKE: With a combined 32 years of experience in various roles at Nike, Hill could play a key role in driving growth at the company, Owens said.
"We view Hill's longstanding connection with the company and expertise within the marketing scope as encouraging, as NKE examines reinvigorating brand storytelling," Owens said.
Stifel on NKE: Bringing back a long-time Nike insider is viewed as a positive by Duffy.
"Recent underperformance is a direct result of losing focus on what has made Nike great for so many years," Duffy said. "Under Mr. Hill's leadership, we hope to see a revitalization of the Nike culture and a renaissance in innovation and design."
The analyst warns that changing CEOs can reset financial forecasts, trigger periods of product revitalization, and potentially lead to additional management changes.
Duffy added that timing the change ahead of Nike's November Investor Day is "purposefully" planned and could offer a clearer view of the company's future direction.
BMO Capital on NKE: The hiring of Hill could bring an immediate morale boost to Nike thanks to being well-liked by employees and retail partners, Siegel said in a new investor note.
The analyst said that CEO changes often take time to yield results, but Hill could help Nike regain success in areas such as product development and marketing.
"A new CEO changes the dynamic for the upcoming analyst day and we believe breathes new life and hope into a semi-abandoned blue-chip company in an environment where investors are looking for exactly that," Siegel said.
Truist on NKE: Cirello cautions that the near-term upside for Nike could be limited after shares jumped on news of Hill's hiring.
The analyst said shares trade at price to earnings multiples of 25X or higher for fiscal year 2025 and 2026 estimates, "despite no projected revenue growth."
A leadership change could offer a better chance at a turnaround, but could be a long process, Cirello added.
"We view the move as a step in the right direction that can help reinvigorate the brand and improve sentiment on the stock, given that Mr. Hill is very well-respected and knows the business well from his 32-year Nike tenure," Cirello said.
Cirello said there could be "a long road ahead with a lot of potential bumps in the road."
RBC Capital on NKE: Given the recent struggles in share price, the announcement of a new CEO at Nike is a welcome development, Dadhania said in a recent investor note.
"Nike CEO change is unlikely to surprise the market, given investor discontent with the overall management and direction of the business in recent years, as well as increasing competition from newer players and incumbents," Dadhania said.
The analyst said Hill understands Nike's history, Nike's culture and the sportswear market, which could be a winning combination.
"We think this was the icing on the cake that the Nike bulls have been waiting for."
Goldman Sachs on NKE: Roach said in a note Thursday that Hill's background with Nike could be a key strength in helping with the company's turnaround.
"We are encouraged by today's announcement and are pleased that NKE's next CEO has a deep-rooted understanding of NKE culture, storytelling, and marketplace," Roach said.
Hill's comment on looking forward to delivering bold and innovative products caught the attention of the analyst and could be a positive ahead of the Investor Day.
"We look for initial thoughts from Mr. Hill regarding his initial priorities and an articulation of the updated NKE strategy, including channel and marketplace, innovation, demand creation, and opportunities to accelerate momentum in a competitive marketplace."
JPMorgan on NKE: Elliott's expertise and leadership style were credited with winning the CEO job, Boss said.
The analyst highlighted Nike's history with long-tenured managers as part of "the old guard."
"This represents a shift back to a seasoned Nike veteran as CEO with Hill having spent more than 32 years at Nike in various leadership roles, akin to Chairman and former CEO Mark Parker's resume of spending 27 years at Nike prior to his CEO appointment in 2006," Boss said.
Parker helped Nike produce high-single-digit revenue growth and mid-teens earnings per share growth, the analyst added.
NKE Price Action: Nike shares are up 6% to $86.17 on Friday versus a 52-week trading range of $70.75 to $123.39. Nike stock is down 19% year-to-date in 2024.