'Risks are rising' for Nike's turnaround, Bank of America says. Sell shares now

Cnbc · 🇺🇸 public United States · Sep 25, 2026 · 370 words · By Liz Napolitano

Corporate Performance Financial Market Analysis

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What to know about Corporate Performance

Nike faces a risky path to turning around its struggling business, so investors should sell their shares, according to Bank of America.

Claims checked 7

Techniques found 1

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

1 source compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Nike faces a risky path to turning around its struggling business, so investors should sell their shares, according to Bank of America.

Why it matters

The investment bank downgraded the sportswear stock to underperform from neutral.

Common ground

It also lowered its price target on shares to $30 from $47, implying nearly 17% downside from Thursday's close.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Corporate Performance story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that It also lowered its price target on shares to $30 from $47?
How does this story connect Corporate Performance with Financial Market Analysis over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/25/risks-are-rising-for-nikes-turnaround-bank-of-am…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 70% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 7 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 3

check_circle Corroborated 2

verified Verified By Reference 2

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Claim 1: “It also lowered its price target on shares to $30 from $47”

SINGLE SOURCE

While there is evidence of price target cuts for Nike, the specific move from $47 to $30 by Bank of America is not explicitly corroborated by the provided evidence. One source mentions Goldman Sachs lowering a target to $30, and another mentions BofA cutting a target to $24 from $30, which contradicts the specific numbers in the claim.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — American Express Company (Amex) is an American bank holding company and multinational financial services corporation that specializes in payment cards. It is headquartered at 200 Vesey Street, also kn…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Express

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Bank of America Corporation (Bank of America; often abbreviated BAC, BofA, or, less commonly, BOA) is an American multinational bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Ban…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_America

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Nike, Inc. is an American athletic footwear and apparel corporation headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon. It is the world's largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of s…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike,_Inc.

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “She also lowered her estimates for Nike's fiscal 2027 and 2028 earnings per share by 11% and 12%, respectively.”

CORROBORATED

Two independent sources confirm the EPS estimate cuts. Benzinga explicitly mentions BofA lowered FY2027 and FY2028 EPS estimates by 11% and 12% respectively, and TheStreet confirms the analyst involved was Lorraine Hutchinson.

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web search NEUTRAL — Earnings Estimates Cut. BofA lowered its fiscal 2027 and fiscal 2028 EPS estimates by 11% and 12%, respectively and now projects negative sales growth through fiscal 2027, compared with its prior expe…
https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/price-target/…

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web search NEUTRAL — Bank of America analyst Lorraine Hutchinson cut her price target to $24 from $30 and reiterated an Underperform rating in her report, titled “Another reset.”
https://www.thestreet.com/retail/nike-oversupplies-jordan-sn…

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web search NEUTRAL — Target Corp. analyst estimates, including TGT earnings per share estimates and analyst recommendations.
https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/TGT/analystestim…

verified

Claim 3: “Shares of Nike have fallen 47% over the past year”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence contains general stock quotes and unrelated search results (Garmin dash cams, music), but no specific data confirming a 47% drop in Nike shares over the past year.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Nike Cortez is the first running shoe released by Nike in 1972, and is therefore thought to be a significant aspect to the success of the company. The Cortez was first designed by Nike co-founder …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike_Cortez

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Nike Skateboarding, primarily known as Nike SB, is the Nike brand for its line of shoes, clothing, and equipment for skateboarding. Nike Skateboarding won the 2020 Webby People's Voice Award for Best …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike_Skateboarding

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “The investment bank downgraded the sportswear stock to underperform from neutral.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm Bank of America (BofA) downgraded Nike. One source explicitly mentions 'Nike downgraded by BofA', and another mentions BofA reiterated an 'Underperform' rating.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “five analysts downgrading the stock since the beginning of August.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The claim that five analysts have downgraded the stock since the beginning of August is explicitly stated in one web search result from a Bank of America report summary.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following is a list of Nike missile sites operated by the United States Army. This article lists sites in the United States, most responsible to Army Air Defense Command; however, the Army also de…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nike_missile_sites

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Nike, Inc. has been using sweatshops and worker abuse to produce footwear and apparel in East Asia. After rising prices and the increasing cost of labor in Korean and Taiwanese factories, Nike began c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike_sweatshops

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 6: “Of the 44 analysts covering Nike, 26 have a hold rating, LSEG data shows.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific LSEG data stating 26 out of 44 analysts have a hold rating is explicitly mentioned in one source.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Wall Street has soured on Nike, with five analysts downgrading the stock since the beginning of August. Of the 44 analysts covering Nike, 26 have a hold rating, LSEG data shows.
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/25/risks-are-rising-for-nikes-t…

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web search NEUTRAL — Analysts cautioned Nike's negative update could mean that margin pressure across the broader retail sector was likely to be worse than feared.The average stock rating of 36 brokerages covering Nike is…
https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3904911/nike-slumps-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Nike is expected to report that net profit fell for the sixth straight quarter in the three months ended November 30, more than halving to US$562.35 million, according to LSEG data.
https://insideretail.com.au/sectors/big-marketing-push-by-ni…

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Claim 7: “The dividend payout ratio is over 100%”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The search results for this claim returned irrelevant content (Reddit threads about NSFW and Iranian forums) and general Nike Wikipedia entries. No financial data regarding the dividend payout ratio was provided.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Swoosh is the logo of American sportswear designer and retailer Nike. It is one of the most recognizable brand logos in the world, and among the most valuable. As of 2025, the Nike brand was worth…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swoosh

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Nike often refers to: Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory Nike may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike

+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.