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Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights: NIKE and Target
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For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – July 2, 2025– Today, Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights NIKE (NKE - Free Report) and Target (TGT - Free Report) .
Is It Time for NIKE and Target to Shine Again?
A couple popular stocks, NIKE and Target have faced notable pressure over recent years, underperforming in a big way and regularly posting weaker-than-expected results.
Both companies have faced issues concerning inventory, with Target's more-discretionary merchandise facing big pressure post-COVID. Target saw a huge wave of growth during the lockdown period when consumers were spending heavily on the category, but that has since disappeared.
NIKE has faced similar issues, with the stock's tariff exposure not helping sentiment either in 2025. The company has largely been unable to capture consumers' wants, helping further explain NKE's recent struggles.
But with both stocks showing life over the past month, it raises a valid question – is it time for these beaten-down stocks to finally shine again?
Nike Shares Bounce
Weak quarterly results, stemming from soft demand for its products, have been a major thorn in NKE's side for multiple periods now, regularly dragging down sentiment. The tariff situation also remains cloudy, another negative force impacting performance.
Positive commentary surrounding upcoming periods was enough for the stock to enjoy a nice pop post-earnings following its latest release, but results were primarily soft. Sales of $11.1 billion throughout the period fell 12% YoY, whereas its gross margin contracted to 40.3% vs. 44.7% in the same period last year.
CFO Matthew Friend stated –
"The fourth quarter reflected the largest financial impact from our Win Now actions, and we expect the headwinds to moderate from here. I am confident in our ability to navigate through this current dynamic and uncertain environment by focusing on what we can control and executing our Win Now actions."
Moderating headwinds in the coming periods help explain the surge post-earnings, essentially letting us know that the worst could be over. The company's EPS outlook remains negative across the board, with further downward revisions hitting the tape following the release.
While the recent commentary surrounding upcoming periods is undoubtedly a positive for the stock, the near-term EPS outlook remains bearish, with investors likely better off waiting until positive revisions begin rolling in.
Target Makes Leadership Changes
Quarterly results from Target have regularly disappointed over recent years, with the company's more 'discretionary' inventory being a major thorn in the side in the post-COVID era. Comparable store sales decreased 3.8% YoY throughout its latest period, continuing the recent trend.
While its retail stores may not be seeing growth, its digital efforts certainly can't get overlooked. Digital comparable sales grew 4.7% YoY in its latest period paired with a 36% increase in same-day delivery through Target Circle 360.
It's critical to note that TGT announced the establishment of a multi-year acceleration office in the release along with several leadership changes, with the effort aimed at enabling faster decisions and execution of its core strategic initiatives in support of a return to growth.
Analysts have remained bearish in their EPS outlooks, however, with downward revisions present across the board.
Bottom Line
Both stocks above have faced big pressure over recent years, well off all-time highs. Weak quarterly results, stemming from less-than-ideal product assortments for their consumers, have been a major driving force behind their struggles.
While the recent positivity in shares is certainly notable following the multi-year long plunges, the reality remains that both companies face a challenging environment, reflected by analysts' downward EPS revisions. Positive EPS revisions are key to signal a bullish turnaround.
Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?
Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.
Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
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Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights: NIKE and Target
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – July 2, 2025– Today, Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights NIKE (NKE - Free Report) and Target (TGT - Free Report) .
Is It Time for NIKE and Target to Shine Again?
A couple popular stocks, NIKE and Target have faced notable pressure over recent years, underperforming in a big way and regularly posting weaker-than-expected results.
Both companies have faced issues concerning inventory, with Target's more-discretionary merchandise facing big pressure post-COVID. Target saw a huge wave of growth during the lockdown period when consumers were spending heavily on the category, but that has since disappeared.
NIKE has faced similar issues, with the stock's tariff exposure not helping sentiment either in 2025. The company has largely been unable to capture consumers' wants, helping further explain NKE's recent struggles.
But with both stocks showing life over the past month, it raises a valid question – is it time for these beaten-down stocks to finally shine again?
Nike Shares Bounce
Weak quarterly results, stemming from soft demand for its products, have been a major thorn in NKE's side for multiple periods now, regularly dragging down sentiment. The tariff situation also remains cloudy, another negative force impacting performance.
Positive commentary surrounding upcoming periods was enough for the stock to enjoy a nice pop post-earnings following its latest release, but results were primarily soft. Sales of $11.1 billion throughout the period fell 12% YoY, whereas its gross margin contracted to 40.3% vs. 44.7% in the same period last year.
CFO Matthew Friend stated –
"The fourth quarter reflected the largest financial impact from our Win Now actions, and we expect the headwinds to moderate from here. I am confident in our ability to navigate through this current dynamic and uncertain environment by focusing on what we can control and executing our Win Now actions."
Moderating headwinds in the coming periods help explain the surge post-earnings, essentially letting us know that the worst could be over. The company's EPS outlook remains negative across the board, with further downward revisions hitting the tape following the release.
While the recent commentary surrounding upcoming periods is undoubtedly a positive for the stock, the near-term EPS outlook remains bearish, with investors likely better off waiting until positive revisions begin rolling in.
Target Makes Leadership Changes
Quarterly results from Target have regularly disappointed over recent years, with the company's more 'discretionary' inventory being a major thorn in the side in the post-COVID era. Comparable store sales decreased 3.8% YoY throughout its latest period, continuing the recent trend.
While its retail stores may not be seeing growth, its digital efforts certainly can't get overlooked. Digital comparable sales grew 4.7% YoY in its latest period paired with a 36% increase in same-day delivery through Target Circle 360.
It's critical to note that TGT announced the establishment of a multi-year acceleration office in the release along with several leadership changes, with the effort aimed at enabling faster decisions and execution of its core strategic initiatives in support of a return to growth.
Analysts have remained bearish in their EPS outlooks, however, with downward revisions present across the board.
Bottom Line
Both stocks above have faced big pressure over recent years, well off all-time highs. Weak quarterly results, stemming from less-than-ideal product assortments for their consumers, have been a major driving force behind their struggles.
While the recent positivity in shares is certainly notable following the multi-year long plunges, the reality remains that both companies face a challenging environment, reflected by analysts' downward EPS revisions. Positive EPS revisions are key to signal a bullish turnaround.
Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?
Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.
Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.
See Stocks Free >>
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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.