NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 03:06 ET — Market closed
- Nike shares ended the last session of 2025 up about 4%, outpacing a broader market decline.
- CEO Elliott Hill disclosed an open-market purchase of about $1 million in stock in an SEC filing.
- Traders now focus on margins, China demand and the next earnings catalyst as markets reopen.
Nike (NKE) shares ended Wednesday up 4.1% at $63.71 after Chief Executive Elliott Hill disclosed an open-market purchase of 16,388 Class B shares at about $61.10 each, a regulatory filing showed. Under Armour’s two U.S.-listed share classes fell about 3% in the same session. MarketWatch+1
The move came in thin year-end trading as Wall Street closed out 2025 lower, a backdrop that can magnify stock-specific catalysts. Reuters data showed U.S. exchanges saw lighter-than-usual volumes in the holiday-shortened week. Reuters
Why this matters now: Nike is trying to rebuild momentum after a period of margin pressure and uneven demand, and insider buying is often read as a confidence signal. In its latest quarterly report, Nike said gross margin fell 300 basis points to 40.6% and NIKE Direct — sales through its own stores and websites — declined, while wholesale revenue rose; inventories fell 3% to $7.7 billion. “NIKE is in the middle innings of our comeback,” Hill said. Nike Investors
Hill’s purchase adds to a recent run of insider buying at Nike. A Form 4 filing for board member Tim Cook showed purchases priced at a weighted average of about $58.97, with transactions in a narrow range around that level. SEC
A Form 4 is the SEC disclosure insiders use to report trades in their company’s stock, usually within a couple of business days. The filing does not explain the motive, but open-market buys can carry weight because the executive is spending personal funds.
Still, investors have been quick to demand hard evidence that the turnaround is translating into steadier revenue and improving profitability. Traders are watching whether NIKE Direct stabilizes and whether wholesale gains can offset ongoing softness in parts of the international business.
The recent chart shows why the timing matters. Nike closed at $57.22 on Dec. 22 after trading as low as $57.14 that day; Wednesday’s close puts the stock up roughly 11% from that late-December trough. Yahoo Finance
U.S. stock markets are closed on Thursday for New Year’s Day and reopen on Friday, meaning the next chance for fresh price discovery comes in the next regular session. MarketWatch
Before that reopen, macro catalysts sit close behind. The U.S. Employment Situation report for December 2025 is scheduled for Jan. 9, and the Federal Reserve’s next policy meeting is set for Jan. 27–28, events that can shift rate expectations and consumer-stock valuations. Bureau of Labor Statistics+1
For Nike specifically, the next earnings date is not yet confirmed by the company, but market calendars point to a mid-March release window. MarketBeat lists an estimated earnings date of March 19, 2026, based on prior reporting patterns. MarketBeat
In the meantime, technicians will likely keep an eye on the $57 area as a reference point after the Dec. 22 low, with the $60 level now a psychological line and the mid-$60s a zone where the stock traded earlier in December.
