New York, February 21, 2026, 14:33 (EST) — Market’s final bell has sounded.
- Nike shares slipped 0.3% by Friday’s close, whipsawing earlier as tariffs dominated the session.
- The U.S. Supreme Court tossed out Trump’s emergency tariff plan. In response, Trump pushed to roll out a temporary 15% tariff on imports worldwide.
- Investors are looking for answers on refunds, Nike’s March earnings, and what the next tariff move will be.
Nike Inc (NKE) slipped 0.32% to finish Friday at $65.40, bouncing between $68.49 and $63.33 during the session. The week wrapped up with shares under pressure, as traders digested a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned President Donald Trump’s sweeping emergency tariffs. (Yahoo Finance)
For Nike, the stakes are direct. Its footwear and clothing depend on a worldwide supply chain, so tariffs hit costs head-on. Shift the tariff numbers and suddenly the whole debate on margins, price tags, and what shoppers will tolerate gets upended.
The policy outlook took another turn Saturday. After the court decision, Trump announced plans to bump the temporary tariff on all U.S. imports from 10% to 15%, this time leaning on Section 122—a move that only sticks for 150 days unless Congress steps in to keep it going. “While the initial reaction is up, the confusion it’s going to lead to is probably going to keep this market going back and forth,” said Rick Meckler, partner at Cherry Lane Investments. (Reuters)
Refunds are where things get interesting. Economists at the Penn-Wharton Budget Model put the potential refund tally at over $175 billion in U.S. tariff collections following the Supreme Court’s decision. “Their ruling today clearly does open that door for those refunds to be demanded,” PWBM director Kent Smetters said to Reuters. (Reuters)
Industry groups urged policymakers to steady the ship. “Now is the time to restore a predictable and dependable trade policy,” said Steve Lamar, chief executive of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. Lamar flagged the sector’s already hefty tariff load. (Reuters)
Nike shares took a hit, sliding roughly 3% Friday afternoon, but clawed back most of that loss before the bell. The stock’s swing dragged on the Dow as well—Nike counts among the index’s 30 names. (MarketWatch)
Action in athletic apparel stocks was mixed. Lululemon gained 2.42%, with Under Armour up 5.21% on Friday, but Nike slipped, despite both the S&P 500 and the Dow posting gains. (MarketWatch)
Traders go into Monday looking for fresh tariff signals out of Washington, plus specifics on the refund process: who files, who collects, and the timeline. Mechanics like that are crucial for importers, but headlines usually move the market before details land.
Nike’s next earnings are just around the corner, set for March 19, per Investing.com. The focus: what management will say on pricing, inventory levels, and demand, all while import costs keep moving. (Investing.com)
The risks are clear enough. Should the new tariffs remain in place, or get reimposed via a different legal avenue, any benefit from the court’s decision might not last long, and clawing money back could be a slow ordeal. Nike, meanwhile, is left juggling costs, unable to push prices much higher in a shopper landscape that’s quick to retrench.
The next hurdle: Monday’s open and any developments around tariffs. Afterward, Nike’s March numbers mark the next scheduled event.
