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Nike jumps after JPMorgan upgrade and price target hike

After a messy stretch, analysts say the sneaker retailer could be finally lacing up for a rebound.

Nia Warfield

Nike shares were up nearly 3% Monday morning, helping lead S&P 500 gains, after JPMorgan upgraded the stock to “overweight” (or “buy”) from “neutral” as the swoosh comes back in style.

The firm also raised its price target for the stock to $93 from $64 by December 2026, saying the retailer is finding its footing again after months of soft sales and heavy discounting.

Nike expects to get inventory back in sync with demand by the end of fiscal Q2 2026, after taking $500 million in charges to clear out unsold merchandise in the back half of this year. That cleanup could help set up easier revenue comparisons next year, JPMorgan said.

Wholesale retailers are also starting to place more orders, especially in key markets like North America and Europe, a potential sign that demand is picking up. Meanwhile, new running and basketball sneaker drops are also starting to gain popularity.

Nike’s margins, which have been hit hard by heavy promos and inventory buildup, are expected to recover slowly. JPMorgan now sees operating margin climbing to 10% by 2028, nearly double the estimated 5.3% expected for fiscal 2026. JPMorgan also lifted its full-year 2026 earnings estimate to $1.32 a share, but still below the Street’s $1.62 forecast.  

Last month, Nike shares jumped double digits after the retailer topped Wall Street’s earnings expectations, citing a better-than-expected sales outlook and less margin pressure from tariffs.

Nike shares are now up nearly 7% year to date.

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Lululemon’s stretch getting tested: Stock plunges after after outlook is cut

Lululemon shares are down double digits in premarket trading after the company cut its full-year sales and profit outlook, overshadowing a Q1 beat and raising fresh concerns about the brand’s turnaround efforts.

The company now expects fiscal 2026 revenue to be flat to down 1%, compared with its prior forecast for 2% to 4% growth. Guidance for full-year diluted earnings per share was dragged down to a range of $10.95 to $11.15, below the company’s previous guidance of $12.10 to $12.30 and well below Wall Street’s estimate of $13.26.

Key numbers for Q1:

  • EPS of $1.69 vs. the $1.68 expected.

  • Revenue of $2.47 billion vs. the $2.43 billion expected.

The modest top-line beat masked a widening divergence between Lululemons geographic markets. While international revenue rose 22% overall with a 30% increase in Mainland China, the bigger problem remains North America, where revenue fell 5%.

Interim co-CEO and CFO Meghan Frank acknowledged during the earnings call that recent product rollouts underperformed. A highly anticipated yoga campaign failed to generate its expected halo effect across broader product lines.

Profitability metrics took a major hit, with gross margins contracting by 410 basis points to 54.2% due to mounting tariff costs and promotional markdowns. Operating income consequently fell 37% year over year to $276.9 million.

“We experienced spikes of negative commentary in the media and on social channels with regard to our brand, which had an impact on traffic and overall top-line performance,” Frank said during the earnings call. “And second, not all of our product launches have met our expectations. While we have had several successful launches so far this year, we have seen others as we start Q2 not generate the anticipated guest response.”

Lululemons valuation has already been steadily compressing for years. While it was once one of retails richly valued stocks, investors have been questioning whether the company can return to the double-digit growth era.

The results also arrive during a leadership transition. Lululemon announced back in April that former Nike executive Heidi ONeill is set to take over as CEO in September, with investors looking to her to revive growth in North America and restore the brands growth.

As Lululemon faces both macroeconomic pressure and brand-specific challenges, its stock has dropped around 40% year to date.

markets

US job growth skyrocketed in May, blasting past expectations

The US economy added 172,000 jobs in the month of May, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, sending 10-year Treasury yields higher.

The strong May job market surprised economists. Experts had predicted only 85,000 new jobs — just half the reported number. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.3%, as expected.

The job growth story is a hopeful spot for the economy as consumers continue to feel inflationary pressure from the Iran war.

Job gains were buoyed by the leisure and hospitality sector, which added 70,000 jobs, as well as local government, healthcare, and education.

Both the March and April jobs reports were revised upward, making them collectively 93,000 higher than previously reported.

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