Nike Faces Slight Downside to Q1 Guidance After Weak Sales Trends, UBS Says
Nike (NKE) is likely to issue Q1 guidance with a slightly negative upside/downside skew, following lackluster global sales momentum through May, UBS Securities said.The company is set to release its fiscal Q4 results on June 30.UBS said in a Tuesday note that it expects Nike's earnings per share to be "roughly in-line" with market consensus. It also expects the company to issue a Q1 EPS outlook in the range of 32 to 44 cents, below the Street view of 45 cents, alongside sales down low-single digits.The investment firm said its channel checks pointed to weak direct-to-consumer sales in Europe, the Middle East and Africa during fiscal Q4. Sales trends in China and Europe continued to be pressured, while US sales growth was weak during the quarter, the brokerage added.Nike investors have also indicated concerns that the company's turnaround in China and EMEA are taking longer than expected, and over its capacity to sustain momentum in running, according to the note.UBS cut its price target on Nike to $50 from $54, with a neutral rating.Shares of Nike were down nearly 1% in Wednesday trading.Price: $44.25, Change: $-0.41, Percent Change: -0.91%