In $Apple (AAPL.US)$ CEO Tim Cook himself purchased nearly $3 million worth of $Nike (NKE.US)$ Following the stock's performance, Nike's share price surged at the start of US trading on Wednesday, currently up nearly 5%.
Cook has been serving on Nike's board of directors since 2005 and is the company’s lead independent director. He is often seen wearing Nike collaboration sneakers at Apple product launch events. According to an SEC regulatory filing released on Tuesday, Cook purchased 50,000 shares of Nike stock at a price of $58.97 per share.
This move came after Nike’s latest earnings report last week showed weak quarterly profit margins and a significant slowdown in sales in the Chinese market. Since releasing its earnings report on December 18, Nike's stock price has plummeted nearly 13%, with year-to-date declines reaching as high as 22%, significantly underperforming the S&P 500 index.
According to the filing, as of December 22, Cook now holds approximately 105,000 shares of Nike stock, making this latest purchase a “buy-the-dip” move for Nike shares. Multiple financial media outlets have interpreted Cook's stock purchase as a strong expression of confidence in Nike's future growth prospects.
A recent 2026 investment outlook report published by UBS Group shows that the firm holds a notably optimistic stance on its investment strategy for the sports apparel sector in 2026, predicting continued global demand growth, particularly in key branded sportswear markets such as the United States, China, and Europe.
UBS stated that the retail sector within global equity markets will continue to show a trend of divergence in 2026. Softline retail segments such as athletic apparel and functional brands may benefit from the unstoppable and globally sweeping trend of health-conscious consumerism. The report expressed particular optimism toward brands excelling in quality and athletic functionality—such as Nike and Adidas. UBS survey data indicates that consumer intent to purchase athletic apparel over the next 12 months remains strong, with high-quality products and brands known for excellent athletic performance receiving favorable evaluations.
The UBS analyst team believes that specific investment opportunities in the softline retail sector for 2026 will concentrate in sportswear and footwear sub-sectors, particularly global renowned sports brands with strong brand equity, innovation capabilities, and omnichannel execution, such as $Nike (NKE.US)$ 、 $Under Armour-A (UAA.US)$ 、 $adidas AG (ADDYY.US)$ and $On Holding (ONON.US)$ and others.
Editor/Doris