It is this excellent demand and sales trend that will help the company combat and offset the weakness that it is facing at its other most important market, China. Let us take a closer look.
Financial performance
NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) has added yet another earnings beat to its credit with its fourth-quarter results. Just ahead of the earnings release, The Wall Street Journal reported that the company has beaten analyst estimates in 36 out of the previous 40 quarters.
For the fourth quarter, the company reported earnings of $0.76 per share from continuing operations, ahead of $0.74 per share anticipated by analysts at Thomson Reuters. Its revenue came in at $6.7 billion, which is 9% higher than year-ago results on a constant-currency basis.
For the fiscal year, NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) generated revenue of $25.3 billion from continuing operations, an 11% increase on a constant-currency basis. This was on account of an 11% increase in sales of Nike brand, which included a 24% improvement in direct-to-consumer sales. Earnings increased 11% $2.69 per share aided by better gross margins, a lower tax rate, and share repurchases.
The company’s future orders for the next six months stand at 8% higher than last year.
Strong demand in North America
Demand has been strong in the North American sports-gear segment and Nike has played a big role in fueling that demand. The new innovations that the company has brought to the market, like Flyknit and Lunar running shoes, Dri-FIT fabrications, Nike+ FuelBand movement-tracking wristband, etc., have all been well received.
In fiscal 2013, NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) outperformed the market in most product categories. It reported double-digit growth in footwear, apparel, as well as equipment. It was a record year as the company topped $10 billion in revenue for the first time in North America, a feat that not many can match in many years to come. This is more than five times Under Armour Inc (NYSE:UA)’s 2012 revenue of $1.8 billion. Even Adidas (NASDAQOTH:ADDYY) generated sales of around $4.5 billion (Euro 3.4 billion) in 2012.
Nike has added a spectacular $3.7 billion in incremental revenue in North America in the last three years and $1.5 billion in the last fiscal year alone. And given that the future orders in North America are up 12%, sales will remain strong.
It will be difficult for anyone to beat Nike in North America. The company has been expanding its market share and growing sales at a double-digit rate for the past several quarters.
Footwear will be a growth area
In the US, footwear will be a key growth area. SportsOne Source estimates that sports footwear grew by 5% in 2012, 10% in the first quarter of 2013, and sales are still strong. Nike is the undisputed master of this segment with a market share north of 60%.
The running-shoe segment is a big attraction for both Adidas and Under Armour Inc (NYSE:UA) as well. They command 10% and 2.5%, respectively, of the market and are looking to grow. Adidas’ new Energy Boost sneakers are pitting against Nike’s Flyknit range, while sales of Under Armour’s Spine Venom are gaining traction.
Nike, too, has some big aces up its sleeve. It has hinted that it could come out with an offering that would combine two of its path breaking technologies – Flyknit and Free. This can score huge points for the company.
Margin expansion will continue
Margins are the key earnings driver and NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE)’s gross-margin improvement in the fourth quarter from 42.8% to 43.9% was noteworthy. But it faces some tough comparisons from its rivals Adidas and Under Armour.
