You’re looking for the stock market symbol for Nike, and honestly, it’s one of those things that’s so simple it’s almost boring—until you start digging into why it’s performing the way it is right now in 2026.
The short answer? It’s NKE.
You’ll find those three letters flashing across the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) every single trading day. But if you’re asking because you’re thinking about putting your hard-earned cash into the swoosh, there’s a lot more to the story than just a ticker. We’re talking about a company that has been through a massive transitional "reset" over the last year, and the vibes in the market are, well, complicated.
Why the Stock Market Symbol for Nike is NKE (and not NIKE)
It’s a common mix-up. People often type "NIKE" into their brokerage app and wonder why it doesn't pop up immediately as the primary ticker. In the U.S. markets, most big-cap legacy companies that listed decades ago on the NYSE stuck with three letters.
Nike has been NKE since it went public back in December 1980. Back then, the IPO price was $23.00, which sounds like a lot, but after seven different stock splits, that original price basically looks like pennies today. If you had bought in at the start, you'd be sitting on a mountain of gains, even with the recent volatility.
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Where is it traded?
Nike is a staple of the New York Stock Exchange. While some tech giants love the NASDAQ, Nike stays old-school on the Big Board. It’s also a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, meaning it’s one of the 30 companies people point to when they say "the market is up today."
The 2026 Reality Check: What's Happening with NKE?
Right now, as of January 14, 2026, Nike is trading around $65.53. To be blunt, it’s been a rough ride lately.
If you look at the 52-week range, it has swung between $52.28 and $82.44. That’s a lot of movement for a company that’s supposed to be a "steady" blue chip. The market cap is sitting around $97 billion—which is massive, but notably lower than the $200+ billion peaks we saw a few years ago.
Why the drama? It’s a mix of things:
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- The Leadership Shift: Elliott Hill took the reins as CEO to try and fix some of the strategic blunders from the previous era.
- Innovation Slump: There’s a lot of chatter among sneakerheads and investors alike that Nike got a bit "lazy" and let brands like Hoka and On Running steal their lunch in the performance category.
- Insider Moves: Interestingly, big names are betting on a comeback. Apple CEO Tim Cook, who sits on Nike’s board, recently dropped about $3 million to double his personal stake in the company. When guys like that "back up the truck," people notice.
Dividends and the Long Game
One thing that keeps people holding NKE even when the price is sagging is the dividend. Nike has increased its dividend for 25 consecutive years.
Currently, the yield is hovering around 2.5%. They just paid out $0.41 per share on January 2, 2026. For a "growth" brand, that’s a pretty solid commitment to shareholders. It’s basically the company saying, "Hey, we know the stock price is annoying right now, but here’s some cash for your patience."
Who owns the most Nike?
It's the usual suspects. Vanguard and BlackRock are the heavy hitters, holding about 9.5% and 5.4% of the company respectively. These are the "passive" owners. The "active" owners—the hedge funds—are currently split. Some are bailing because they don't see the revenue growth yet, while others are buying the dip, betting that 2026 is the year the turnaround actually sticks.
Is it a "Buy" Right Now?
If you check the analyst reports from places like Barchart or TipRanks, the sentiment is "cautiously optimistic." Out of about 35-40 analysts tracking the stock, the majority still have a "Buy" or "Strong Buy" rating.
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The high-end price targets are reaching up toward $120, while the bears think it could slide back to $35 if the new product lines don't sell.
Wait, what about the financials?
The most recent quarterly revenue (ending November 2025) was about $12.4 billion. That was actually a tiny bit of growth (1%), which was better than the scary 12% declines we saw earlier in 2025. It feels like the bleeding might have stopped, but they aren't sprinting yet.
Practical Steps for New Investors
If you’re ready to move past just knowing the stock market symbol for Nike and actually want to get involved, here is how you handle it:
- Check Your Brokerage: Type in NKE. If you see "NIKE" as a result, make sure it’s the NYSE-listed common stock.
- Look at the "Direct" vs. "Wholesale" numbers: In the next earnings report, watch if Nike's "Direct" sales are still falling. They've been trying to sell more through their own website and less through stores like Foot Locker, but that strategy has been hit-or-miss.
- Monitor the Innovation Pipeline: Watch for new releases in the running and basketball categories. If the "hype" doesn't return to the product, the stock likely won't move much.
- Consider the Dividend Reinvestment: If you do buy, most apps let you "DRIP" (Dividend Reinvestment Plan). This takes that $0.41 per share and automatically buys more tiny fractions of Nike stock, which compounds over time.
Nike is in a transition phase. It isn't the invincible giant it was five years ago, but it's still the most recognizable sports brand on the planet. Whether NKE belongs in your portfolio depends on if you believe the swoosh can find its soul again under new leadership.