Nike’s new CEO may look to fix retailer ties in sales revival push

By Juveria Tabassum

(Reuters) – Nike (NYSE:NKE)’s new CEO will likely focus on repairing relations with retailers to boost demand, a strategy that took a back seat under outgoing chief John Donahoe, industry experts said on Friday.

The sportswear giant named company veteran Elliott Hill as its CEO on Thursday, building confidence among investors about a turnaround at the firm that has been struggling with strategy missteps and intense competition.

Nike’s shares surged 7% in premarket trading on Friday.

“Hill is going to work on repairing some of Nike’s relationships with wholesale customers since Nike has dropped some customers over the years and pulled back some product that has created some ill will (among retailers),” said Thomas Hayes, equity manager at Great Hill Capital.

Donahoe took on the role of CEO in 2020 and aimed to build Nike’s e-commerce business and drive its direct-to-consumer (DTC) division – or sales through its own stores, app, and websites – to sell more at full price and rely less on wholesalers.

The strategy misfired and Nike lost ground to smaller rivals such as Roger Federer-backed On Holding and Deckers-owned Hoka.

Earlier this year, executives admitted that Nike’s DTC strategy was not driving growth as expected and that it was losing ground, especially in the running category.

“While we do not expect Nike to back away completely from (its) push into direct-to-consumer, we very much look upon the appointment of Elliott Hill as CEO as a clear indication that Nike is re-focusing on product innovation,” Brian Nagel, an analyst at Oppenheimer said.

In the past year alone, Nike laid out a $2 billion cost-saving plan, cut 2% of its workforce. The company has lost a quarter of its market value so far this year.

“Donahoe was the right man for the job when he came in to shift the business model,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth.

“(But) the world changed post-pandemic to where consumers wanted to get out and see the brand on shelves and unfortunately, they shifted too hard in 2020 to make the shift back easy.”