Nike, Inc.

It’s almost certain you will have heard of Nike before – across the world, this is one of the best-known and most valuable brands in existence. Its stock is a constituent of the S&P500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, not surprisingly, considering this is the largest manufacturer of sports shoes in the world.

Nike was founded in 1964 as ‘Blue Ribbon Sports’ in Oregon, originally acting as an importer for Japanese-made sneakers. Since the 1980s Nike has expanded worldwide, and as of 2021, it has over 70,000 direct employees with annual revenues of $44.5 billion. Including employees working in supplier factories, over 1 million people are employed by Nike indirectly. The company is well known for its prominent sponsorship deals with famous athletes, its distinctive ‘tick’ logo, and lavish advertising campaigns which have the production value, and often the budget, of feature films.

Nike and its subsidiaries operate in 120 countries worldwide, and the company produces the majority of its products in Vietnam (around 40% of its workforce) and China. Some of Nike’s best-known brands include ‘Air Max’ and ‘Converse’, and the company holds patents for impact-tolerant sole designs such as Waffle and Air-Sole. Nike is renowned for its high-profile sponsorships, most notably of basketball player Michael Jordan, and also other famous sports figures including footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and golfer Rory McIlroy.

Nike stock has been trading on the New York Stock Exchange since 1980, priced initially at $22 per share; the stock has seen enormous price growth over the last four decades, particularly since the late 1980s. Founder Phil Knight remains the largest shareholder, both in his own name and as part of his holding company, alongside major institutional investors such as Vanguard and Blackrock. The company headquarters remain in Oregon, with major offices across the US and worldwide.