Nike Expands Cost-Cutting Push With New Round of Job Reductions

Shares of NIKE, Inc. NKE remained under pressure on Wednesday as reports emerged that the sportswear giant is preparing another significant round of workforce reductions under its ongoing “Win Now” restructuring initiative. The latest cuts are expected to affect nearly 1,400 employees, with a substantial portion coming from the company’s technology and digital operations teams.According to The Oregonian, Nike plans to consolidate parts of its technology operations in Portland while shutting down certain offices in Atlanta, China and Poland. The report cited Chief Operating Officer Venkatesh Alagirisamy sending a message to the employees that the company is restructuring its technology division to improve business alignment, create leaner teams and focus more quickly on key priorities.NKE belongs to the Zacks Shoes and Retail Apparel industry. Nike currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), and its shares have plunged 31.1% year to date compared to the industry’s 29% decline. In the same period, two of its peers, adidas AG ADDYY and Steven Madden, Ltd. SHOO, have lost 11.8% and 3.9%, respectively. While ADDYY also carries a #3, SHOO has a #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.This shows that the company’s stock and the industry in general have been having a tough year. As a result, NKE has been trying to streamline operations, reduce costs and improve efficiency as competition intensifies across the global athletic apparel market. Management has increasingly emphasized the use of artificial intelligence, automation and digital tools to modernize internal processes and strengthen direct-to-consumer capabilities. Investors view the restructuring as part of Nike’s attempt to restore profitability and accelerate long-term growth after facing slower consumer demand and rising operational expenses over the past year.The company has been reshaping several parts of its business, including supply chain management, e-commerce infrastructure and product innovation. These moves suggest that the company is attempting to balance aggressive investment in AI-driven technologies with tighter spending discipline.However, while the layoffs may help improve margins over time, it remains to be seen whether continued workforce reductions could affect innovation and employee morale. Wall Street reaction was cautious on concerns that repeated restructuring announcements signal deeper challenges in the company’s turnaround efforts.Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is HereThe AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. AI’s second wave is moving from infrastructure to implementation and these companies are at the forefront of this transition, positioned to become what Amazon and Google were to the internet era.See Stocks Now >>This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks