Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Nike quarterly net income up 14%

NEW YORK: Nike Inc reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings on Monday, June 27 as a 14 percent increase in revenue helped offset higher costs.

Futures orders gained 12 percent, excluding currency fluctuations.

Nike shares gained 4.3 percent to $84.14 in after-hours trading.

The sports gear maker's net income in the fiscal fourth quarter which ended May 31, rose 14 percent to $594 million, or $1.24 a share. Net income for the year ago period was $522 million, or $1.06 a share.

Nike was expected to earn $1.16 a share, according to the average estimate of analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters.

Apparel retailers are struggling with higher material, labor and freight costs. But Nike was able to fend off such pressure because demand for its brand was so strong during the quarter, according to Matt Arnold, an analyst at Edward Jones.

Revenue for the quarter rose to $5.8 billion from $5.08 billion. Revenue climbed 11 percent excluding currency movements.

Nike was expected to generate $5.528 billion in revenue in the period, according to a Thomson Reuters analyst poll.

"The best way to offset higher costs is to generate strong demand growth and Nike was able to do that," Arnold said.

Futures orders, excluding currency exchange rates -- a closely watched measure of sales growth -- came in ahead of Wall Street estimates. Orders for June through November jumped 15 percent to $10.3 billion. Excluding currency effects, orders rose 12 percent, Nike said.

Barclays Capital analyst Robert Drbul expected futures orders to be up 8 percent to 10 percent in constant dollars. Arnold, the analyst at Edward Jones, was expecting future orders to be up at least 8 percent.

Strong futures orders suggest Nike will be able to raise prices later this year, Arnold added. - Reuters



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