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NKE vs UA
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Nike (NKE) vs. Under Armour (UA) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- NKE (Nike) is a much larger and profitable athletic-apparel leader, while UA (Under Armour) is a smaller competitor currently reporting net losses.
- Both companies are in active turnarounds with declining revenue, but NKE offers a dividend yield of roughly 4% and 24 consecutive years of payout increases, whereas UA pays no dividend.
- Analyst sentiment on both stocks is split, with consensus "Hold" ratings, but price targets imply more upside for UA and a modest downside for NKE.
- Tickeron AI Verdict: NKE is the favored ticker based on greater financial stability, consistent profitability, and a steadier relative market positioning.
- For more detail, explore NKE Major News and NKE Today's Price Move, as well as UA Major News and UA Today's Price Move.
- Discover curated AI trading strategies that adapt to current market conditions on the Trending AI Robots page.
Introduction
Nike (NYSE: NKE) and Under Armour (NYSE: UA) are two of the most recognized names in athletic apparel and footwear, yet they sit at very different points on the scale of size, profitability, and market momentum. Both are in the midst of multiyear restructurings aimed at restoring growth and brand relevance, making this a timely stock comparison for investors who follow consumer discretionary and retail. This analysis reviews each company's recent performance, business drivers, and risk profile, then weighs them head-to-head to consider which name an AI-driven evaluation might currently favor in terms of trend consistency and relative positioning.
NKE Overview and Recent Performance
Nike designs, markets, and distributes athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment globally, and remains the dominant player in its category. Recent market activity has been challenging, however, with the stock down roughly 40% year-to-date and trading well below its 52-week high. In its fiscal 2027 first quarter, revenue declined about 4% year over year to approximately $11.2 billion, and management guided to a high-single-digit percentage decline in full-year revenue, reflecting soft demand in sportswear, Jordan, and Greater China.
Sentiment has been shaped by a leadership-driven turnaround under returning CEO Elliott Hill, along with restructuring efforts that include layoffs and a strategic reset of key footwear franchises. Analysts remain divided: some maintain Buy ratings with price targets in the $45 to $51 range, while others cite execution risk and limited visibility on a return to growth. A bright spot is Nike's dividend, which has been raised for 24 consecutive years and currently yields around 4%.
UA Overview and Recent Performance
Under Armour develops and markets performance apparel, footwear, and accessories, with a substantial portion of its revenue tied to the North American wholesale channel. The company is smaller in scale, with annual revenue near $5 billion, and reported a net loss in its most recent fiscal year as restructuring charges and weak demand weighed on results. Founder Kevin Plank leads an ongoing cost-cutting and SKU-reduction effort designed to sharpen the brand and improve efficiency.
Recent weeks have brought some positive catalysts, including an 8.8% stake acquired by UK-based Frasers Group, which was viewed by some investors as a sign of external confidence in the turnaround. The stock has also shown near-term upward momentum, though it remains well below its 52-week high. Analyst views are mixed, with a consensus Hold and price targets ranging widely, while firms such as Morgan Stanley and Barclays have maintained more cautious, underweight-style stances.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron operates a large ecosystem of AI Trading Bots that collectively trade thousands of different tickers, each with its own style, strategy, timeframe, performance history, and statistics. Because market conditions change frequently, only a select subset of these bots is well suited to the current environment at any given time. The Trending AI Robots page curates the best-performing and most relevant bots, giving traders a focused view of strategies that are currently standing out. This curation is useful for investors comparing names like NKE and UA, as it highlights algorithmic approaches tailored to prevailing trends. Explore the Trending AI Robots section to see which strategies are resonating now.
Head-to-Head Comparison
From a business-model standpoint, NKE benefits from massive scale, a globally diversified direct-to-consumer and wholesale mix, and durable profitability, while UA is more concentrated and currently unprofitable on a net basis. Nike also returns capital to shareholders through a growing dividend, a feature Under Armour lacks.
On growth and momentum, both names are contracting rather than expanding, but the nature of their challenges differs. Nike is resetting oversupplied franchises and its China distribution, while Under Armour is rationalizing product lines and leaning on international growth, particularly EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), to offset weakness in North America. Risk profiles also diverge: Nike's larger balance sheet and cash generation provide more cushion, whereas Under Armour carries greater sensitivity to a single-channel and turnaround execution.
Market sentiment reflects this contrast. Nike's valuation remains elevated relative to its industry on a forward earnings basis, and its consensus price target sits slightly below the current price. Under Armour's consensus price target, by comparison, implies meaningful upside, but this is partly a function of a depressed share price and elevated uncertainty.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Weighing observable factors such as trend consistency, financial stability, catalysts, and relative positioning, Tickeron's AI would likely favor NKE over UA in the current environment. Nike's continued profitability, steady cash generation, dividend support, and greater liquidity make its trend profile comparatively more consistent, even amid a difficult turnaround. Under Armour may offer more upside from a depressed base, but its net losses, negative free cash flow, and heavier reliance on a single region introduce more variability. This assessment is probabilistic rather than definitive and reflects relative market positioning rather than a recommendation.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is NKE is a StrongBuy and UA is a StrongBuy.
NKE's Stochastic Oscillator descends into oversold zone
The Stochastic Oscillator for NKE moved into oversold territory on November 12, 2026. Be on the watch for the price uptrend or consolidation in the future. At that time, consider buying the stock or exploring call options.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
NKE moved above its 50-day moving average on October 20, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 10-day moving average for NKE crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 26, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 7 of 15 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 47%.
Following a +1.82% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where NKE advanced for three days, in 140 of 263 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 53%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 81 of 149 cases where NKE Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 54%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for NKE moved out of overbought territory on November 05, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 15 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 9 of the 15 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 60%.
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on November 12, 2026. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on NKE as a result. In 64 of 90 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 71%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for NKE turned negative on November 12, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 44 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In 30 of the 44 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at 68%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where NKE declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 72%.
NKE broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 04, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 44 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 58 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating fairly steady price growth. NKE’s price grows at a lower rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 63 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (3.851) is normal, around the industry mean (2.998). P/E Ratio (18.376) is within average values for comparable stocks, (12.296). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (1.427) is also within normal values, averaging (0.949). Dividend Yield (0.042) settles around the average of (0.057) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (1.142) is also within normal values, averaging (1.162).
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 65 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 88 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 100 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. NKE’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 89, placing this stock worse than average.
UA in +9.84% Uptrend, growing for three consecutive days on November 04, 2026
Moving higher for three straight days is viewed as a bullish sign. Keep an eye on this stock for future growth. Considering data from situations where UA advanced for three days, in 191 of 280 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 68%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator is in the oversold zone. Keep an eye out for a move up in the foreseeable future.
The 10-day moving average for UA crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on November 03, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 7 of 12 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 58%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 144 of 219 cases where UA Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 66%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The 10-day RSI Indicator for UA moved out of overbought territory on November 05, 2026. This could be a bearish sign for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 33 similar instances where the indicator moved out of overbought territory. In 27 of the 33 cases, the stock moved lower in the following days. This puts the odds of a move lower at 82%.
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on November 12, 2026. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on UA as a result. In 57 of 75 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 76%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence Histogram (MACD) for UA turned negative on November 12, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to turn lower in the coming weeks. Traders may want to sell the stock or buy put options. Tickeron's A.I.dvisor looked at 48 similar instances when the indicator turned negative. In 40 of the 48 cases the stock turned lower in the days that followed. This puts the odds of success at 83%.
UA moved below its 50-day moving average on November 12, 2026 date and that indicates a change from an upward trend to a downward trend.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where UA declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 78%.
UA broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 02, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 15 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 32 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly undervalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (1.531) is normal, around the industry mean (2.911). P/E Ratio (-4.426) is within average values for comparable stocks, (14.016). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (1.073) is also within normal values, averaging (0.686). Dividend Yield (0.000) settles around the average of (0.328) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (0.423) is also within normal values, averaging (0.827).
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 50 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 56 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating fairly steady price growth. UA’s price grows at a lower rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 97 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 100 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. UA’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 90, placing this stock worse than average.
NKE | UA | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 22 | 11 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 63 Fair valued | 32 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 100 | 100 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 44 | 97 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 58 | 56 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 88 | 15 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 65 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
UA's Valuation (32) in the Apparel Or Footwear industry is in the same range as NKE (63). This means that UA’s stock grew similarly to NKE’s over the last 12 months.
UA's Profit vs Risk Rating (100) in the Apparel Or Footwear industry is in the same range as NKE (100). This means that UA’s stock grew similarly to NKE’s over the last 12 months.
NKE's SMR Rating (44) in the Apparel Or Footwear industry is somewhat better than the same rating for UA (97). This means that NKE’s stock grew somewhat faster than UA’s over the last 12 months.
UA's Price Growth Rating (56) in the Apparel Or Footwear industry is in the same range as NKE (58). This means that UA’s stock grew similarly to NKE’s over the last 12 months.
UA's P/E Growth Rating (15) in the Apparel Or Footwear industry is significantly better than the same rating for NKE (88). This means that UA’s stock grew significantly faster than NKE’s over the last 12 months.
| NKE | UA | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 60% | 2 days ago 82% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 56% | 2 days ago 63% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 71% | 2 days ago 76% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 68% | 2 days ago 83% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 69% | 2 days ago 77% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 53% | 2 days ago 77% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 12 days ago 53% | 10 days ago 68% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 72% | 2 days ago 78% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 69% | 2 days ago 79% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 54% | 2 days ago 66% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
NKE’s FA Score shows that 0 FA rating(s) are green while UA’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- NKE’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
- UA’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
NKE’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while UA’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- NKE’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- UA’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 6 bearish.
Price Growth
NKE (@Wholesale Distributors) experienced а -4.55% price change this week, while UA (@Apparel/Footwear) price change was -11.57% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Wholesale Distributors industry was -0.97%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +5.91%, and the average quarterly price growth was +22.69%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Apparel/Footwear industry was +3.66%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +8.58%, and the average quarterly price growth was +12.25%.
Reported Earning Dates
NKE is expected to report earnings on Dec 17, 2026.
UA is expected to report earnings on Feb 11, 2027.
Industries' Descriptions
@Wholesale Distributors (-0.97% weekly)Companies in this industry handle the wholesale shipments for the manufacturer of a product. They have warehouses and distribution centers, and they ship products directly to the retailer. Digitization, increasing competition, emerging customer demand, and product innovation are some of shifts that the industry has been facing in recent times – something that is potentially creating needs/opportunities for business model revisions or transformations. Data, analytics, and technology are becoming increasingly important for whole distributors in anticipating and analyzing consumer needs, and therefore planning their business strategies accordingly. Fastenal Company, W.W. Grainger, Inc., Genuine Parts Company and Pool Corporation are some of the largest names in the business.
@Apparel/Footwear (+3.66% weekly)Apparel/footwear might be slightly more ‘cyclical’ in the largely non-cyclical category of non-durables. While digital giants like Amazon have been rapidly expanding their presence, traditional clothing/footwear retailers have also been bulking up their online presence in recent years, to milk the burgeoning trend of online shopping among consumers across the globe. The apparel and footwear retail market was valued at around $ 360 billion in 2018, and this figure was expected to reach about $386 billion by 2020 (according to a Statista report). NIKE, Inc, V.F. Corporation and Under Armour, Inc. are some of the companies with the largest U.S. stock market caps in this segment.
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NKE and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, NKE has been loosely correlated with COLM. These tickers have moved in lockstep 56% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if NKE jumps, then COLM could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To NKE | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NKE | 100% | -1.46% | ||
| COLM - NKE | 56% Loosely correlated | -0.76% | ||
| UA - NKE | 53% Loosely correlated | -2.07% | ||
| LEVI - NKE | 52% Loosely correlated | -0.21% | ||
| UAA - NKE | 51% Loosely correlated | -2.20% | ||
| OXM - NKE | 50% Loosely correlated | -3.21% | ||
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UA and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, UA has been closely correlated with UAA. These tickers have moved in lockstep 99% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if UA jumps, then UAA could also see price increases.