Economist Peter Schiff warned on Thursday that Nike Inc. (NYSE:NKE) won’t shift production to the United States despite newly imposed tariffs, predicting higher prices and reduced domestic sales for the footwear giant.
What Happened: “Nike won’t build factories in the U.S. to make sneakers. That would add more cost than the 40% tariffs,” Schiff wrote on X. “The result will be fewer sneakers sold in the U.S. at much higher prices.”
When questioned whether Nike might absorb tariff costs while building domestic factories, Schiff dismissed the idea, suggesting the company would instead redirect products: “They will eventually sell more sneakers to consumers in other countries instead, as they buy what Americans can no longer afford.”
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The comments come as Nike shares plummeted 14.44% on Thursday after President Donald Trump announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs affecting the company’s supply chain. Vietnam, where Nike produces nearly 50% of its footwear, faces a 46% tariff increase.
Nike’s revenue worldwide in million U.S. dollars from the fiscal years of 2017 to 2024, by region— Source: Statista
Why It Matters: Goldman Sachs identified Nike among several retailers with high exposure to the new tariffs, which include a 34% rate for China and 32% for Indonesia, both key manufacturing locations for the company.
The broader market experienced significant turmoil following the tariff announcement, with Wall Street losing approximately $2 trillion in market value.
Consumer discretionary stocks were particularly hard hit, with Nike’s competitors also suffering substantial losses—Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) fell 9.28%, and Adidas shares declined on its 39% Vietnamese manufacturing exposure.
Analysts warn that brands will need to adjust pricing, negotiate with vendors, and optimize costs to protect margins. Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives called the tariffs “worse than the worst case scenario,” with particular concern about the China and Taiwan tariffs’ impact on supply chains and demand.
Nike lags behind Lululemon, Columbia Sportswear (NASDAQ:COLM), Under Armour (NYSE:UAA), Skechers (NYSE:SKX), VF Corp (NYSE:VFC), and On Holding AG (NYSE:ONON), struggling with negative growth and momentum. Benzinga Edge Stock Ranking also indicates a bearish price trend for Nike across short- and long-term periods. Sign up to learn more.
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