Stock Market Today, Dec. 19: Nike Shares Slide After Weak China Sales and Margin Pressure
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By Josh Kohn-Lindquist – Dec 19, 2025 at 5:18PM ESTNYSE: NKENikeMarket Cap$97BToday's Changeangle-down(-10.54%) $6.92Current Price$58.71Price as of December 19, 2025 at 4:00 PM ETToday, Dec. 19, 2025, investors are weighing fresh China weakness, margin strain, and a slower “Win Now” turnaround path.ExpandNYSE: NKENikeToday's Change(-10.54%) $-6.92Current Price$58.71Key Data PointsMarket Cap$97BDay's Range$58.22 - $60.3852wk Range$52.28 - $82.44Volume108MAvg Vol16MGross Margin41.45%Dividend Yield2.45%Nike (NKE 10.54%), a global athletic footwear and apparel brand, closed Friday’s session at $58.7, down 10.5%. Nike went public in 1980 and has grown roughly 32,570% since going public. Trading volume today reached 95.4 million shares, exceeding its three-month average by over 400%.Friday’s trading reflected the fallout from Nike's earnings, as investors weighed the company's guidance, China demand, and margin trends. How the markets moved todayThe S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.88%) added 0.88% to finish at 6,835, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC +1.31%) rose 1.31% to 23,308. Footwear and apparel industry peers, Adidas and Puma, slipped 1.32% to $96.46 and 2.26% to $2.60, respectively, underscoring the pressure from tariffs and shifting global demand.What this means for investorsNike reported earnings yesterday afternoon, with sales inching 1% higher and earnings per share dropping 32%. While these results met analysts' low expectations, Nike stock sold off anyway as its gross profit margins declined by 300 basis points, and its sales in China fell by 17%.That said, there was one main reason to be optimistic about a turnaround in the earnings call. Wholesale revenue in North America increased by 20%, indicating that Nike is making significant progress in repairing relationships with its retail partners.While a few Wall Street analysts called the quarter an inflection point for Nike, the stock still trades at 29 times free cash flow, so it isn't blatantly "cheap" yet, in my opinion. At this valuation, I'd rather see a return to growth before I invest.Read NextDec 19, 2025 •By Jeremy BowmanWhy Nike Stock Tumbled TodayDec 18, 2025 •By Daniel SparksNike Stock Plummets. Time to Buy?Dec 18, 2025 •By Scott LevineWhy Nike Stock Is Plunging in After-Hours TradingDec 17, 2025 •By Parkev Tatevosian, CFAShould You Buy Nike Stock Before the Huge Investor Update?Nov 26, 2025 •By Jennifer SaibilHow Good Has Nike (NKE) Stock Actually Been?Nov 26, 2025 •By Daniel SparksNike vs. Lululemon: Which Stock Is the Better Buy Now?About the AuthorJosh Kohn-Lindquist is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering consumer goods, industrials, and technology stocks. Previously, Josh was a senior mutual fund accountant at Gemini Fund Services. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of South Dakota.TMFJorykoX@JorykoliStocks MentionedNikeNYSE: NKE$58.71 (0.11%) $6.92*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.Advertisement