Nike Inc

NYSE:NKE

Nike is a global sportswear company that designs and sells athletic shoes, clothing, and equipment. Its best-known products are sneakers, running gear, training apparel, and team sports gear, sold under the Nike and Jordan brands, along with Converse. The company serves everyday consumers, serious athletes, schools, teams, and retailers that want branded sports products people already recognize and trust. Nike makes money mainly by selling products through its own stores and websites, through wholesale partners such as sporting goods chains and department stores, and through licensing deals. It earns most of its sales from footwear, but apparel and equipment also matter. Because Nike controls design, brand image, and product storytelling, it can charge more than many plain-label rivals and use fashion, sport, and celebrity endorsements to drive demand. What makes Nike’s business model different is that it sits at the top of the athletic goods value chain: it does not mainly make things for other brands, it creates the brands shoppers ask for by name. That gives Nike strong control over style, pricing, and distribution. It is both a consumer brand and a sports marketing company, with products that blend performance use and everyday fashion.