NKE is up almost 30% in 2018
Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) stock has been a hot-button topic in the past week, after the retailer included controversial ex-NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick in its latest ad campaign. One analyst seems undeterred, however, after Wedbush issued a price-target hike to $90 from $85 earlier this morning, citing optimism over the company's recent shoe releases and improved sales going forward, following reports of surging online sales since the Kaepernick announcement.
In response to the price target -- a number that represents a fresh record high for the shares, compared to the current milestone of $83.68 -- NKE is up 2% to trade at $81.89. The Kaepernick drama over Labor Day weekend resulted in the stock's worst week in more than two months. However, the pullback was contained by the shares' 40-day moving average, a trendline of support in place since an earnings-induced bull gap in late June. Overall, the equity boasts a nearly 30% lead in 2018.
Despite the bull note today, many analysts remain bearish on the retail giant. Of the 24 brokerages in coverage on NKE, 11 rate it a tepid "hold" or "sell." Furthermore, the security's consensus 12-month price target of $82.98 is just a chip shot from its current perch.
The good news for options traders is that short-term options are attractively priced right now. This is based on the Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 19%. in the 15th percentile of its annual range, suggesting near-term options are pricing in relatively low volatility expectations.
Meanwhile, Nike stock has consistently rewarded premium buyers over the past year. This is per the stock's Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS), which is currently docked at an elevated 79 out of a possible 100. This suggests that the security has regularly made larger-than-expected moves on the charts, compared to what its options were pricing in.