Nike set to increase prices
Nike says the price of its trainers and clothes will increase this year to offset rising costs.
The sportswear company, which owns the Nike, Umbro and Converse brands, warned that the rising cost of cotton, oil and transportation will squeeze profit margins.
Nike’s chief financial officer Don Blair said in a conference call to analysts yesterday (18 March) that until now price increases had been in specific markets on particular product lines but from its next financial year prices would increase “across the board”. The company’s current financial year ends 31 May.
Blair was speaking as the company reported that net profit for its third quarter increased 5% to $523m. Revenue rose 7% to $5.1bn.
The gains were driven by a 21% revenue bump in China and a 19% gain in emerging markets, which partly offset a 2% fall in earnings from Western Europe.
