Why Nike Is Struggling in 2026: Competition, Strategy Mistakes, and Elliott Hill’s Turnaround
Why Nike Is Struggling in 2026: Competition, Strategy Mistakes, and Elliott Hill’s Turnaround Quick Answer Nike remains one of the world's largest sportswear companies, but revenue growth, consumer momentum, and investor confidence have weakened. The company's heavy push toward direct-to-consumer sales strained some wholesale relationships that Nike is now rebuilding. Specialist running and outdoor brands have increased competitive pressure in categories where consumers increasingly value technical performance and distinct brand identities. Nike relaunched ACG as a dedicated outdoor-performance brand in 2026 and is reorganizing around individual sports under CEO Elliott Hill. The turnaround is producing signs of progress, but weak Greater China sales and uneven global performance show that the recovery is not complete. Nike is hardly a company on the verge of disappearing. It generated $46.4 billion in revenue in fiscal 2026 , still gi...