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NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) yesterday reported financial results for the 2009 fiscal fourth quarter and full year ended May 31, 2009. Fourth quarter revenues decreased 7 percent to $4.7 billion, compared to $5.1 billion for the same period last year. Excluding changes in currency exchange rates, net revenue was essentially flat with the same period last year. For the full year, revenues grew 3 percent to $19.2 billion, compared to $18.6 billion last year. Excluding currency changes, net revenue was up 4 percent for the year. Fourth quarter net income decreased 30 percent to $341.4 million and diluted earnings per share decreased 29 percent to $0.70. Fiscal 2009 net income decreased 21 percent to $1.5 billion and diluted earnings per share decreased 19 percent to $3.03.

Results Excluding Non-comparable Items

Current and prior year results include a number of non-comparable items. In the fourth quarter of 2009, NIKE, Inc. realized a $195.0 million pre-tax restructuring charge associated with its previously announced corporate restructuring and cost reduction realignment. On an after-tax basis, the restructuring charge totaled $144.5 million, which decreased fourth quarter diluted earnings per share by $0.29. In the third quarter of 2009, the Company incurred a $240.7 million after-tax impairment charge related to its Umbro subsidiary. Fiscal 2008 results included $35.4 million in after-tax gains related to the sale of Bauer Hockey and the Starter Business, and a $105.4 million one-time tax benefit.

Excluding current and prior year non-comparable items, fourth quarter net income increased 3 percent to $485.9 million, and diluted earnings per share increased 5 percent to $0.99. For the full-year, comparable net income increased 7 percent to $1.9 billion and diluted earnings per share increased 10 percent to $3.81.

“Fiscal 2009 was a year that challenged companies to leverage core strengths and adapt quickly to a changing landscape. Our strong results demonstrate that we are meeting these challenges and seizing the opportunity to optimize our position as the industry leader,” said Mark Parker, President and CEO of NIKE, Inc. “By focusing on what Nike does best – creating great product, telling great stories, and connecting with consumers – I believe that we will become a stronger, more profitable, and more valuable company for our shareholders. We’ve made some tough decisions over the past year, yet given our ability to increase our competitive separation through product innovation and brand relevance across our portfolio of businesses, I remain strongly optimistic about our long-term potential.”*

Futures Orders

The Company reported worldwide futures orders for Nike brand athletic footwear and apparel, scheduled for delivery from June 2009 through November 2009, totaling $7.8 billion, 12 percent lower than orders reported for the same period last year. Excluding currency changes, reported orders would have declined 5 percent.*

By region, futures orders for the U.S. were down 4 percent; EMEA (which includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa) declined 24 percent; Asia Pacific decreased 5 percent; and the Americas dropped 7 percent. Excluding currency changes, futures orders would have declined 11 percent in EMEA, decreased 3 percent in Asia Pacific and increased 15 percent in the Americas region.

Regional Highlights

U.S.

During the fourth quarter, U.S. revenues decreased 2 percent to $1.6 billion. Footwear increased 2 percent to $1.2 billion, apparel revenues decreased 15 percent to $379.8 million and equipment revenues were up 2 percent to $85.5 million. Apparel revenue was down significantly compared to the prior year due to challenging market conditions and a strategic decision to optimize the product assortment. U.S. pre-tax income declined 5 percent to $375.7 million.

For the full fiscal year, U.S. revenues were up 2 percent to $6.5 billion. Footwear revenues increased 5 percent to $4.6 billion, apparel revenues were down 5 percent to $1.7 billion and equipment revenues declined 4 percent to $327.7 million. U.S. pre-tax income decreased 5 percent to $1.3 billion for the fiscal year.

EMEA

Fourth quarter revenue for the EMEA region was down 19 percent to $1.2 billion. Excluding currency changes, revenue was down 3 percent. Footwear revenue decreased 13 percent to $772.2 million, apparel revenue was down 28 percent to $383.9 million and equipment revenue declined 25 percent to $85.3 million due to the negative impact of currency changes and tough prior year comparisons, which included product sales for the 2008 European Championships. Fourth quarter pre-tax income decreased 3 percent to $321.1 million.

Full fiscal year EMEA revenue was down 2 percent to $5.5 billion. Excluding currency changes, revenue for the period was flat to last year. Footwear revenue was up 1 percent to $3.1 billion, apparel revenue decreased 5 percent to $2.0 billion and equipment revenue was down 6 percent to $405.3 million. European fiscal year pre-tax income was up 3 percent to $1.3 billion.

Asia Pacific

Fourth quarter revenue for the Asia Pacific region was flat compared to last year at $833.1 million. Excluding currency changes, revenue grew 3 percent. Footwear revenue was flat with last year at $421.9 million, apparel revenue was up 1 percent to $342.7 million, and equipment revenue was down 1 percent to $68.5 million. Fourth quarter pre-tax income increased 41 percent to $238.2 million mainly driven by lower demand creation spending. Last year’s fourth quarter demand creation spending was higher in support of the Olympic Games in Beijing.

For the full fiscal year, Asia Pacific revenue increased 15 percent to $3.3 billion. Excluding currency changes, revenue grew 12 percent. Footwear revenue increased 15 percent to $1.7 billion, apparel revenue grew 16 percent to $1.3 billion and equipment revenue was up 10 percent to $272.6 million. For the fiscal year pre-tax income increased 23 percent to $853.4 million due to higher revenue, lower demand creation spending and better gross margin performance.

Americas

Fourth quarter revenue in the Americas region decreased 3 percent to $299.0 million. Excluding currency changes, revenue increased by 20 percent. Footwear revenue was up 4 percent to $210.9 million, apparel revenue dropped 16 percent to $65.9 million and equipment revenue declined 20 percent to $22.2 million. Fourth quarter pre-tax income was up 15 percent to $70.8 million.

Full fiscal year revenue for the Americas region grew 10 percent to $1.3 billion. Excluding currency changes, revenue grew 19 percent. Footwear revenue increased 13 percent to $892.1 million, apparel revenue was up 8 percent to $287.8 million and equipment revenue decreased 2 percent to $104.8 million. Pre-tax income increased 13 percent to $274.1 million for the fiscal year.

Other Businesses

For the fourth quarter, Other business revenue, which includes Cole Haan, Converse Inc., Hurley International LLC, NIKE Golf, and Umbro Ltd. decreased 5 percent to $702.3 million and pre-tax income dropped 56 percent to $40.6 million. For the fiscal year, Other business revenue decreased 1 percent to $2.5 billion and had a pre-tax loss of $196.7 million versus pre-tax income of $364.9 million in fiscal 2008.

Due to changes in the Company’s affiliate brands portfolio and the inclusion of an impairment charge in fiscal 2009 related to Umbro, current year amounts are not directly comparable to the prior year. In fiscal 2008, following a strategic review of the Company’s affiliate brands portfolio, the Starter brand and Bauer Hockey were sold in the third and fourth quarter respectively, and Umbro was acquired in the fourth quarter.

For the continuing Other businesses (Cole Haan, Converse Inc., Hurley International LLC, and NIKE Golf) fourth quarter revenues declined 3 percent and pretax income declined 47 percent. For this same group, fiscal year revenue grew 5 percent while pretax income declined 28 percent. Pretax income for the fourth quarter and fiscal year were negatively impacted by lower profits at Cole Haan and NIKE Golf, reflecting difficult conditions in these market sectors.**

Income Statement Review

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 gross margins were 43.4 percent compared to 45.8 percent for the same period last year. For the fiscal year, gross margins were 44.9 percent compared to 45.0 percent last year. Gross margins for the fourth quarter were lower than the prior year primarily due to higher product input costs and product markdowns taken to manage inventories.

For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 selling and administrative expenses were 29.6 percent of revenue compared to 33.1 percent for the same period last year reflecting the Company’s actions to proactively reduce expenses. For the fiscal year, selling and administrative expenses as a percent of revenue were 32.1 percent versus 32.0 percent last year due primarily to increased investment in retail stores.

The effective tax rate for the fourth quarter was 29.8 percent compared to 24.3 percent for the same period last year. The fourth quarter tax rate was higher than the prior year due to the impact of the restructuring charges and one time benefits in the same period last year. For the fiscal year, the effective tax rate was 24.0 percent compared to 24.8 percent last year. This year’s tax rate was lower than fiscal 2008 due to the impact of the impairment of Umbro’s goodwill, intangible and other assets; and a lower on-going tax rate on operations outside the United States.

Balance Sheet Review

At the end of the fiscal year, global inventories stood at $2.4 billion, down 3 percent from May 31, 2008. Cash and short-term investments at year-end were $3.5 billion, 24 percent higher than $2.8 billion last year.

Share Repurchase

The Company did not purchase any shares during the fourth quarter. Under the Company’s four-year, $3 billion share repurchase program, approved by the Board of Directors in June 2006, a total of 10.6 million shares for approximately $639.0 million was purchased during the first two quarters of fiscal 2009. Program to date, the Company has purchased a total of 49.2 million shares for approximately $2.7 billion.

Conference Call

Nike management will host a conference call beginning at approximately 2:00 p.m. PT on June 24, 2009, to review the results. The conference call will be broadcast live over the Internet and can be accessed at www.nikebiz.com/investors. For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, an archived version will be available at the same location through midnight, July 1, 2009.

About NIKE, Inc.

NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned Nike subsidiaries include Cole Haan, which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories; and Umbro Ltd., a leading United Kingdom-based global football (soccer) brand. For more information, NIKE’s earnings releases and other financial information are available on the Internet at www.nikebiz.com/investors.

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