I guess Nike (NYSE:NKE) didn't know the strength of its own vertical leap. Last month the swoosh-branded footwear and apparel specialist announced that its orders for delivery during the first half of the new fiscal year were up by 10.7%. Over the weekend the company clarified that the orders set to be shipped out between June and November were actually 11.3% higher.
The difference may not seem like much, but it shouldn't be taken lightly. Because the surge in orders came late, it hints that this is a company whose products are spiking in demand. It couldn't come at a better time, too, as retailers are gearing up to move back-to-school merchandise.
Nike is crediting strength in its Asian and stateside markets for the revised boost. What remains to be seen is whether Nike is the "sole" beneficiary or whether its rivals such as Adidas, Reebok (NYSE:RBK), and K-Swiss (NASDAQ:KSWS) stand to gain in Nike's rising tide. If you may recall, Reebok put up some rather lackluster results recently, so Nike's good tidings may not be necessarily painted in broad strokes.
This ultimately stacks up nicely on top of Nike's strong fiscal 2004, which ended in May with the company posting a 27% spike in earnings while sales improved by 15% for a $12.3 billion showing. It did so on record gross margins, which give investors further reasons to relish the incremental future deliveries.
No, Nike isn't exactly cheap at just more than 20 times trailing earnings, but if demand for Nike's branded gear is intensifying, it might prove to be a bargain for this replenished growth stock.
Are you a fan of Nike? Are you surprised to see the company faring this well after the retirement of Michael "Air" Jordan? How significant is the company's domestic strength? All this and more -- in the Nike discussion board. Only on Fool.com.
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz is sure that he has a pair of Nike sneakers somewhere. He does not own shares in any company mentioned in this story.
