NIKE, Inc. (NKE)
Nike is the world's largest athletic footwear and apparel brand, selling through wholesale partners and a growing direct-to-consumer channel. Its global sourcing footprint gives it heavy exposure to trade and tariff policy.
Consumer Discretionary stock comparison
NKE vs SBUX: which business are you actually underwriting?
Compare NIKE, Inc. with Starbucks Corporation using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
- Sector
- Consumer
- Industry
- Different SIC
- Shared themes
- 2
- Updated
- 2026-07-15
NKE vs SBUX: quick comparison
| Company fact | NKE | SBUX |
|---|---|---|
| Company | NIKE, Inc. | Starbucks Corporation |
| Exchange | NYSE | NASDAQ |
| Headquarters | Beaverton, Oregon | Seattle, Washington |
| Founded | 1964 | 1971 |
| SEC industry | Rubber & Plastics Footwear | Retail-Eating & Drinking Places |
| Fiscal year-end | May 31 | September 28 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-07-15 | 10-K · 2025-11-14 |
How the businesses differ
Starbucks Corporation (SBUX)
Starbucks operates and licenses the largest chain of coffeehouses in the world, with China as a key growth and competitive battleground. Its rewards program and mobile ordering drive a large share of US transactions.
The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. NKE is classified by the SEC as Rubber & Plastics Footwear, while SBUX is classified as Retail-Eating & Drinking Places. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.
Which thesis does each company fit?
Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.
Study NKE when…
- Real wage growth and consumer confidence
- Interest rates on autos and big-ticket credit
- Inventory cycles and promotional intensity
- The trade-down between premium and value
Study SBUX when…
- Real wage growth and consumer confidence
- Interest rates on autos and big-ticket credit
- Inventory cycles and promotional intensity
- The trade-down between premium and value
Shared research themes
US marketsInternational markets
SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.NKE's fiscal year ends May 31, while SBUX's ends September 28. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House Clerk snapshot contains 0matched transaction rows for NKEand 0 for SBUX. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
NKE primary filings
SBUX primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
NKE vs SBUX FAQs
Are NKE and SBUX direct competitors?
NIKE, Inc. and Starbucks Corporation sit in the same Consumer Discretionary sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.
Which is better, NKE or SBUX?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this NKE vs SBUX comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices, then use the primary filings here to test the business thesis.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-08-10. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-08-10. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
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