NIKE, Inc. was incorporated in 1968 under the laws of the state of Oregon. As used in this report, the terms “we”, “us”, “NIKE” and the “Company” refer to NIKE, Inc. and its predecessors, subsidiaries and affiliates, unless the context indicates otherwise. Our Internet address is www.nike.com. On our NIKE Corporate web site, located at www.nikebiz.com, we post the following filings as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission: our annual report on Form 10-K, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, our current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All such filings on our NIKE Corporate web site are available free of charge. Also available on the NIKE Corporate web site are the charters of the committees of our board of directors, as well as our corporate governance guidelines and code of ethics; copies of any of these documents will be provided in print to any shareholder who submits a request in writing to NIKE Investor Relations, One Bowerman Drive, Beaverton, Oregon 97005-6453.
Our principal business activity is the design, development and worldwide marketing of high quality footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessory products. NIKE is the largest seller of athletic footwear and athletic apparel in the world. We sell our products to retail accounts, through NIKE-owned retail including stores and internet sales, and through a mix of independent distributors and licensees, in over 180 countries around the world. Virtually all of our products are manufactured by independent contractors. Virtually all footwear and apparel products are produced outside the United States, while equipment products are produced both in the United States and abroad.
NIKE’s athletic footwear products are designed primarily for specific athletic use, although a large percentage of the products are worn for casual or leisure purposes. We place considerable emphasis on high quality construction and innovation in products designed for men, women and children. Running, training, basketball, soccer, sport-inspired urban shoes, and children’s shoes are currently our top-selling footwear categories and we expect them to continue to lead in product sales in the near future. We also market shoes designed for aquatic activities, baseball, bicycling, cheerleading, football, golf, lacrosse, outdoor activities, skateboarding, tennis, volleyball, walking, wrestling, and other athletic and recreational uses.
We sell sports apparel and accessories covering most of the above categories, sports-inspired lifestyle apparel, as well as athletic bags and accessory items. NIKE apparel and accessories are designed to complement our athletic footwear products, feature the same trademarks and are sold through the same marketing and distribution channels. We often market footwear, apparel and accessories in “collections” of similar design or for specific purposes. We also market apparel with licensed college and professional team and league logos.
We sell a line of performance equipment under the NIKE brand name, including bags, socks, sport balls, eyewear, timepieces, electronic devices, bats, gloves, protective equipment, golf clubs, and other equipment designed for sports activities. We also have agreements for licensees to produce and sell NIKE brand swimwear, team sports apparel, training equipment, children’s clothing, electronic devices, eyewear, golf accessories, and belts. We also sell small amounts of various plastic products to other manufacturers through our wholly-owned subsidiary, NIKE IHM, Inc.
Our wholly-owned subsidiary, Cole Haan (“Cole Haan”), headquartered in Yarmouth, Maine, designs and distributes dress and casual footwear, apparel and accessories for men and women under the brand names Cole Haan® and Bragano®.
Our wholly-owned subsidiary, Converse Inc. (“Converse”), headquartered in North Andover, Massachusetts, designs, distributes, and licenses athletic and casual footwear, apparel and accessories under the Converse®, Chuck Taylor®, All Star®, One Star®, John Varvatos®, and Jack Purcell® trademarks and footwear under the Hurley® trademark.
Our wholly-owned subsidiary, Hurley International LLC (“Hurley”), headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, designs and distributes a line of action sports apparel for surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding, youth lifestyle apparel, and accessories under the Hurley® trademark.
On March 3, 2008, we acquired all of the capital stock of Umbro Ltd. (“Umbro”). Headquartered in Manchester, England. Umbro designs, distributes, and licenses athletic and casual footwear, apparel and equipment, primarily for the sport of soccer, under the Umbro trademarks.
Sales and Marketing
Financial information about geographic and segment operations appears in Note 17 of the consolidated financial statements on page 75.
We experience moderate fluctuations in aggregate sales volume during the year. Historically, revenues in the first and fourth fiscal quarters have slightly exceeded those in the second and third quarters. However, the mix of product sales may vary considerably from time to time as a result of changes in seasonal and geographic demand for particular types of footwear, apparel and equipment.
Because NIKE is a consumer products company, the relative popularity of various sports and fitness activities and changing design trends affect the demand for our products. We must therefore respond to trends and shifts in consumer preferences by adjusting the mix of existing product offerings, developing new products, styles and categories, and influencing sports and fitness preferences through aggressive marketing. Failure to respond in a timely and adequate manner could have a material adverse effect on our sales and profitability. This is a continuing risk.
United States Market
In fiscal 2008, sales in the United States including U.S. sales of Cole Haan, Converse, Exeter Brands Group (which we sold in December, 2007), Hurley, Umbro, NIKE Bauer Hockey (which we sold in April, 2008) and NIKE Golf accounted for approximately 43 percent of total revenues, compared to 47 percent in fiscal 2007 and 47 percent in fiscal 2006. We estimate that we sell to more than 25,000 retail accounts in the United States. The NIKE brand domestic retail account base includes a mix of footwear stores, sporting goods stores, athletic specialty stores, department stores, skate, tennis and golf shops, and other retail accounts. During fiscal year 2008, our three largest customers accounted for approximately 24 percent of NIKE brand sales in the United States.
We make substantial use of our “futures” ordering program, which allows retailers to order five to six months in advance of delivery with the commitment that their orders will be delivered within a set time period at a fixed price. In fiscal year 2008, 86 percent of our U.S. wholesale footwear shipments (excluding Cole Haan, Converse, Exeter Brands Group, Hurley, NIKE Golf, Umbro, and NIKE Bauer Hockey) were made under the futures program, compared to 94 percent in fiscal 2007 and 90 percent in fiscal 2006. In fiscal 2008, 62 percent of our U.S. wholesale apparel shipments (excluding Cole Haan, Converse, Exeter Brands Group, Hurley, NIKE Golf, Umbro, and NIKE Bauer Hockey) were made under the futures program, compared to 65 percent in fiscal 2007 and 2006.
We utilize 18 NIKE sales offices to solicit sales in the United States. We also utilize 4 independent sales representatives to sell specialty products for golf, and 2 for skating and outdoor products.
NIKE’s United States distribution centers for footwear are located in Wilsonville, Oregon, and Memphis, Tennessee. Apparel and equipment products are shipped from our Memphis, Tennessee, Tigard, Oregon, and Foothill Ranch, California distribution centers. Cole Haan products are distributed primarily from Greenland, New Hampshire, Converse products are shipped from Ontario, California, and Hurley products are distributed from Irvine, California.
In fiscal 2008, non-U.S. sales (including non-U.S. sales of Cole Haan, Converse, Exeter Brands Group, Hurley, NIKE Bauer Hockey, Umbro, and NIKE Golf) accounted for 57 percent of total revenues, compared to 53 percent in fiscal 2007 and 53 percent in fiscal 2006. We sell our products to retail accounts, through NIKE-owned retail stores, and through a mix of independent distributors and licensees around the world. We estimate that we sell to more than 27,000 retail accounts outside the United States, excluding sales by independent distributors and licensees. We operate 11 distribution centers outside of the United States. In many countries and regions, including Canada, Asia, some Latin American countries, and Europe, we have a futures ordering program for retailers similar to the United States futures program described above. NIKE’s three largest customers outside of the U.S. accounted for approximately 9 percent of total non-U.S. sales.
International branch offices and subsidiaries of NIKE are located in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, People’s Republic of China, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Uruguay and Vietnam.
No customer accounted for 10 percent or more of our net sales during fiscal 2008.
Worldwide futures and advance orders for NIKE brand athletic footwear and apparel, scheduled for delivery from June through November 2008, were $8.8 billion compared to $7.7 billion for the same period last year. This futures and advance order amount is calculated based upon our forecast of the actual exchange rates under which our revenues will be translated during this period, which approximate current spot rates. Based upon historical data, we expect that approximately 95 percent of these orders will be filled in that time period, although some orders may be cancelled. Reported futures and advance orders are not necessarily indicative of our expectation of revenues for this period. This is because the mix of orders can shift between advance/futures and at-once orders. In addition, foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations as well as differing levels of order cancellations and discounts can cause differences in the comparisons between futures and advance orders and actual revenues. Moreover, a significant portion of our revenue is not derived from futures and advance orders, including at-once and close-out sales of NIKE footwear and apparel, wholesale sales of equipment, Cole Haan, Converse, Hurley, Umbro, NIKE Golf, and retail sales across all brands.
Product Research and Development
We believe that our research and development efforts are a key factor in our past and future success. Technical innovation in the design of footwear, apparel, and athletic equipment receive continued emphasis as NIKE strives to produce products that help to reduce injury, enhance athletic performance and maximize comfort.
In addition to NIKE’s own staff of specialists in the areas of biomechanics, exercise physiology, engineering, industrial design and related fields, we also utilize research committees and advisory boards made up of athletes, coaches, trainers, equipment managers, orthopedists, podiatrists and other experts who consult with us and review designs, materials and concepts for product improvement. Employee athletes and other athletes wear-test and evaluate products during the design and development process.
Virtually all of our footwear is produced outside of the United States. In fiscal 2008, contract suppliers in China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand manufactured 36 percent, 33 percent, 21 percent and 9 percent of total NIKE brand footwear, respectively. We also have manufacturing agreements with independent factories in Argentina, Brazil, India, Italy, and South Africa to manufacture footwear for sale primarily within those countries. Our largest single footwear factory accounted for approximately 6 percent of total fiscal 2008 footwear production.
Almost all of NIKE brand apparel production was manufactured outside of the United States by independent contract manufacturers located in 34 countries. Most of this apparel production occurred in China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Honduras, Mexico, Taiwan, Israel, Cambodia, India and Bangladesh. Our largest single apparel factory accounted for approximately 8 percent of total fiscal 2008 apparel production.
The principal materials used in our footwear products are natural and synthetic rubber, plastic compounds, foam cushioning materials, nylon, leather, canvas and polyurethane films used to make Air-Sole cushioning components. NIKE IHM, Inc., and NIKE (Suzhou) Sports Company, Ltd., both wholly-owned subsidiaries of NIKE, and independent contractors in China and Taiwan, are our largest suppliers of the Air-Sole cushioning components used in footwear. The principal materials used in our apparel products are natural and synthetic fabrics and threads, plastic and metal hardware, and specialized performance fabrics designed to repel rain, retain heat, or efficiently transport body moisture. NIKE’s contractors and suppliers buy raw materials in bulk. Most raw materials are available in the countries where manufacturing takes place. We have thus far experienced little difficulty in satisfying our raw material requirements.
Since 1972, Sojitz Corporation of America (“Sojitz America”), a large Japanese trading company, has performed significant import-export financing services for us. During fiscal 2008, Sojitz America provided financing and purchasing services for NIKE Brand products sold in Argentina, Uruguay, Canada, Chile, Brazil, India, Indonesia, The Philippines, Malaysia, South Africa, China, Korea, and Thailand excluding products produced and sold in the same country. Approximately 14 percent of NIKE brand sales occurred in those countries. Any failure of Sojitz America to provide these services or any failure of Sojitz America’s banks could disrupt our ability to acquire products from our suppliers and to deliver products to our customers outside of the United States, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Japan. Such a disruption could result in cancelled orders that would adversely affect sales and profitability. However, we believe that any such disruption would be short term in duration due to the ready availability of alternative sources of financing at competitive rates. Our current agreements with Sojitz America expire in 2011.
International Operations and Trade
Our international operations and sources of supply are subject to the usual risks of doing business abroad, such as possible revaluation of currencies, export duties, anti-dumping duties, quotas, safeguard measures, trade restrictions, restrictions on the transfer of funds and, in certain parts of the world, political instability and terrorism. We have not, to date, been materially affected by any such risk, but cannot predict the likelihood of such developments occurring. We believe that we have the ability to develop, over a period of time, adequate alternative sources of supply for the products obtained from our present suppliers outside of the United States. If events prevented us from acquiring products from our suppliers in a particular country, our operations could be temporarily disrupted and we could experience an adverse financial impact. However, we believe that we could abate any such disruption within a period of no more than 12 months, and that much of the adverse impact on supply would, therefore, be of a short-term nature. We believe that our principal competitors are subject to similar risks.
All of our products manufactured overseas and imported into the United States, the European Union (“EU”) and other countries are subject to customs duties collected by customs authorities. Customs information submitted by us is routinely subject to review by customs authorities. We are unable to predict whether additional customs duties, anti-dumping duties, quotas, safeguard measures, or other trade restrictions may be imposed on the importation of our products in the future. Such actions could result in increases in the cost of our products generally which might adversely affect the sales or profitability of NIKE and the imported footwear and apparel industry as a whole. Accordingly, we are actively monitoring the developments described below.
Footwear Imports into the European Union
From 1994 through January 1, 2005, the EU imposed limits (or “quotas”) on the import of certain types of footwear manufactured in China. Footwear designed for use in sporting activities, meeting certain technical criteria and having a CIF (cost, insurance and freight) price above nine euros (“Special Technology Athletic Footwear” or “STAF”), was excluded from the quotas. As a result of the STAF exclusion, and the amount of quota made available to us, the quotas did not have a material effect on our business. However, as part of China’s 2001 accession to the World Trade Organization (“WTO”), China entered into an agreement with the EU and other WTO members to abide by a special safeguard arrangement whereby quotas could be imposed on any product sourced in China, including footwear, if there was a surge in imports from China into another WTO country, and after a legal proceeding it was determined that such imports were injuring a domestic producer. Additionally, under longstanding WTO rules, all WTO member countries reserved the right to impose (1) safeguard measures (temporary quotas) if it can be demonstrated in a legal proceeding that increased imports are injuring another WTO member’s domestic industry; and (2) anti-dumping measures if it can be demonstrated in a legal proceeding that imports are being sold at an unfair low price in another WTO member’s home market, and those imports were causing or threatening to cause material injury to the domestic industry.
Accordingly, with the phase-out of the quotas at the beginning of 2005, and the expiration of a separate EU anti-dumping case in 2003 against footwear made in China, Indonesia, and Thailand, there has been renewed pressure from some parts of the EU footwear manufacturing sector to re-impose some level of trade protection on imported footwear from China, India, Vietnam, and other exporting countries. In July 2005, the European Commission (“EC”), at the request of the European domestic footwear industry, initiated investigations into leather footwear imported from China and Vietnam. NIKE and all other major athletic footwear manufacturers participated actively as respondents in this investigation and took the position that athletic footwear (i) should not be within the product scope of the investigation, and (ii) does not meet the legal requirements of injury and price in an anti-dumping investigation. Our arguments were successful and the EU agreed in October 2006 on definitive duties of 16.5% for China and 10% for Vietnam, but excluded STAF from the measures, and also agreed to implement the duties for two years rather than the normal five-year period. As a result, these measures did not significantly impact our business and we believe that our major competitors stand in much the same position regarding these trade measures.
We understand that since the anti-dumping duties on non-STAF leather footwear imposed in 2006 will expire on October 8, 2008 the EU domestic footwear industry has requested that the EC initiate a review of those measures. The EC will scrutinize the request closely, and make a decision by early October 2008 whether to initiate a review, and if so, the scope of that review. If the EC conducts a review, the current definitive anti-dumping duties will remain in force for an additional 15 months until the conclusion of the review in late 2009 or early 2010. It is also possible that the EC could initiate a so-called “interim” review of the anti-dumping measures, in which case the EC may review the scope of the STAF exemption and the level of the duties, among other things.
Trade Relations with China
China represents an important sourcing and marketing country for us. Many governments around the world are concerned about China’s growing and fast-paced economy, compliance with WTO rules, currency valuation, and high trade deficits. As a result there is a wide range of legislative proposals that have been introduced to address these concerns. While some of these concerns are justified, we are working with broad coalitions of global businesses and trade associations representing a wide variety of sectors (e.g. services, manufacturing, agriculture) to help ensure that any legislation enacted and implemented (i) addresses legitimate and core concerns, (ii) is consistent with international trade rules, and (iii) is reflective and considerate of China’s domestic economy and important role in the global economic community. We believe that our major competitors as well as most other multi-national companies stand in much the same position regarding these trade measures.
The athletic footwear, apparel and equipment industry is keenly competitive in the United States and on a worldwide basis. We compete internationally with an increasing number of athletic and leisure shoe companies, athletic and leisure apparel companies, sports equipment companies, and large companies having diversified lines of athletic and leisure shoes, apparel and equipment, including Adidas, Puma, and others. The intense competition and the rapid changes in technology and consumer preferences in the markets for athletic and leisure footwear and apparel, and athletic equipment, constitute significant risk factors in our operations.
NIKE is the largest seller of athletic footwear and athletic apparel in the world. Performance and reliability of shoes, apparel, and equipment, new product development, price, product identity through marketing and promotion, and customer support and service are important aspects of competition in the athletic footwear, apparel and equipment industry. To help market our products, we contract with prominent and influential athletes, coaches, teams, colleges and sports leagues to endorse our brands and use our products, and we actively sponsor sporting events and clinics. We believe that we are competitive in all of these areas.
Trademarks and Patents
We utilize trademarks on nearly all of our products and believe that having distinctive marks that are readily identifiable is an important factor in creating a market for our goods, in identifying the Company, and in distinguishing our goods from the goods of others. We consider our NIKE® and Swoosh Design® trademarks to be among our most valuable assets and we have registered these trademarks in over 100 countries. In addition, we own many other trademarks that we utilize in marketing our products. We continue to vigorously protect our trademarks against infringement.
NIKE has an exclusive, worldwide license to make and sell footwear using patented “Air” technology. The process utilizes pressurized gas encapsulated in polyurethane. Some of the early NIKE AIR® patents have expired, which may enable competitors to use certain types of similar technology. Subsequent NIKE AIR® patents will not expire for several years. We also have hundreds of U.S. and foreign utility patents, and thousands of U.S. and foreign design patents covering components and features used in various athletic and leisure shoes, apparel, and equipment. These patents expire at various times, and patents issued for applications filed this year will have a remaining duration of from now to 2022 for design patents, and from now to 2028 for utility patents. We believe that our success depends primarily upon skills in design, research and development, production and marketing rather than upon our patent position. However, we have followed a policy of filing applications for United States and foreign patents on inventions, designs and improvements that we deem valuable.
We had approximately 32,500 employees at May 31, 2008. Management considers its relationship with employees to be excellent. None of our employees is represented by a union, with the exception of 23 employees in Mexico, the collective bargaining agreement for which expires in 2009. Also, in some countries outside of the United States, local laws require representation for employees by works councils (such as in the EU, in which they are entitled to information and consultation on certain Company decisions) or other representation by an organization similar to a union, although collective bargaining agreements are not involved. There has never been a material interruption of operations due to labor disagreements.