Nike Lays Off 1,400 Workers Globally, 172 in St. Charles County

Nike announced the elimination of 1,400 positions globally on April 23, 2026, targeting employees in operations and technology departments, including 172 workers at its St. Charles County Air unit manufacturing facility in Missouri. The cuts are part of CEO Elliott Hill's "Win Now" turnaround strategy and mark the second major workforce reduction of 2026, following 775 layoffs in January.

The restructuring reflects severe financial pressure at NKE: fiscal year 2025 net income dropped 44% to $3.2 billion, China sales plummeted 20%, and the company faces approximately $1.5 billion in annual tariff headwinds. Gross margin fell from 41.5% to 40.2%, and management has guided for 2–4% revenue declines ahead. Hill is centralizing technology operations in Beaverton and Nike's India Technology Center as part of a broader automation and supply chain modernization effort intended to reduce structural costs.

Despite the challenging backdrop, Hill demonstrated personal conviction in the turnaround by purchasing more than 23,000 shares of NKE at $42 on April 13, 2026. The St. Charles County facility produces Air cushioning units and is being modernized as part of Nike's manufacturing overhaul. The success of the "Win Now" strategy ultimately hinges on whether tariff headwinds ease, how quickly Nike can reclaim market share in China and North America, and whether operational savings materialize fast enough to offset continued revenue pressure from rivals including On Running, Hoka, and Adidas.

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