What to Watch: Nike, On Holdings, Amer Sports and Steven Madden Are Top 2026 Shoe Stock Picks

January 8, 2026

As Nike Inc. continues an intense turnaround effort, Wall Street is upbeat on the stock’s prospects for the new year.

Other footwear stocks favored by some analysts heading into 2026 include On Holding AG, Amer Sports Inc. and Steven Madden Ltd.

The general consensus is fairly positive for Nike, with the understanding that the turnaround of the brand won’t happen overnight. While sales in North America appear to be “coming out of the doldrums,” according to Williams Trading analyst Sam Poser, the problem is that the “heavy lift needed to fix the Greater China and Converse businesses are greater than expected and are weighing down the stock.” Poser, who has a “buy” rating on shares of Nike, noted that the order book for spring and summer 2026 “is up.” WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY