Nike is planning to lay off about 1% of its corporate workforce, the company confirmed, marking the second round of job cuts this year as Chief Executive Elliott Hill pushes a broad restructuring designed to restore growth and reinvigorate product innovation.
The latest cuts follow February's reduction of 2% of the workforce-about 1,500 positions-as Nike attempts to realign its organizational structure. While the company did not specify the exact number of jobs affected in this round, it said the layoffs would not impact its EMEA or Converse businesses.
"As we shared in Q4 earnings, NIKE, Inc. is in the midst of a realignment," the company said in a statement to CNBC. "The moves we're making are about setting ourselves up to win and create the next great chapter for NIKE. This new formation is built to put sport and sport culture back at the center, to connect more deeply with the athlete and the consumer, and to give us the space to create what only NIKE can."
The restructuring will unwind changes made under former CEO John Donahoe, who segmented the business into men's, women's and children's categories in a bid to strengthen lifestyle offerings. Critics said that shift diluted Nike's innovation pipeline by moving away from its athlete-first ethos.
Hill, a three-decade Nike veteran who took over the top role earlier this year, is reorienting the business around sports-specific teams under the Nike, Jordan and Converse brands. "Instead of a men's, women's and kids construct, Nike, Jordan, and Converse teams will now come to work every day with a mission to create the most innovative and coveted product, footwear, apparel and accessories for the specific athletes they serve," Hill told analysts in June.
Nike said some employees would assume new roles, report to different managers, or join new teams, while "a small number" will depart as a result of the restructuring. Staff will be notified by September 8, and most new positions will take effect September 21. To facilitate the transition, U.S. and Canadian corporate employees will work remotely during the notification period.
Despite recent challenges, Nike shares are up about 3% in 2025, though the stock remains down roughly 5% over the past 12 months. I
