Leading market positions in athletic footwear and apparel; Broad geographic diversity; and A strong financial profile. Intense competition; and Vulnerability to global economic and currency risk. The ratings on Beaverton, Ore.-based NIKE Inc. reflect its leading global position in sales of athletic footwear and apparel, geographic and customer diversification, and strong financial profile. The company's exposure to changing consumer preferences in this very competitive and marketing-intensive industry offsets company strengths. NIKE continues to hold the No. 1 market share in U.S. athletic footwear, and has strong positions internationally. NIKE has maintained its brand strength, and its U.S. market share remains significantly more than twice that of its nearest competitor. However, Standard&Poor's Ratings Services expects that competition in this
