(Reuters) - Nike Inc , the world's No. 1 footwear maker, will continue to dominate the sportswear market despite intensifying competition in North America, analysts said on Wednesday, a day after the company reported "futures orders" below estimates.
Nike's futures ordering program allows retailers to order five or six months in advance of delivery, with the commitment delivery will be made within a set time at a fixed price.
Nike said on Tuesday its global orders for September through January were up 7 percent on a constant-currency basis, missing the 8 percent increase analysts had expected.
"Despite the threat from a push by competition and disappointing futures, we view Nike's scale and dominance as a long-term barrier to entry and maintain our 'buy' despite what appears a nascent share loss," Nomura Securities analyst Simeon Siegel wrote in a client note.