• Nike, Blue Owl Capital, and NuScale Power hit new 52-week lows amid company-specific and macro pressures.
• Weak earnings outlooks, redemption stress in private credit, and nuclear project risks are weighing in specific cases.
• Despite the slide, retail sentiment remains bullish, with investors viewing the pullbacks as a potential buying opportunity.

Nike, Inc., Blue Owl Capital Inc., and NuScale Power Corp. each touched fresh 52-week lows in their last session, dragged down by distinct catalysts ranging from sector-wide stress to disappointing earnings.

Nike posted its worst weekly performance in nearly two years, closing at a 10-year low. Blue Owl lost over 3% in its second straight week in the red, ending at levels last seen in November 2022. NuScale fared only slightly better, shedding nearly 1.5%.

What's Driving NKE, OWL, SMR Lower?

Nike's struggles are a study in a turnaround that hasn't turned. CEO Elliott Hill, who took the reins in October 2024, was brought in to reverse the sportswear giant's slide, but there has been little sign of progress. Leadership changes, a broad management reset, bloated inventories, and intensifying competition from newer brands such as On Holding and Hoka have kept the company in a prolonged reset. 

Nike’s most recent earnings report confirmed that sales will decline this year, and China remains a significant drag with no clear resolution in sight. The stock remains a long way from its pandemic-era all-time highs.

Blue Owl's pain is coming from a different direction. Private credit firms have been caught in a wave of elevated redemption requests as AI-related market disruptions and geopolitical uncertainty unsettle investors. OWL shares took a hit earlier this month after Blue Owl Credit Income Corp. disclosed that redemptions from two of its private credit funds would be limited. 

Over the weekend, Bank of America trimmed its price target on the stock while keeping a 'Buy' rating, as part of a broader first-quarter preview that cut targets across the asset management group. The firm described the macro backdrop as "challenging" for the first half of 2026 and said no company in the group is positioned for strong quarterly results.

NuScale has shed over a fifth of its value since reporting a significant earnings and revenue miss in its fourth-quarter results in late February. Last month, UBS cut its price target on the stock to $13 from $20, maintaining a 'Neutral' rating. The firm said it remains cautiously optimistic about U.S. nuclear development overall but flagged capital needs, potential project delays, and cost overruns as key risks.

All three stocks have significantly underperformed the S&P 500 and Nasdaq over the past year.

What Retail Traders Think About NKE, OWL, SMR

Despite the weakness, retail sentiment on Stocktwits remains 'extremely bullish' on Nike, with most traders treating the dip as an attractive entry point for a company with high brand recall. Sentiment for OWL and SMR was also 'bullish' as of the last close.

Engagement is picking up across all three names. Nike's message volume has more than quadrupled over the past week alone. Follower counts reveal Nike's Stocktwits watchers have grown by over 5% in the past year, while OWL and SMR have seen follower surges of over 50% and 80%, respectively, a sign that retail interest in these stocks is building even as they hover near multi-year lows.

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.

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