Nike (NYSE:NKE) Riding Athletic Apparel, Footwear Trend

Trends for athletic apparel and footwear look to remain robust, and Nike (NYSE:NKE) is positioned the strongest to ride the wave.

Barclays noted, "We believe trends in athletic apparel and footwear, led by Nike, remain quite healthy. For the quarter, we expect Nike to deliver its best quarter of revenue growth since 1Q09. We are forecasting a 9% revenue increase to $4.8 billion, with broad strength globally (ex-Japan) as Nike continues to gain market share.

"We expect continued strength in global futures, and are forecasting a 10%-11% real dollar gain (12%-13% in constant dollars): We believe momentum for the brand continues, particularly in China and Eastern Europe, driven by a lineup of innovative product launches such as the Kobe 6 shoe in December, and ongoing refinements to Nike Free technology, including the Nike Trainer One."

Nike closed Monday at $90.27, up $0.22, or 0.24 percent. Barclays raised their price on them from $90 to $100.