(NYSE: NKE) has seen better days. The stock of the leading athletic footwear and apparel maker currently sits nearly 60% below its peak from a few years ago. It has fallen 40% from its 52-week high. That has led to Nike trading at its lowest valuation in over a decade.

The shoe stock's slumping price has also driven up its dividend yield to over 2%. That's its highest level since the financial crisis and well above the S 500's average (around 1.3%). It's a compelling level, given the company's exceptional record of increasing its dividend. Here's a look at whether now might be one of the best times to buy Nike in years.

Nike is facing problems of its own making. It focused so aggressively on growing its online sales that it cut ties with several retailers. That strategy left the company wide open to competition in the physical retail world, where customers could try on rival products. As a result, its wholesale sales plummeted while its direct sales also slowed.

Continue reading

Source Fool.com