Nike Founder Net Worth (2025 Update): What Phil Knight Is Worth Today

Who is the Nike founder, and why does his net worth draw so much attention? Phil Knight co-founded Nike with coach Bill Bowerman in 1964, then grew it into a global sports brand that spans running, basketball, lifestyle, and culture. 

When people ask about the Nike founder net worth, they want to know how the value of Nike, and Knight’s long-term stake in it, translates into personal wealth.

Net worth is a simple formula: assets minus debts. For Phil Knight, most of that comes from his Nike shares, so the number moves with Nike’s stock price throughout the day. I use up-to-date estimates from Forbes Real-Time Billionaires and the Bloomberg Billionaires Index when available, and I note that these figures can shift within minutes. 

In this guide, I cover today’s estimate, how he built and holds his fortune, what makes it move, and how it stacks up against other founders.

What is the Nike founder net worth today? (2025 update)

As of today’s publication, the latest public estimates from real-time trackers place Phil Knight’s net worth in the mid tens of billions of dollars, in a range that reflects Nike’s live share price and small differences in methodology between sources. 

When Forbes and Bloomberg diverge, I present a range that captures both. The figure tends to rise or fall with Nike stock, especially after earnings or guidance updates.

At a glance:

• Current estimate: approximately mid 40s to low 50s billions (USD), based on Forbes Real-Time and Bloomberg intraday readings

• U.S. rank: roughly among the top 30 to 50

• World rank: roughly among the top 60 to 100

• Primary source of wealth: Nike equity and related holdings

• What the figure includes: mainly his Nike stake, plus cash and other private assets, minus known liabilities

Current estimate and trusted sources

I rely on two live trackers: Forbes Real-Time Billionaires and the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. On the day and time of publication, these sources placed Phil Knight’s net worth in the mid 40s to low 50s billions in USD. These numbers update intraday, so small changes in Nike’s stock can move the total within minutes.

How experts calculate the Nike founder net worth

The core method is straightforward. Analysts multiply the total Nike shares Phil Knight controls or benefits from by the current Nike share price. They add other assets, such as cash, investment funds, private companies like Laika, and real estate. 

They subtract known debts and factor in large gifts and transfers to trusts. Private asset values are estimates that can change when new information appears.

Recent Nike stock moves and the day-to-day impact

Daily and weekly swings in Nike’s share price drive the largest short-term changes in Phil Knight’s net worth. Month-to-date and year-to-date trends follow broader themes, like product momentum, inventory levels, gross margins, and management guidance. In simple terms, a higher share price raises the value of his stake, and a lower price reduces it. 

Given his large position, even a small move in Nike’s stock can translate into hundreds of millions of dollars of change in estimated wealth in a single session. The exact sensitivity depends on the latest reported share count and any recent transfers to trusts or charities.

How Phil Knight built and holds his wealth from Nike

Phil Knight’s fortune grew with Nike’s journey from a small running shoe distributor to a global sports powerhouse. The key is patient ownership and careful control. Nike’s 1980 IPO created liquid value. 

Breakout product lines and cultural moments, from the Air Jordan era to the rise of lifestyle sneakers, multiplied it. Over time, the Knight family has maintained meaningful influence through a mix of Class A voting shares, Class B common stock, family trusts, and entities such as Swoosh LLC.

Beyond equity appreciation, long-term dividends and periodic buybacks have boosted the value of remaining shares. He also holds non-Nike assets, like the animation studio Laika. Large charitable gifts and estate moves have shifted some shares out of his personal name while preserving family control.

From Blue Ribbon Sports to Nike, a short timeline

• 1964: Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman form Blue Ribbon Sports, a distributor of Japanese running shoes. Early growth comes from the running boom and grassroots sales.

• 1971: The Nike name and Swoosh appear. The brand starts designing and producing its own shoes, lifting margins and brand value.

• 1980: Nike goes public. The IPO converts early equity into tradeable wealth and sets the stage for institutional ownership.

• 1984: The Air Jordan partnership begins. Jordan Brand becomes a cultural force and a profit engine that fuels decades of growth.

• 1990s–2000s: Global expansion, category depth, and new tech like Air Max and Flyknit scale the business and widen moats.

• 2010s–today: Direct-to-consumer, digital member programs, and strong franchises help drive margins and loyalty.

Each step increased Nike’s earnings power, supported a higher market value, and magnified Phil Knight’s wealth.

Equity stake, voting control, and family trusts

Nike has two main share classes. Class A carries special voting rights and does not trade publicly. Class B is the common stock that trades under the ticker NKE. The Knight family’s influence has run through Class A voting power, trusts, and entities such as Swoosh LLC, which historically held a large block of Class A shares. 

Nike’s most recent proxy statement and 10-K provide the latest details on share counts, voting control, and any changes in ownership structure. When evaluating control, I look first to those filings for the most precise figures.

Other assets that can affect the Nike founder net worth

While Nike stock is the core, experts also include non-Nike holdings. These can include:

• Laika, the stop-motion animation studio

• Cash, short-term investments, and investment funds

• Real estate, including long-held properties

• Art and other private assets

Values for private assets are estimates, and they can swing when new funding rounds, appraisals, or sales occur.

Big stock sales, gifts, and philanthropy across decades

Insider sales and gifts appear in SEC Form 4 filings. Over the decades, Phil Knight has made large charitable commitments and transfers to trusts. Well-known gifts include support for Stanford’s Knight-Hennessy Scholars, the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, major University of Oregon projects, and community-focused efforts like the 1803 Fund in Portland. 

Public reports place his lifetime giving in the billions, confirmed by institutional announcements and audited gift campaigns.

What makes the Nike founder net worth rise or fall

Phil Knight’s net worth rises when investors gain confidence in Nike’s future earnings and cash flow. It falls when the outlook looks softer. While there is noise day to day, the long arc runs through product cycles, brand heat, inventory discipline, and execution in key regions like North America and China.

Dividends and buybacks add lift over years. Taxes, philanthropy, and estate planning also shape the headline figure.

Nike earnings, margins, and growth drivers

The levers are clear:

• Demand in running and basketball, the heart of Nike’s performance line

• Jordan Brand strength, which supports premium pricing and sticky demand

• Inventory control, which protects gross margins and reduces markdowns

• The mix shift toward direct-to-consumer, which can lift profitability

• Healthy wholesale partners that move product at scale

Macro factors matter too. A strong dollar can weigh on international revenue when translated back to USD. Consumer confidence and retail traffic shape full-price sell-through. When these inputs trend positive, earnings and guidance improve, the stock often follows, and Phil Knight’s net worth climbs.

Share buybacks and dividends that shape long-term wealth

Nike has a long history of buybacks and annual dividend increases. Buybacks reduce the share count, which can lift earnings per share and support the stock price over time. Dividends provide steady cash to large holders like the Knight family.

Example for context: if Nike pays an annual dividend per share and a long-term holder owns tens of millions of shares, the annual dividend income can reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars. That recurring cash adds to total wealth and can fund new investments or philanthropy. For the latest per-share dividend and repurchase authorizations, I check Nike Investor Relations.

Taxes, giving, and estate planning

When a holder sells Nike stock at a gain, capital gains taxes apply. Large charitable gifts can offset some taxes and reduce the taxable estate. Trusts and planned transfers help move ownership to heirs while managing tax exposure. 

Oregon has state income taxes, which matters for realized gains. None of this is legal advice, just practical context for how the headline number can change when shares move or when major transfers occur.

How the Nike founder net worth compares in 2025

Context helps. Phil Knight’s wealth sits among the largest in sportswear and ranks high in the United States. Exact positions vary day to day as markets move and as other fortunes swing with tech, retail, or energy stocks. I use real-time Forbes and Bloomberg lists on the day of publication to cross-check standing.

Compared to other sportswear founders and owners

Against peers, Phil Knight is near the top. Chip Wilson of Lululemon is another major sportswear billionaire, with wealth tied to LULU’s strong run. Kevin Plank of Under Armour holds a smaller fortune, shaped by UA’s stock path. 

On the Adidas side, wealth is spread across heirs and long-time owners, which makes direct one-to-one comparison tricky. On most days in 2025, Knight’s position leads the group by a clear margin.

Where he ranks in the U.S. and worldwide

In the United States, Phil Knight typically places in the top tier, around the top 30 to 50, depending on market moves and shifts in tech and retail wealth. Globally, he often ranks around the top 60 to 100. 

I base this on the day’s live readings from Forbes or Bloomberg. Ranks can change within hours, so I prefer a tight range instead of a single number.

Is he the richest person in Oregon?

Yes, Phil Knight is usually the richest person in Oregon. His closest neighbors on rich lists include leaders tied to Oregon-based companies such as Columbia Sportswear. On most days, the gap is wide enough that his position in the state is not in doubt.

Conclusion

The headline is simple. The Nike founder net worth is very large, and it moves with Nike’s stock because Phil Knight’s fortune is rooted in long-term ownership. As of today’s update, I place his wealth in the mid 40s to low 50s billions in USD, based on live trackers. 

The deeper story is decades of building a brand, steady control, and patient compounding. If you want the live figure, check Forbes Real-Time or Bloomberg during market hours, and keep an eye on Nike earnings, product cycles, and guidance.