The Wall Street Journal evaluates how leading US corps stack up in 6 areas: AI readiness, innovation, talent readiness, financial fitness, resilience and agility.
Nike is one of the strongest non-tech names in your list. It ranks #36 overall with an Overall Score of 63.7, and it is #1 out of 11 companies in Consumer Durables & Apparel. The key strengths are very clear: Innovation Rank #10 and Resilience Rank #13. That is an elite combination for a consumer brand.
The weaknesses are less severe but still important. Nike ranks #185 in AI and #223 in Talent Readiness, so the table does not view it as an AI leader or top-tier people platform. The strategic read is that Nike is being rewarded for brand durability, product innovation, and resilience, not for technology leadership. It screens as a premium global consumer franchise with future-readiness strength, but it still has room to improve in AI and talent.
Source:
https://www.wsj.com/rankings/best-companies-for-the-future/full-rankings-2026