• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, February 7, 2007

Nike Inc. made it official yesterday, revealing just a hint more about its retail expansion plans to Wall Street analysts.

"Becoming a better retailer will help us be a better wholesale partner," the company said, announcing that by 2011, the company expects Nike direct-to-consumer sales--which include inline stores, factory outlets and e-commerce--to increase to 15% of sales, up from the current 12%.

"In today's world, power has shifted away from traditional brand growth models to growth driven by the power of consumers," the company said, adding that growth in its six core categories--running, basketball, football (soccer), women's fitness, men's training and sport culture--are expected to drive over 75% of the brand's growth.

Nike, which was something of a retail pioneer with its Niketown stores, has been rumored to be planning a push into leading malls, with stores that would compete directly with some of its biggest customers, including The Finish Line and Foot Locker.

"The company anticipates opening approximately 100 new inline Nike stores worldwide, with up to half expected to open in the United States over the next three years," the company added.

But the company reassured analysts that it would stick with its wholesale business model, and said it expects its retail partners to continue to generate more than 80% of sales in 2011.

Nike also said that while it plans to intensify its expansion in the U.S., U.K., Japan and China, which currently account for 61% of Nike brand revenues, it will invest aggressively in Russia, India and Brazil, "each of which has the potential to become a new billion-dollar market."