Nike's Casing Malls

Nike Inc. is "almost certainly" exploring opening a small number of mall-based specialty stores in 2007, said John Shanley, an analyst for Susquehanna Financial Group, in a research note published early Tuesday.

Citing shopping center industry contacts, Shanley wrote that the Beaverton, Ore., athletic product company is "actively" looking at 3,500- to 4,000-square-foot boxes in prominent center court locations in A malls only. A malls typically generate $350 or more a square foot in retail sales.

So says, CBS Marketwatch.