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Lululemon Athletica (LULU)
NASDAQ:LULU

Lululemon Athletica (LULU) AI Stock Analysis

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LULU

Lululemon Athletica

(NASDAQ:LULU)

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Outperform 73 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:73Outperform
Price Target:
$201.00
▲(11.45% Upside)
The score is driven primarily by strong underlying fundamentals (profitability, returns, and solid balance sheet), partially offset by slowing recent growth and weaker cash conversion. Technicals are improving but not fully bullish given the stock remains below the 200-day average. Valuation appears reasonable at a mid-teens P/E, while the latest earnings call signals a mixed near-term setup (international/digital strength vs U.S. softness and margin pressure).
Positive Factors
High gross margins and strong ROE
Sustained gross margins near the mid-50s and very strong ROE indicate durable pricing power, brand premium, and efficient capital allocation. These traits support long-term profitability, funding for product innovation, and shareholder returns even if growth moderates.
Healthy balance sheet and moderate leverage
Moderate leverage and a strengthened equity base give the company financial flexibility to invest in store expansion, international growth, and digital capabilities, while supporting share buybacks and weathering macro volatility without compromising operations.
International and digital momentum
Rapid international expansion, led by China, and a large, growing digital channel materially diversify revenue. This structural shift reduces dependence on the U.S. market, scales distribution economically, and supports durable growth and margin improvement over the medium term.
Negative Factors
Revenue growth deceleration
A sustained slowdown in top-line growth reduces operating leverage and constrains margin expansion potential. Over months this forces higher reinvestment or promotions to regain share, pressuring profitability and making earnings less resilient to cost inflation or markdowns.
Weaker cash conversion and falling free cash flow
Declining cash conversion and lower free cash flow relative to earnings signal rising working-capital needs or heavier reinvestment. This reduces financial flexibility for capital returns, store investment, or acquisitions and heightens sensitivity to profit or inventory shocks.
Leadership and governance uncertainty
A CEO transition combined with a founder-led board challenge can distract management and the board, slow strategic execution, and increase short- to medium-term governance risk. This may delay initiatives like U.S. recovery or strategic pivots and unsettle stakeholder alignment.

Lululemon Athletica (LULU) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Lululemon Athletica Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company Descriptionlululemon athletica inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, distributes, and retails athletic apparel and accessories for women and men. It operates in two segments, Company-Operated Stores and Direct to Consumer. The company offers pants, shorts, tops, and jackets for healthy lifestyle and athletic activities, such as yoga, running, and training, as well as other sweaty pursuits. It also provides fitness-related accessories and footwear. The company sells its products through a chain of company-operated stores; outlets and warehouse sales; interactive workout platform; a network of wholesale accounts, such as yoga studios, health clubs, and fitness centers; temporary locations; and license and supply arrangements, as well as directly to consumer through mobile apps and lululemon.com e-commerce website. As of January 30, 2022, it operated 574 company-operated stores under the lululemon brand in the United States, Canada, the People's Republic of China, Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, Germany, South Korea, Singapore, France, Malaysia, Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. lululemon athletica inc. was founded in 1998 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.
How the Company Makes MoneyLululemon generates revenue primarily through the sale of its athletic apparel and accessories. The company operates a direct-to-consumer model, which includes both brick-and-mortar stores and a robust e-commerce platform. Key revenue streams include sales from retail locations, online sales, and wholesale partnerships with select retailers. Additionally, Lululemon has introduced a range of experiential offerings, such as fitness classes and events, which help to strengthen customer loyalty and engagement. The company also invests in collaborations and partnerships with fitness influencers and studios, which can enhance brand visibility and drive sales.

Lululemon Athletica Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Revenue by Channel
Revenue by Channel
Revenue distribution across various sales and distribution channels
Chart InsightsLululemon's revenue from company-operated stores shows a seasonal pattern, peaking in Q4, while e-commerce maintains steady growth. Despite these trends, the latest earnings call reveals challenges in the U.S. market, with expected revenue decline and reduced growth guidance due to tariffs and inventory pressures. However, international expansion, particularly in China, offers a counterbalance with strong growth. The company is focusing on product innovation and strategic pricing to navigate these headwinds, aiming for a refreshed product portfolio by 2026.
Data provided by:The Fly

Lululemon Athletica Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Dec 11, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Mar 31, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call reflects a mixed performance with strong growth in international markets and digital channels, but challenges in the U.S. market, increased costs, and a decrease in gross margin. The company is focusing on product innovation and efficiency to drive future growth.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
International Revenue Growth
International revenue increased 33%, with China Mainland growing 46% and Rest of World up 19% in constant currency.
Digital Channel Performance
Digital revenue increased 13% and contributed $1.1 billion, or 42% of total revenue.
Strong Cash Position
lululemon has a balance sheet with $1 billion in cash and no debt.
Product Innovation and Newness
New styles like Milemaker, Shake It Out, Tumbled Fleece, and Scuba Waffle show successful product innovation.
Negative Updates
Revenue Decline in Americas
Americas revenue decreased 2%, with the U.S. down 3% and Canada flat.
Gross Margin Decrease
Gross margin decreased by 290 basis points due to tariff impacts and higher markdowns.
Increased SG&A Expenses
SG&A expenses were 38.5% of net revenue compared to 38% last year, showing deleverage.
Outlook for Q4 Revenue Decline
Q4 revenue is expected to decline by 1% to 3% compared to the last year.
Company Guidance
During the third quarter 2025 financial results conference call, lululemon Athletica Inc. provided updated guidance for the fourth quarter and full year. The company anticipates total net revenue for fiscal year 2025 to range between $10.96 billion and $11.05 billion, reflecting a 4% increase from the previous year. The U.S. market is expected to remain within a guidance range of negative 1% to 2%, while China Mainland is projected to achieve growth at or above the high end of 20% to 25%. For the fourth quarter, revenue is forecasted to be between $3.5 billion and $3.59 billion, which accounts for a growth of 2% to 4% when including the 53rd week from the previous year. The company aims to open approximately 46 net new stores in 2025, with a focus on international markets, particularly China. Gross margin for the full year is projected to decrease by approximately 270 basis points, driven by increased tariffs and markdowns. Earnings per share for fiscal year 2025 are expected to be between $12.92 and $13.02. The company also plans to manage inventory units below sales to mitigate markdown risks and is making strategic adjustments to its product pipeline and store experiences to drive growth.

Lululemon Athletica Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Strong profitability and returns (high gross margins and very strong ROE) with manageable leverage support a high-quality profile, but TTM growth deceleration, softer margins, and weaker cash conversion/free-cash-flow trend temper the score.
Income Statement
86
Very Positive
Lululemon shows strong profitability with consistently high gross margins (~55–59%) and solid net margins (~10–17%) across the period. Revenue growth has been robust historically (2022–2024), but the latest TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) shows a clear deceleration versus prior years, and margins have softened from the FY2025 level (net margin down from ~17% to ~16% in TTM), suggesting growth is normalizing and operating leverage is less supportive near-term.
Balance Sheet
84
Very Positive
The balance sheet looks healthy: leverage is moderate with debt-to-equity generally ~0.31–0.39 and equity steadily building. Returns on equity are very strong (roughly ~27% to ~42%, including ~40% in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months)), indicating efficient capital use. The main watch-out is modestly higher leverage in the latest TTM versus the prior annual period, though still well within a manageable range.
Cash Flow
74
Positive
Cash generation is positive with meaningful operating cash flow and free cash flow in both FY2025 and TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months). However, cash conversion has weakened: operating cash flow relative to net income fell to ~1.01x in TTM (from ~1.24x in FY2025), and free cash flow relative to net income dropped to ~0.61x (from ~0.70x). Free cash flow growth is also negative in the latest periods, pointing to higher reinvestment and/or working-capital pressure tempering near-term cash efficiency.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue11.07B10.59B9.62B8.11B6.26B4.40B
Gross Profit6.47B6.27B5.61B4.49B3.61B2.46B
EBITDA2.95B2.95B2.59B2.02B1.60B1.04B
Net Income1.74B1.81B1.55B854.80M975.32M588.91M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets7.96B7.60B7.09B5.61B4.94B4.19B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments1.04B1.98B2.24B1.15B1.26B1.15B
Total Debt1.76B1.58B1.40B1.07B881.05M798.68M
Total Liabilities3.45B3.28B2.86B2.46B2.20B1.63B
Stockholders Equity4.50B4.32B4.23B3.15B2.74B2.56B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow1.13B1.58B1.64B327.81M994.61M574.11M
Operating Cash Flow1.86B2.27B2.30B966.46M1.39B803.34M
Investing Cash Flow-712.02M-798.17M-654.13M-569.94M-427.89M-695.53M
Financing Cash Flow-1.26B-1.65B-548.83M-467.49M-844.99M-80.79M

Lululemon Athletica Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price180.35
Price Trends
50DMA
194.42
Negative
100DMA
182.68
Negative
200DMA
214.53
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-4.98
Positive
RSI
30.13
Neutral
STOCH
2.91
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For LULU, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 180.35 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 200.10, below the 50-day MA of 194.42, and below the 200-day MA of 214.53, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -4.98 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 30.13 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 2.91 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for LULU.

Lululemon Athletica Risk Analysis

Lululemon Athletica disclosed 40 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Lululemon Athletica reported the most risks in the "Production" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Lululemon Athletica Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
82
Outperform
$6.28B13.1619.34%11.09%51.51%
80
Outperform
$60.16B29.0737.43%0.90%3.71%0.65%
79
Outperform
$15.03B55.5115.38%38.94%81.82%
76
Outperform
$9.97B12.0025.10%2.45%0.29%3.65%
74
Outperform
$3.97B20.2312.36%2.09%-1.15%-0.98%
73
Outperform
$22.82B12.5941.02%8.76%3.41%
61
Neutral
$18.38B12.79-2.54%3.03%1.52%-15.83%
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
LULU
Lululemon Athletica
180.35
-240.81
-57.18%
AEO
American Eagle
23.13
7.18
45.03%
GAP
Gap Inc
26.98
3.10
13.00%
ROST
Ross Stores
186.04
34.80
23.01%
URBN
Urban Outfitters
69.61
13.19
23.38%
ONON
On Holding AG
44.86
-18.76
-29.49%

Lululemon Athletica Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Lululemon Raises Q4 Outlook on Strong Holiday Demand
Positive
Jan 12, 2026

On January 12, 2026, Lululemon Athletica updated its outlook for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, saying it now expects net revenue and diluted earnings per share to come in toward the high end of its prior guidance ranges of $3.500 billion to $3.585 billion in sales and $4.66 to $4.76 in EPS. The company left guidance for gross margin, operating expenses and effective tax rate unchanged, indicating that better-than-expected performance over the holiday period is driving the improved top- and bottom-line expectations while its cost structure remains in line, which suggests resilient demand and supports its ongoing efforts to strengthen its U.S. business as it meets with investors at the ICR Conference.

The most recent analyst rating on (LULU) stock is a Hold with a $215.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Lululemon Athletica stock, see the LULU Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board ChangesStock BuybackFinancial DisclosuresShareholder Meetings
Lululemon Faces Founder-Led Board Challenge, CEO Search
Neutral
Dec 29, 2025

On December 29, 2025, Lululemon Athletica responded to a notice from founder Dennis “Chip” Wilson, who has disclosed plans to nominate three director candidates and submit a proposal to declassify the board at the company’s 2026 annual meeting, signaling a potential proxy battle. The board stated it had long engaged with Wilson and had sought his nominees’ names earlier to avoid a costly, distracting contest, and now plans to evaluate his candidates under its governance process while emphasizing that shareholders need not take any action yet. Lululemon highlighted its board refreshment, noting that over a third of directors joined in the last four years, and underscored its decade-long growth under current oversight, with revenues rising from $2.1 billion in fiscal 2015 to an expected $11.0 billion in fiscal 2025, a near sixfold increase in operating income, and more than $5.5 billion returned to shareholders via buybacks. The company also disclosed that it has launched a search for a new CEO to lead its next phase of growth and transformation, stressing its continued industry leadership since Wilson’s departure a decade ago and its commitment to acting in the best interests of all shareholders as it prepares recommendations ahead of the 2026 annual meeting.

The most recent analyst rating on (LULU) stock is a Hold with a $215.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Lululemon Athletica stock, see the LULU Stock Forecast page.

Executive/Board ChangesStock BuybackFinancial Disclosures
Lululemon Announces CEO Departure and Leadership Changes
Neutral
Dec 11, 2025

On December 11, 2025, Lululemon Athletica announced that CEO Calvin McDonald will step down on January 31, 2026, with Marti Morfitt appointed as executive chair and Meghan Frank and Andre Maestrini as interim co-CEOs. The company also reported a 7% revenue increase to $2.6 billion for Q3 2025, with international growth offsetting declines in the Americas. Additionally, the board approved a $1.0 billion increase in its stock repurchase program, reflecting confidence in future growth.

The most recent analyst rating on (LULU) stock is a Hold with a $180.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Lululemon Athletica stock, see the LULU Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Lululemon Appoints André Maestrini as New President
Neutral
Nov 21, 2025

On November 17, 2025, Celeste Burgoyne announced her resignation as President, Americas and Global Guest Innovation at Lululemon, effective December 31, 2025, to pursue opportunities outside the industry. In response, Lululemon appointed André Maestrini as President and Chief Commercial Officer on November 21, 2025. Maestrini, who joined Lululemon in 2021 and significantly expanded its international revenues, will now oversee all regions, stores, and digital channels globally, focusing on market expansion and revenue generation.

The most recent analyst rating on (LULU) stock is a Hold with a $180.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Lululemon Athletica stock, see the LULU Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Jan 14, 2026