Lululemon Athletica AI Stock Analysis
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Lululemon Athletica (LULU) AI Stock Analysis
Lululemon Athletica
(NASDAQ:LULU)
The score is held back mainly by weak technical momentum (price below key moving averages with negative MACD) and a sharply negative earnings outlook (guidance for revenue, margin, and EPS declines). Offsetting these risks are still-strong underlying financial quality (healthy margins, ROE, cash generation, and manageable leverage) and a low P/E valuation that provides some downside cushion if fundamentals stabilize.
Lululemon Athletica Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Store CountIndicates the total number of retail locations, reflecting the company's physical presence and expansion strategy, which can drive revenue growth and brand visibility.
Store expansion has been consistent, but management is shifting from blunt unit growth to targeted openings and “optimizations” as near‑term North America demand and margins deteriorate. Expect slower net‑new store pace, bigger emphasis on higher‑return markets (China) and remodeled/larger footprints with fewer SKUs to boost productivity and reduce markdowns. That trade‑off should temper near‑term sales per store but improve return on capital over time; watch net new openings and square‑foot growth as key indicators of whether the strategy is restoring margin momentum.
Lululemon Athletica (LULU) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
- Market Cap
- $12.45B
- Dividend Yield
- ―
- Average Volume (3M)
- 5.04M
- Price to Earnings (P/E)
- 8.8
- Beta (1Y)
- 1.14
- Revenue Growth
- 1.74%
- EPS Growth
- -16.55%
- Country
- US
- Employees
- 39,000
- Sector
- Consumer Cyclical
- Sector Strength
- 61
- Industry
- Apparel - Retail
Lululemon Athletica Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
Lululemon Athletica Inc., alongside its subsidiaries, specializes in the design, global distribution, and retail of athletic apparel and accessories for both women and men. Its business operations are structured into two main divisions: company-owned...
How the Company Makes Money
Lululemon primarily makes money by selling branded athletic apparel and accessories at premium price points through two main channels: (1) company-operated retail stores and (2) direct-to-consumer (DTC) e-commerce, including online and mobile app sal...
Lululemon Athletica Earnings Call Summary
The call was dominated by significant operating challenges, including declining Q2 revenue and comparable sales, brand and traffic pressure, inconsistent product performance, weakness in leggings and accessories, and sharply reduced Q3 and full-year earnings guidance. Management highlighted strong liquidity, successful community engagement, selected product and regional strengths, cost actions and continued investment in the brand, but these positives did not outweigh the breadth and magnitude of the reported declines.
Q2-2026 Updates
Positive Updates
Negative Updates
Company Guidance
For Q3, lululemon expects revenue in the range of $2.29 billion to $2.32 billion, representing a decline of 10% to 11%, with approximately 17 net new company-operated stores, 15 optimizations, North America to decline in the mid-teens, the U.S. also in that range, Canada lower, and China Mainland and Rest of World to increase 3% to 5%; gross margin is expected to decrease approximately 250 basis points, markdowns to increase approximately 60 basis points, SG&A rate to deleverage by 800 basis points, operating margin to be approximately 6.5%, EPS to be in the range of $0.93 to $0.98, effective tax rate approximately 30%, and inventory dollar growth in the low single-digit range with units down slightly. For fiscal year 2026, the company expects revenue in the range of $10.35 billion to $10.5 billion, down 5% to 7% relative to 2025, North America down in the low double digits, the U.S. also in that range, Canada slightly lower, China Mainland up in the high single digits, and Rest of World up in the mid-single digits; approximately 35 net new company-operated stores, approximately 35 optimizations, square footage growth of approximately 10%, gross margin down approximately 80 basis points, markdowns up 40 basis points, tariffs at a rate of 10% to 12.5% through September and 20% for the remainder of the year, SG&A up approximately 450 basis points, operating margin down approximately 530 basis points, effective tax rate approximately 30%, diluted EPS in the range of $9.48 to $9.73, inventory dollar growth up in the mid-single-digit range with units approximately flat, repurchase levels in 2026 in line with 2025, and capital expenditures approximately $680 million to $700 million.
Lululemon Athletica Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Overall fundamentals remain solid: strong gross (~56%) and net (~13%) margins for retail, healthy leverage (debt-to-equity ~0.45) and strong ROE (~30%), plus robust operating cash flow (~$2.0B) and free cash flow (~$1.35B). The main financial offset is the reported sharp deterioration in latest TTM revenue growth and margin compression versus FY2024–FY2025, with only moderate free-cash-flow conversion (~68% of net income).
Income Statement
78PositiveBalance Sheet
83Very PositiveCash Flow
74Positive| Breakdown | TTM | Jan 2026 | Jan 2025 | Jan 2024 | Jan 2023 | Jan 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | ||||||
| Total Revenue | 11.09B | 11.10B | 10.59B | 9.62B | 8.11B | 6.26B |
| Gross Profit | 6.22B | 6.28B | 6.27B | 5.61B | 4.49B | 3.61B |
| EBITDA | 2.56B | 2.74B | 3.02B | 2.59B | 2.02B | 1.60B |
| Net Income | 1.42B | 1.58B | 1.81B | 1.55B | 854.80M | 975.32M |
Balance Sheet | ||||||
| Total Assets | 8.48B | 8.46B | 7.60B | 7.09B | 5.61B | 4.94B |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 1.39B | 1.81B | 1.98B | 2.24B | 1.15B | 1.26B |
| Total Debt | 2.14B | 1.80B | 1.58B | 1.40B | 1.07B | 881.05M |
| Total Liabilities | 3.69B | 3.49B | 3.28B | 2.86B | 2.46B | 2.20B |
| Stockholders Equity | 4.79B | 4.96B | 4.32B | 4.23B | 3.15B | 2.74B |
Cash Flow | ||||||
| Free Cash Flow | 1.35B | 921.67M | 1.58B | 1.64B | 327.81M | 994.61M |
| Operating Cash Flow | 1.98B | 1.60B | 2.27B | 2.30B | 966.46M | 1.39B |
| Investing Cash Flow | -623.96M | -662.12M | -798.17M | -654.13M | -569.94M | -427.89M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -1.18B | -1.21B | -1.65B | -548.83M | -467.49M | -844.99M |
Lululemon Athletica Technical Analysis
Price Trends
Market Momentum
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 107.45 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 105.15, above the 50-day MA of 101.59, and below the 200-day MA of 130.43, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 2.80 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 53.80 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 53.54 is Neutral, 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 37 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Lululemon Athletica reported the most risks in the "Production" category.
Latest Risks Added
3 New RisksLululemon Athletica Peers Comparison
Overall Rating
AEO79Outperform
ANF79Outperform
URBN78Outperform
GAP69Neutral
VSXY67Neutral
LULU64Neutral
Financial Indicators
| Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79Outperform | $3.60B | 10.78 | 20.04% | 2.32% | 8.21% | 89.24% | |
| 79Outperform | $6.53B | 12.80 | 39.59% | ― | 4.73% | 8.69% | |
| 78Outperform | $7.45B | 13.23 | 20.72% | ― | 11.01% | 24.97% | |
| 69Neutral | $7.72B | 6.29 | 33.13% | 3.20% | 1.05% | 44.82% | |
| 67Neutral | $8.83B | 24.86 | 45.94% | ― | 10.35% | 146.52% | |
| 64Neutral | $12.78B | 8.83 | 29.73% | ― | 1.74% | -16.55% | |
| Sector * | 61Neutral | $18.38B | 12.79 | -2.54% | 3.03% | 1.52% | -15.83% |
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
Performance Comparison
| Show on chart | Ticker | Company Name | Price | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LULU | Lululemon Athletica | 107.45 | -62.21 | -36.67% | |
| ANF | Abercrombie & Fitch Company | 151.92 | 80.30 | 112.12% | |
| AEO | American Eagle Outfitters | 21.55 | 4.46 | 26.08% | |
| GAP | Gap, Inc. | 21.53 | -2.05 | -8.68% | |
| URBN | Urban Outfitters | 86.00 | 22.80 | 36.08% | |
| VSXY | Victoria's Secret & Company | 109.86 | 74.91 | 214.33% |
Lululemon Athletica Corporate Events
Lululemon Restructures Leadership Team to Drive Growth
PositiveOn October 7, 2026, lululemon announced an overhauled senior leadership structure aimed at strengthening its competitive position and supporting its next phase of growth. The company is creating new roles to integrate product, brand, operations, comm...
Lululemon Appoints New CEO and Board Director
PositiveOn September 8, 2026, lululemon athletica appointed newly named Chief Executive Officer Heidi O’Neill to its board of directors, expanding the board from 11 to 12 members and designating her as a Class II director. Her elevation ended the interim co-...
Lululemon Announces Leadership Change in AI and Technology
NeutralOn August 13, 2026, Lululemon Athletica announced that Ranju Das ceased to serve as its Chief AI & Technology Officer, marking a leadership change in the company’s technology and artificial intelligence functions. The company stated it has transition...
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: Oct 07, 2026
