We may be just a few trading days into the new year, but it's going to be hard to find a hotter bricks-and-mortar retailer than lululemon athletica
Shares opened higher this morning after the company raised its already-aggressive guidance for its fiscal fourth quarter, which will end later this month.
lululemon, an upscale yoga gear specialist, is now targeting a profit per share of $0.55 to $0.57. It earned $0.40 a share during its previous holiday quarter, and just last month management was telling investors to expect no more than $0.48 a share on the bottom line.
This isn't just a matter of margins stretching like some of its customers on a yoga mat. Sales are booming, with lululemon expecting net revenue of $237 million to $239 million. This is a far cry from the $210 million to $215 million it had originally forecast. Same-store sales are now expected to climb in percentages in the mid- to upper-20s.
I'll give your jaw a few seconds to pick itself up off the floor.
Got it? See if it drops again when I point out that comps actually rose 29% during last year's holiday quarter. This isn't just a company bouncing back from a sandbagged quarter. This is, quite frankly, the hottest retailer that you can buy these days.
It gets better.
The Canadian company has been trouncing Wall Street expectations over the past year, so even last night's guidance may be underselling the juicy truth.
Let's go over the past four quarters.
Quarter |
EPS |
Estimate |
Difference |
---|---|---|---|
Q4 2009 | $0.40 | $0.29 | 38% |
Q1 2010 | $0.27 | $0.21 | 29% |
Q2 2010 | $0.30 | $0.24 | 25% |
Q3 2010 | $0.36 | $0.25 | 44% |
Source: Thomson Reuters.
Selling expensive fitness apparel is a sweet gig during an economic recovery if you're pushing a hot brand. Under Armour
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Do you know a hotter retailer? Prove it! Top lululemon in the comments box below.