Lululemon Accounting Assignment
Lululemon Accounting Assignment
Lululemon Accounting Assignment
Introduction
As of 2019, the global sports apparel industry generated US$181 billion and is projected
to grow further by 15% by 2025 (Shahbandeh, 2021). With heightened awareness of the
importance of having a more active lifestyle, the athleisure phenomenon is rapidly gaining pace.
In recent years, this segment has been driving the growth of the sports apparel industry.
Athleisure is a combination of the words “athletic” and “leisure,” which refers to “casual
clothing designed to be worn for both exercising and general use” (Lipson et al., 2019). While
established brands like Nike and Adidas are the dominant players in the market, there are
relatively new players, such as Lululemon, that are steadily carving their portion of the business.
This paper seeks to conduct a financial analysis of Lululemon by looking into its profitability,
liquidity, and solvency metrics in relation to its peers (Puma, Under Armour, and Columbia
Sportswear) using each company’s financial statements from the fiscal year 2019. This analysis
concludes with the key takeaways, limitations of the study, and recommendations for the
Company Overview
globally. The brand mainly offers sportswear for yoga, running, and training, with women
currently comprising most of its customers. While retail apparel is a highly competitive industry
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with usually low margins for mass-marketed products, Lululemon has been able to position itself
as a premium brand for athletic wear targeting the health-conscious millennial market with
higher disposable incomes. Lululemon is considered a pioneer in the athleisure movement and
has been growing its revenue at 19% CAGR since 2016, while its peers have only been growing
Figure 1
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2016 2017 2018 2019
Despite its more limited product portfolio compared to its peers, Lululemon has been
growing rapidly through its strong marketing efforts, brand community, and vertical retail
distribution strategy, allowing them to have more control over its customers’ experience
(Lululemon, 2020). One of the key metrics for retailers is average sales per square foot, which
indicates the efficiency in using retail space to generate revenues. According to market research
firm eMarketer, Lululemon had the highest average sales per square foot among clothing
retailers in 2017 at $1,491 annual sales per square foot, compared to Under Armour’s $549
(Camoin Associates, 2018). In 2019, Lululemon’s average sales per square foot has grown even
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further to $1,697 as it launched two experiential stores in the United States, which feature
workout studios and snack bars to further strengthen its community-based marketing (Salpini,
2019).
Lululemon’s revenue growth has been fueled by its “Power of Three” strategy which
includes product innovation, omni-guest experiences, and market expansion as its key pillars
(Lululemon, 2019b). By 2023, Lululemon aims to double men’s, double digital, and quadruple
international revenues. For its product innovation pillar, Lululemon has grown its revenue by
34% and expanded its product offers with the launch of self-care personal-care products in 2019
(Lululemon, 2020). Lululemon’s key competitive advantage lies in its unique designs and
cutting-edge materials that address the specific needs of its target market, allowing it to charge a
premium on its products (Ballard, 2020). While Lululemon expanded its geographical footprint
in 2019 by opening 51 stores in North America, Asia, and Europe, it also continues to invest in
its digital capabilities, which resulted in a 35% increase in its direct-to-consumer revenue from
its website and mobile app and a 9% increase in in-store sales as seen in Figure 2 (Lululemon,
2020).
Figure 2
Conducting regular financial analysis is critical for any business to ensure its long-term
viability, its ability to serve its stakeholders’ interests, and its capacity to address its financial
obligations. Kingyens et al. (2016) noted that the retail apparel industry is particularly vulnerable
to bankruptcy because of its highly competitive environment due to low capital investment
requirements and barriers to entry, resulting in low profit margins. Hence, continual monitoring
of their financial health should be a priority for businesses in the retail apparel industry.
Profitability
Profitability ratios indicate a company’s ability to operate efficiently such that the
revenues it generates can cover its costs and provide value to shareholders. Through their
financial analysis of 85 retail apparel firms, Kingyens et al. (2016) found out that profitability
ratios are significant predictors of potential bankruptcy. Measures such as profit margin, return
on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), accounts receivable (AR) turnover, and inventory
turnover were substantially high for active firms compared to those which declared bankruptcy.
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Despite the expectations that total asset turnover is the most important component for a highly
competitive industry, the values for active and bankrupt firms did not have a significant
Among the four retail apparel companies, Lululemon has the best profitability margins in
2019, which also reflects an increase compared to 2018, as seen in Figure 3. Since it positions
itself as a premium brand of athletic wear, Lululemon’s pricing has been on the higher end given
its unique selling proposition for its products with features such as second-skin, four-way stretch,
and moisture-wicking that resonate very well with its target market (Marci, 2020). Because of its
distinctive product offers, Lululemon’s customers are willing to pay a much higher price of $100
for a pair of leggings compared to $40-$60 offered by its competitors. As a result, Lululemon
enjoys a favorable mix of higher-margin products, and it can afford to provide minimal
markdowns (Lululemon, 2020). Moreover, its lower cost of goods sold also drove the increase in
its gross margin, as shown in the vertical analysis in Figure 4. While its net profit margin
increased, Lululemon’s net income has been impacted by an increase in selling, general and
administrative expenses due to higher employee incentives and costs of digital enhancements, as
well as higher income tax expense. Looking into the EBITDA margin, which minimizes the
significantly by 6%. On the other hand, Under Armour’s net profit margin is noticeably lower
than its peers and was even negative in 2018. Such poor performance has been due to its
efficiency challenges since 2017, which it has been addressing through its restructuring plans
(Mirabella, 2018).
Figure 3
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GROSS NET PROFIT EBITDA GROSS NET PROFIT EBITDA
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2018 2019
Figure 4
Lululemon continued to provide impressive returns for its shareholders, as seen in Figure 5.
These results further validate that Lululemon has healthy margins on its products and has
effectively utilized its assets to produce income. Compared to its peers, Lululemon has been
generating more than double in returns across the three metrics. Apart from its high average sales
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per square foot mentioned in the earlier section, Lululemon’s shifting focus to the direct-to-
consumer channel has also contributed to its high asset turnover (see Table 1) and consequently,
its return on assets. Its direct channel’s operating margin is 50% higher than physical stores as
return rates have been very low, saving the company from associated costs of order returns
(Ballard, 2019). In addition, Lululemon only owns one distribution center in Ohio, while the
three others are leased, avoiding the capital-intensive requirement of distribution centers and
focusing its investments on digital and customer experience enhancements instead. Another
factor that contributes to Lululemon’s attractive ratios is its stock repurchase program. In March
2019, it repurchased one million shares of its common stock worth $500 million using its cash on
hand (Lululemon, 2019a). Through stock repurchase (buybacks), financial ratios that measure
capital efficiency increase as it reduces outstanding shares and assets used for the buybacks
(Reda, 2018).
Figure 4
Comparison of Profitability Ratios Related to Management Effectiveness (FY 2018 vs. FY 2019)
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2018 2019
Table 1
In terms of profitability for investors, Lululemon offers considerable basic earnings per
share and P/E ratio compared to its peers (see Table 2). Its high P/E ratio reflects bullish market
expectations for Lululemon’s business performance as its stock has been outperforming the S&P
500 Index and the S&P Apparel, Accessories & Luxury Goods Index (see Figure 5). However,
Lululemon has not been distributing dividends as it prefers to reinvest its earnings into the
business, so its shares are more suitable for investors who are seeking price appreciation. Under
Armour’s P/E ratio of 108 was not sustained in the succeeding months as its EPS has become
Table 2
Figure 5
Liquidity
Liquidity pertains to a company’s ability to pay for its short-term financial obligations,
particularly to its suppliers and creditors. While it is essential for a firm, Eljelly (2004)
highlighted the importance of liquidity management to avoid holding unnecessary liquid assets
Sportswear has the best quick ratio and current ratios among the four retail apparel companies,
but Lululemon is not far behind (see Table 3). Columbia Sportswear’s share of current assets is
also noticeably high, which signals the need to revisit its liquidity management strategy to
optimize its cash use. All firms seem to have sufficient current assets for their short-term
obligations, although looking at the quick ratio, which only considers more liquid assets and
excludes inventory and prepaid expenses (Goel, 2015), Puma may not have sufficient cash or
Table 3
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Despite its premium pricing, Lululemon has substantially high receivables turnover,
which translates to an average collection period of only three days compared to its peers, which
collect payments at around 50 days due to payment arrangements with credit card companies.
This implies that Lululemon’s credit collection is efficient, and its customers can pay for their
purchases quickly. Furthermore, Lululemon’s inventory turnover is the highest among the four
retailers as it only releases limited quantities of certain product styles, especially those made in
collaboration with fitness celebrities, thus making them seem more valuable in the minds of its
Solvency
to pay its long-term debts and their associated interest (Goel, 2015). Solvency ratios also indicate
its reliance on leverage to fund its business operations, which can help creditors and investors
gauge its capacity to take on further debt in the future. Based on the figures in Table 4, the retail
apparel firms included in this analysis have fairly healthy solvency standing as their debt to total
assets and debt to equity ratios fall below the industry average of 0.70 and 2.10, respectively
(Ready Ratios, 2019). Lululemon, Columbia Sportswear, and Under Armour have a good
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balance of asset funding from equity and debt. Meanwhile, Puma is more leveraged with its total
liabilities greater than its total shareholders’ equity. Despite this, Puma generated €440.2 million
operating income (EBIT) in 2019, which is almost 33 times higher than its interest expense of
€13.9 million for the year (Puma, 2019). Given its higher debt gearing, Puma needs to ensure
that it continues to generate substantial operating income to cover the regular payments for its
liabilities, or it may also seek to minimize, if not eliminate, its long-term debts, similar to what
Table 4
Solvency Metrics
(as of Fiscal Year lululemon Columbia Under
2019) athletica inc Sportswear Co. Puma SE Armour Inc
Debt to Total Assets 0.41 0.37 0.57 0.56
Debt to Equity 0.68 0.59 1.28 0.28
Interest Coverage 116.16 - 32.66 11.15
Free Cash Flow $ 212,185,000 $ 160,000,000 $ 370,029,000 $ 360,000,000
Note. From Mergent Database
Concerning free cash flow, all four firms reflect positive net cash flow from their
operating activities which they can use for discretionary purposes. Lululemon significantly
decreased its stock repurchase, so it was able to increase its free cash flow in 2019 compared to
the previous year, where it ended with a negative net cash flow. One of the ways Lululemon has
been utilizing its cash is for seeking strategic partners which can help expand its product
portfolio and enhance its customers’ experience. Following the recent trend in home workouts, it
acquired Mirror, a start-up that offers a mirror-like equipment for streaming workout classes, for
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$500 million cash in June 2020 (Maheshwari, 2020). Indeed, this acquisition can potentially
propel Lululemon’s omnichannel ambitions as the high-tech mirror can serve as another
Altman (1968) derived the Z-score model using common financial ratios to predict
whether a firm is in danger of going bankrupt within two years. A Z-score of greater than 2.9
signifies that a firm is in the safe zone, while a Z-score of less than 1.81 means that it is in the
distress zone. Following the prescribed formula, the four retail apparel companies are within the
safe zone, as seen in Table 5. Lululemon has a significantly high score compared to its peers
because of its high market capitalization at $30.2 billion as of the end of 2019. Since 2015,
Lululemons stock has grown by 650% as investors have been optimistic about Lululemon’s
ability to deliver consistent and robust sales growth (Sun, 2020). With Lululemon’s continued
growth despite the pandemic, it is highly likely that it sustains its impressive performance in the
longer term.
On the contrary, Under Armour has the lowest Z-score among the four and has presented
an underwhelming performance in its sales and profitability measures. From its peak in 2015
with a stock price of $51, it has fallen to $21 due to controversies surrounding its corporate
culture and accounting practices, its failure to keep abreast with the changing consumer
preferences, and the bankruptcies of some sports apparel retailers (Creswell & Draper, 2020).
Hence, Under Armour must implement profound transformations in its business operations and
Table 5
Limitations
Looking into financial ratios provides a good baseline to assess the financial health of an
enterprise; however, it is important to note that non-financial factors also come into play in
determining business viability. This analysis mainly focused on the financial aspect of the four
companies based on their latest financial statements, and although certain non-financial factors
have been mentioned, the discussion has not been in-depth due to the identified scope of this
study. Beyond measuring profit and financial effectiveness, companies need to take a holistic
view of their role in relation to society and environment. Given the recent issues plaguing the
retail apparel industry related to disposal of chemicals used in fabric production, worker
exploitation, and fast fashion, just to name a few, some retail apparel companies, such as those
belonging to the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), are moving towards ensuring their
adherence to sustainability practices and reporting (Kozlowski et al., 2015). Retail apparel
companies could adopt standardized reporting methodologies such as the Global Reporting
Initiative (GRI) to analyze and benchmark their performance on the non-financial aspects of their
Based on its financial metrics, Lululemon demonstrates that it has managed its resources
effectively to generate above-average sales, profitability, and financial health. It has been
outperforming its peers across key financial performance measurements because of its solid
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strategy to innovate based on evolving consumer needs and preferences, build strong brand
equity and connection among its customers, and expand its market reach by making it accessible
through multiple channels and locations. Given its consistent and robust financial results,
Lululemon is indeed a promising retail apparel player that has a huge potential for carving out a
dominant market position in the future. In contrast, Under Armour provides some indications of
financial distress and operational inefficiencies that it needs to address through a comprehensive
transformation strategy.
To ensure its continued success, Lululemon must sustain its ability to listen to its
customers’ pulse to deliver relevant products and superior customer experience. The recent
acquisition of Mirror provides a big opportunity to enhance its omnichannel strategy and create
more frequent touchpoints with its consumers. By capitalizing on the home workout trend that
has gained significant traction during this pandemic period, Lululemon can emerge successfully
despite this current slump in the retail apparel industry. With increased awareness of the
importance of sustainability, Lululemon should also adopt practices such as using upcycled
materials and circular business models (Baier et al., 2020). Having a holistic view of the business
that incorporates sustainable practices to financial and operational efficiency should further
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Current Working
COMPANY Current Assets Liabilities Capital Total Assets X1
Columbia
Sportswear Co. 1,875,746,000 630,915,000 1,244,831,000 2,931,591,000 0.4246
lululemon
athletica inc 1,807,938,000 620,418,000 1,187,520,000 3,281,354,000 0.3619
Market Total Z-
COMPANY Capitalization Liabilities X4 Sales X5 Score
Columbia
Sportswear Co. 6,769,000,000 1,082,144,000 6.2552 3,042,478,000 1.03782485 6.64
lululemon
athletica inc 30,190,000,000 1329136000 22.7140 3979296000 1.21269939 16.95
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