Another Lulu of a Quarter -- The Motley Fool
Another Lulu of a Quarter
The yoga retailer keeps growing quicker than Wall Street thinks.
Say what you will, but lululemon athletica (Nasdaq: LULU) isn't like the other retailers. The Motley Fool Rule Breakers recommendation is a growth-stock darling in a yoga-pants disguise.
Don't take my word for it. Pull up a quote on Yahoo! Finance and check out the "People viewing LULU also viewed" data. With the exception of UGG boot maker Deckers Outdoor (Nasdaq: DECK), investors tracking lululemon are interested in scintillating growth stocks far removed from suburban shopping malls. Three of the six suggested stocks are even fellow picks in the Rule Breakers newsletter service!
If you're hungry for even more proof, just pull up this morning's quarterly report.
Revenue soared 53%, to $245.4 million at the seller of high-end athleticwear for women, fueled by a 28% spike in comps. Earnings climbed even faster, clocking in at $0.64 a share before a favorable tax adjustment benefit. Analysts didn't have a clue. They were holding out for a profit of $0.57 a share on $239 million in revenue.
This scene should look familiar to attentive Fools: lululemon has been wearing monster comps and Wall Street beats all year long. When lululemon itself told the pros to expect quarterly profits of $0.55 a share to $0.57 a share two months ago, those suckers actually believed it.
Here's a quick look at the past four quarters:
Q1 2010 $0.27 $0.21 29%
Q2 2010 $0.30 $0.24 25%
Q3 2010 $0.36 $0.25 44%
Q4 2010 $0.64 $0.57 12%
One has to respect a company that routinely outpaces analysts by double-digit percentage margins. Its guidance for the new fiscal year isn't exactly eye-popping, explaining the stock's initial weakness today. Then again, I guess investors are making the same mistake that analysts make when they buy into lululemon's conservative prognostications.
Selling pricey fitness gear seems to be a sweet spot during this otherwise iffy economic recovery. Under Armour (NYSE: UA) has also blown past the pros in each of the past four quarters. Nike (NYSE: NKE) is three out of four, and simply met estimates during the other period.
The move doesn't apply to all high-end retailers. On the designer denim front, True Religion (Nasdaq: TRLG) has missed Wall Street's profit targets in two of the past three quarters, and Joe's Jeans (Nasdaq: JOEZ) is trading for less than a third of its 52-week high.
Then again, why am I even pitting lululemon against premium footwear and apparel companies? Didn't I begin by saying that it isn't like the other retailers? Lululemon is a growth stock -- and a good one at that.
Do you know a hotter retailer? Prove it! Top lululemon in the comment box below.
lululemon athletica and Under Armour are Motley Fool Rule Breakers picks. Nike is a Motley Fool Stock Advisor recommendation. Under Armour is a Motley Fool Hidden Gems pick. The Fool owns shares of Under Armour. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz doesn't think he's cut out for yoga, given his inabilities to relax and focus. He even lacks the patience for yoga through Wii Fit. He does not own shares in any of the stocks in this story. He is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early. The Fool has a disclosure policy.
Another Lulu of a Quarter @themotleyfool #stocks $NKE, $UAA, $LULU, $DECK, $TRLG, $JOEZ
Another Lulu of a Quarter -- The Motley Fool
Another Lulu of a Quarter
The yoga retailer keeps growing quicker than Wall Street thinks.
Say what you will, but lululemon athletica (Nasdaq: LULU) isn't like the other retailers. The Motley Fool Rule Breakers recommendation is a growth-stock darling in a yoga-pants disguise.
Don't take my word for it. Pull up a quote on Yahoo! Finance and check out the "People viewing LULU also viewed" data. With the exception of UGG boot maker Deckers Outdoor (Nasdaq: DECK), investors tracking lululemon are interested in scintillating growth stocks far removed from suburban shopping malls. Three of the six suggested stocks are even fellow picks in the Rule Breakers newsletter service!
If you're hungry for even more proof, just pull up this morning's quarterly report.
Revenue soared 53%, to $245.4 million at the seller of high-end athleticwear for women, fueled by a 28% spike in comps. Earnings climbed even faster, clocking in at $0.64 a share before a favorable tax adjustment benefit. Analysts didn't have a clue. They were holding out for a profit of $0.57 a share on $239 million in revenue.
This scene should look familiar to attentive Fools: lululemon has been wearing monster comps and Wall Street beats all year long. When lululemon itself told the pros to expect quarterly profits of $0.55 a share to $0.57 a share two months ago, those suckers actually believed it.
Here's a quick look at the past four quarters:
Q1 2010 $0.27 $0.21 29%
Q2 2010 $0.30 $0.24 25%
Q3 2010 $0.36 $0.25 44%
Q4 2010 $0.64 $0.57 12%
One has to respect a company that routinely outpaces analysts by double-digit percentage margins. Its guidance for the new fiscal year isn't exactly eye-popping, explaining the stock's initial weakness today. Then again, I guess investors are making th
e same mistake that analysts make when they buy into lululemon's conservative prognostications.
Selling pricey fitness gear seems to be a sweet spot during this otherwise iffy economic recovery. Under Armour (NYSE: UA) has also blown past the pros in each of the past four quarters. Nike (NYSE: NKE) is three out of four, and simply met estimates during the other period.
The move doesn't apply to all high-end retailers. On the designer denim front, True Religion (Nasdaq: TRLG) has missed Wall Street's profit targets in two of the past three quarters, and Joe's Jeans (Nasdaq: JOEZ) is trading for less than a third of its 52-week high.
Then again, why am I even pitting lululemon against premium footwear and apparel companies? Didn't I begin by saying that it isn't like the other retailers? Lululemon is a growth stock -- and a good one at that.
Do you know a hotter retailer? Prove it! Top lululemon in the comment box below.
lululemon athletica and Under Armour are Motley Fool Rule Breakers picks. Nike is a Motley Fool Stock Advisor recommendation. Under Armour is a Motley Fool Hidden Gems pick. The Fool owns shares of Under Armour. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz doesn't think he's cut out for yoga, given his inabilities to relax and focus. He even lacks the patience for yoga through Wii Fit. He does not own shares in any of the stocks in this story. He is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early. The Fool has a disclosure policy.
Another Lulu of a Quarter @themotleyfool #stocks $NKE, $UAA, $LULU, $DECK, $TRLG, $JOEZ