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LULU
lululemon athletica inc. · Consumer Discretionary
$111.77
-6.25% this month
VERSUS
⟷
COMPARE
NKE
Nike, Inc. · Consumer Discretionary
$45.20
+6.55% this month
Scoreboard verdict
Across AI score, momentum, valuation, upside, operating margin
LULU
2
NKE
2
Comparison scoreboard
MIXED SETUPAI Score
LULU ✓36.3
NKE 27.7
1Y Return
LULU -51.12%
NKE ✓-24.67%
Fwd P/E
LULU ✓9.77
NKE 24.74
Target Up.
LULU +18.24%
NKE ✓+32.62%
Op. Margin
LULU N/A
NKE 6.94%
Metrics last refreshed: 6/20/2026
Quick take
LULU vs NKE Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
Lululemon and Nike are both athleisure brands but at very different scales and price points. Lululemon is a premium niche DTC brand with exceptional margins. Nike is the mass-market global athletic leader. Lululemon's premium positioning and DTC model create superior gross margins; Nike's global scale and athlete endorsements create cultural reach Lululemon cannot match. Lululemon is the premium segment challenger; Nike is the incumbent market leader.
LULU vs NKE is the premium athleisure DTC brand with 55%+ gross margins, community-based brand loyalty, and near-total direct consumer relationship (Lululemon) versus the world's largest athletic company with global scale, Jordan cultural permanence, and mass-market reach in every segment including premium women's activewear (Nike) — premium niche DTC margin quality vs global scale athletic market leadership.
Live analysis · updated 6/20/2026
LULU and NKE are closely matched — they split the tracked metrics evenly. NKE has delivered stronger 1-year price return (-24.67% vs -51.12%), though LULU trades at the lower forward P/E (9.77x vs 24.74x). Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for NKE (+32.62%) than for LULU (+18.24%).
Normalized 1Y performance
LULU
NKE
Recent returns
LULU
NKE
Analyst price targets & sentiment
LULU · 25 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Hold (3.0/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$88.00
analyst high$280.00
analyst mean$132.16
current price$111.77
+18.2% upside to analyst mean
NKE · 36 analysts
STRONG BUYHOLDSTRONG SELL
Buy (2.3/5.0)
Price target range
analyst low$40.00
analyst high$120.00
analyst mean$59.58
current price$45.20
+32.6% upside to analyst mean
Who should consider this stock?
LULU may suit investors who:
- →prefer the premium DTC athleisure brand with 55%+ gross margins from premium pricing that mass athletic brands structurally cannot replicate
- →value Lululemon's brand community and store ambassador model creating belonging-based loyalty that reduces price sensitivity
- →want premium activewear recovery exposure as post-pandemic growth normalization creates potentially attractive entry into a durable premium brand
- →are comfortable with North America comp growth deceleration, premium women's activewear competition from ALO and Vuori, and China expansion execution uncertainty
NKE may suit investors who:
- →prefer the global athletic market leader with Jordan Brand cultural permanence, DTC margin expansion, and global manufacturing and distribution scale
- →value Nike's breadth across all athletic categories vs Lululemon's concentration in premium women's athleisure — Nike serves every segment simultaneously
- →want global athletic brand recovery from DTC transition and China headwinds at a potentially attractive premium brand valuation
- →are comfortable with premium women's activewear market share challenge from Lululemon in the specific segment Nike hasn't dominated, and DTC channel conflict normalization timeline
Performance & AI score
| Metric | LULU | NKE |
|---|---|---|
| AI score | 36.3 | 27.7 |
| AI rank | #1514 | #2469 |
| Latest close | $111.77 | $45.20 |
| 1M return | -6.25% | +6.55% |
| 6M return | -46.23% | -31.19% |
| 1Y return | -51.12% | -24.67% |
$10,000 invested — hypothetical growth (dividends reinvested)
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | LULU | NKE |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $4.89K (-51.1%) started 2025-06-18 | $7.6K (-24.0%) started 2025-06-18 |
| 5Y ago | $3.22K (-67.8%) started 2021-06-18 | $3.84K (-61.6%) started 2021-06-21 |
| 10Y ago | $15.57K (+55.7%) started 2016-06-20 | $10.29K (+2.9%) started 2016-06-20 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
Valuation & upside potential
| Metric | LULU | NKE |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $12.69B | $66.54B |
| Trailing P/E | 9.05 | 29.56 |
| Forward P/E | 9.77 | 24.74 |
| Price/Sales | 1.13 | 1.94 |
| EV/Revenue | 1.23 | 1.50 |
| Analyst target | $132.16 | $59.58 |
| Target upside | +18.24% | +32.62% |
Growth, profitability & risk
| Metric | LULU | NKE |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth | 4.30% | 0.10% |
| Earnings growth | -35.00% | -34.80% |
| EPS growth | -35.00% | -34.80% |
| FCF margin | +10.12% | +2.82% |
| Operating margin | N/A | 6.94% |
| Profit margin | 13.03% | 4.84% |
| ROIC proxy | 32.03% | 16.02% |
| Return on equity | 32.03% | 16.02% |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 3.65% |
| Beta | 0.86 | 1.12 |
| Debt/equity | 44.26 | 79.33 |
| Current ratio | 2.23 | 2.14 |
| Quick ratio | 0.94 | 1.24 |
Drawdown & downside risk
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
1Y risk snapshot
LULU max drawdown54.88%
NKE max drawdown47.15%
LULU max wkly drop19.56%
NKE max wkly drop18.35%
5Y risk snapshot
LULU max drawdown78.14%
NKE max drawdown75.26%
LULU max wkly drop25.32%
NKE max wkly drop22.44%
10Y risk snapshot
LULU max drawdown78.14%
NKE max drawdown75.26%
LULU max wkly drop30.43%
NKE max wkly drop22.44%
Performance metrics by period
| Period | Metric | LULU | NKE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growth | -51.12% | -24.05% |
| CAGR | -51.14% | -24.08% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -1.49 | -0.65 | |
| Max drawdown | 54.88% | 47.15% | |
| Max daily drop | 18.58% | 15.51% | |
| Max wkly drop | 19.56% | 18.35% | |
| 5Y | Growth | -67.84% | -63.51% |
| CAGR | -20.30% | -18.28% | |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.43 | -0.51 | |
| Max drawdown | 78.14% | 75.26% | |
| Max daily drop | 19.80% | 19.98% | |
| Max wkly drop | 25.32% | 22.44% | |
| 10Y | Growth | +55.71% | -7.74% |
| CAGR | +4.53% | -0.80% | |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.20 | -0.00 | |
| Max drawdown | 78.14% | 75.26% | |
| Max daily drop | 23.44% | 19.98% | |
| Max wkly drop | 30.43% | 22.44% |
Business comparison
| Category | LULU | NKE |
|---|---|---|
| Company | lululemon athletica inc. | Nike, Inc. |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Cyclical |
| Industry | N/A | Footwear & Accessories |
| Core business | Lululemon is the leading premium athleisure brand known for yoga and training apparel primarily targeting affluent women, with growing men's and international markets. Lululemon's premium positioning ($100+ leggings, $70+ sports bras) creates exceptional gross margins (55%+) versus mass athletic brands. Lululemon is almost entirely direct-to-consumer — selling through its own stores and lululemon.com with minimal wholesale. The company has expanded into footwear, outerwear, and accessories while attempting to internationalize particularly in China. | Nike is the world's largest athletic company with a mass-market athletic brand serving every price point across footwear, apparel, and equipment. Nike competes in athletic performance (Jordan, Nike Basketball, Nike Running) and lifestyle (Sportswear, Jordan Lifestyle). Nike's scale enables global marketing, manufacturing, and distribution capabilities Lululemon cannot match. Nike Women has specifically targeted Lululemon's premium women's market with its own premium activewear lines. |
| Investor focus | Investors track comparable sales growth, gross margin sustainability, men's category penetration, China international expansion, and footwear category build-out. | Investors track Nike Direct revenue, China recovery, gross margin, and franchise freshness across key silhouettes. |
LULU strengths
- →Premium pricing power: Lululemon customers pay 3–4x more per item than Nike mass athletic — creating 55%+ gross margins that mass athletic brands cannot match
- →Almost fully DTC (direct-to-consumer): Lululemon owns the customer relationship and captures full retail margins without wholesale partner margin sharing
- →Brand community and store experience differentiation — Lululemon stores serve as community hubs with ambassador athletes and in-store classes creating belonging-based loyalty
NKE strengths
- →Global scale unmatched by premium niche competitors — Nike's manufacturing, marketing, and distribution reach makes it the only athletic brand truly capable of serving all global markets and price points simultaneously
- →Nike Women actively competing in Lululemon's premium territory — Nike's NikeCourt, Nike Yoga, and premium activewear lines target the exact consumer Lululemon serves
- →Jordan Brand and athlete endorsements create cultural relevance driving footwear ASP above commodity athletic brands
Risks to watch — LULU
- →Growth deceleration: Lululemon's North America comp growth slowed significantly as post-pandemic athleisure normalization reduces the pandemic-era demand spike
- →Competition from Nike Women, ALO Yoga, and Vuori in premium women's activewear — the market Lululemon pioneered is now intensely competitive
- →China execution: Lululemon bet significant strategy on China international expansion that faces macro headwinds and local luxury athletic competition
Risks to watch — NKE
- →Lululemon-specific weakness: premium women's athleisure is Lululemon's fortress where Nike has not successfully displaced it despite significant investment
- →DTC transition and China recovery are the primary near-term challenges — not premium athleisure competition with Lululemon
- →Premium activewear is a small segment of Nike's total business — Nike's mass market scale creates different priorities vs Lululemon's premium focus
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