Core Insights - lululemon athletica inc.'s women's business is central to its brand identity and long-term growth strategy, with strong traction in franchises like Align, Daydrift, Shake It Out, and BeCalm [1] - The company has successfully launched products such as the No Line Align leggings, which sold out quickly, indicating robust demand for women's apparel [2] - Despite strong women's revenue growth, lululemon faces margin pressures due to elevated tariffs, higher occupancy costs, and increased SG&A expenses, leading to expected operating margin contraction in fiscal 2025 [3][4] Women's Revenue Performance - Women's revenues increased by 7% in the first quarter of fiscal 2025, demonstrating steady demand amid a cautious consumer environment [4][9] - The women's category is becoming a critical growth engine for lululemon, competing with NIKE and Ralph Lauren in the premium activewear market [5] Competitive Landscape - NIKE's women's business is expanding, with over 50% growth in basketball and strong consumer response to new launches, positioning it as a key growth lever despite margin pressures [6] - Ralph Lauren's women's category is also performing well, with double-digit growth in core collections, although it faces macroeconomic challenges [7] Financial Metrics - lululemon's shares have declined by 46.8% year to date, compared to a 26.4% decline in the industry [8] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 13.75X, higher than the industry's 11.28X [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a year-over-year earnings decline of 2.2% for fiscal 2025, with a projected growth of 7.2% for fiscal 2026 [12]