lululemon athletica stock has seen a steep reset over the past five years, with the share price down about 69.9%, while current valuation checks on the company now send a more mixed message rather than a clear bargain or clear overvaluation.

• Over the past 5 years the stock has declined about 69.9%, which puts recent pricing in sharp contrast with the much higher levels investors saw in the recent past.
• Investor attention on lululemon athletica includes both growth expectations for its premium athletic wear business and legal risk from a recent California lawsuit over allegedly misleading online reference prices, which can affect how durable margins and brand strength look to the market.
• The company screens as undervalued on some multiples, yet a mixed value score, with 3 out of 6 checks flagging it as attractive, points to a valuation picture that is not one sided.

The stock's next move may depend on whether the current price already reflects these business risks and growth hopes for lululemon athletica, or if the recent share price decline has gone too far.

Is lululemon athletica Still Cheap on Earnings?

The P/E ratio suits lululemon athletica because earnings are central to how investors judge a premium apparel stock with an established brand. On this measure, lululemon athletica currently trades on a P/E of about 9.3x. That sits well below the Luxury industry average of about 19.3x and also below the broader peer group average of about 24.5x. The company specific fair P/E ratio, which reflects its margins, business profile and risk, is estimated at about 19.3x, so the current multiple is roughly half of that level.

Because the stock screens cheap against both its industry and this tailored fair ratio, the P/E suggests investors are pricing in meaningful uncertainty around future earnings quality. The recent California lawsuit over alleged fake reference prices underlines one source of that caution, yet even with this overhang the P/E still points to a sizeable discount to peers.

On the P/E multiple alone, lululemon athletica stock appears undervalued compared with both its fair ratio and the wider Luxury industry.

The lululemon athletica Narrative: What Would Justify Today's Price?

Simply Wall St Narratives pick up where this valuation puzzle for lululemon athletica leaves off, by spelling out which paths for growth, margins and earnings would need to play out for the stock to be worth materially more or less than today’s price. Each narrative ties its number to a clear view on how lululemon athletica's growth, profitability and risks might evolve, so you can revisit those assumptions as fresh information arrives.

Community views on lululemon athletica sit far apart, with one camp seeing a quality brand on sale and the other worried the reset has further to run.

Bull case: 20% undervalued

"This is what makes a high-quality business cheap. You do not get a 24% ROIC compounder for ten times earnings when everything is running smoothly..."

Bear case: 36% overvalued

"Slowing growth in key North American markets signals rising saturation, with management guiding to flat or declining revenues in the U.S. and Canada even as international expansion efforts face early-stage market risks and volatility..."

Do you think there's more to the story for lululemon athletica? Head over to our Community to see what others are saying!

The Bottom Line

For lululemon athletica, the market multiple view points to an undervalued stock, yet the mixed value score keeps the verdict from being straightforward. The gap between a low P/E and only partial support from broader checks suggests investors are weighing legal and brand risks quite heavily. The key question is whether current earnings power and brand strength can hold up well enough for that discount to close, or whether it instead reflects a lasting drag on growth and margins. That single assumption around the durability of lululemon athletica's earnings is what separates the potential opportunity from a possible value trap.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.