lululemon athletica 10-K 2016-01-31

10-K 1 lulu-20160131x10k.htm 10-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K

For the fiscal year ended January 31, 2016

OR

For the transition period from to

Commission file number 001-33608

lululemon athletica inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (604) 732-6124

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes þ No o

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 of Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o No þ

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes þ No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes þ No o

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. þ

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes o No þ

The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant on July 31, 2015 was approximately $5,091,622,000. Such aggregate market value was computed by reference to the closing price of the common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 31, 2015. For purposes of determining this amount only, the registrant has defined affiliates as including the executive officers, directors, and owners of 10% or more of the outstanding common stock of the registrant on July 31, 2015.

Common Stock:

At March 24, 2016 there were 127,494,121 shares of the registrant's common stock, par value $0.005 per share, outstanding.

Exchangeable and Special Voting Shares:

At March 24, 2016, there were outstanding 9,803,819 exchangeable shares of Lulu Canadian Holding, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the registrant. Exchangeable shares are exchangeable for an equal number of shares of the registrant's common stock.

In addition, at March 24, 2016, the registrant had outstanding 9,803,819 shares of special voting stock, through which the holders of exchangeable shares of Lulu Canadian Holding, Inc. may exercise their voting rights with respect to the registrant. The special voting stock and the registrant's common stock generally vote together as a single class on all matters on which the common stock is entitled to vote.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We use words such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "may," "intends," "expects" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Discussions containing forward-looking statements may be found in the material set forth under "Business", "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations", and in other sections of the report. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on our expectations and assumptions concerning future events. Any or all of our forward-looking statements in this report may turn out to be inaccurate. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. They may be affected by inaccurate assumptions we might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties, including the risks, uncertainties and assumptions described in the section entitled "Item 1A. Risk Factors" and elsewhere in this report. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this report may not occur as contemplated, and our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated or implied by the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this report are made as of the date hereof, based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

General

lululemon athletica inc. is a designer, distributor, and retailer of technical athletic apparel. Since our inception, we have developed a distinctive corporate culture with a mission to produce products which create transformational experiences for people to live happy, healthy, fun lives. We promote a set of core values in our business which include developing the highest quality products, operating with integrity, leading a balanced and fun life, and nurturing entrepreneurial spirit. These core values attract passionate and motivated employees who are driven to succeed and share our purpose of "elevating the world from mediocrity to greatness."

In this Annual Report on Form 10-K ("10-K" or "Report") for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2016 ("fiscal 2015"), lululemon athletica inc. (together with its subsidiaries) is referred to as "lululemon," "the Company," "we," "us" or "our."

Our Products

Our healthy lifestyle inspired athletic apparel is marketed under the lululemon athletica and ivivva athletica brand names. We offer a comprehensive line of apparel and accessories for women, men, and female youth. Our apparel assortment includes items such as pants, shorts, tops, and jackets designed for healthy lifestyle and athletic activities such as yoga, running, other sweaty pursuits, and athletic wear for female youth.

Although we benefit from the growing number of people that participate in yoga, we believe the percentage of our products sold for other activities will continue to increase as we broaden our product range. Our fitness-related accessories include an array of items such as bags, socks, underwear, yoga mats, and water bottles.

Our design team continues to source and develop technically advanced fabrics and innovative functional features that we believe will help advance our product lines and differentiate us from the competition.

Our Market

Our primary target customer is a sophisticated and educated woman who understands the importance of an active, healthy lifestyle. She is increasingly tasked with the dual responsibilities of career and family and is constantly challenged to balance her work, life and health. We believe she pursues exercise to achieve physical fitness and inner peace.

As women have continued to embrace a variety of fitness and athletic activities, including yoga, we believe we have been able to effectively address their unique fit and performance needs by incorporating style along with comfort and functionality into our products through our vertical retail strategy.

Although we were founded to address the unique needs of women, we are also successfully designing products for men and female youth who appreciate the technical rigor and premium quality of our products. We also believe longer-term growth in athletic participation will be reinforced as the aging Baby Boomer generation focuses more on longevity. In addition, we believe consumer purchase decisions are driven by both an actual need for functional products and a desire to live a particular

lifestyle. As such, we believe the credibility and authenticity of our brand expands our potential market beyond just athletes to those who desire to lead an active, healthy, and balanced life.

Our Segments

We primarily conduct our business through two channels: company-operated stores and direct to consumer.

We also generate net revenue from our outlets, showrooms, sales to wholesale accounts, warehouse sales, sales from temporary locations, and license and supply arrangements. The net revenue we generate from these sources is combined in our other segment.

As of January 31, 2016, we operated 363 company-operated stores located in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, and Puerto Rico. We believe our vertical retail strategy allows us to interact more directly with, and gain feedback from, our customers, whom we call guests, while providing us with greater control of our brand.

Our direct to consumer segment includes the net revenue which we generate from our lululemon and ivivva e-commerce websites, www.lululemon.com and www.ivivva.com, and other country and region specific websites.

Company-Operated Stores

As of January 31, 2016, our retail footprint included 363 company-operated stores. While most of our company-operated stores are branded lululemon athletica, 43 of our company-operated stores are branded ivivva athletica and specialize in athletic wear for female youth. Our retail stores are located primarily on street locations, in lifestyle centers, and in malls.

Our company-operated stores by brand, and by country, as of January 31, 2016 and February 1, 2015, are summarized in the table below:

We opened 61 net new company-operated stores in fiscal 2015, including eight new stores outside of North America.

In fiscal 2016, our new store growth will be primarily focused on continuing the build-out of our company-operated stores in the United States while also expanding our retail footprint in Asia and Europe. Our real estate strategy over the next several years will not only consist of opening new company-operated stores, but also in overall square footage growth through store expansions and relocations.

We perform ongoing evaluations of our portfolio of company-operated store locations. In fiscal 2015, we closed one of our company-operated stores. As we continue our evaluation we may, in future periods, close or relocate additional company-operated store locations.

We believe that our innovative retail concept and guest experience contribute to the success of our stores. During fiscal 2015, our company-operated stores open at least one year, which average approximately 2,968 square feet, averaged sales of $1,541 per square foot. The square footage of our company-operated stores excludes space used for non-retail activities such as yoga studios and office space.

Direct to Consumer

Direct to consumer is an increasingly substantial part of our business, representing approximately 19.5% of our net revenue in fiscal 2015, compared to 17.9% of our net revenue in fiscal 2014 and 16.5% of our net revenue in fiscal 2013. We believe that a direct to consumer channel is convenient for our core customer and enhances the image of our brand. Our direct to consumer channel makes our product accessible to more markets than our company-operated store channel alone. We believe this channel is effective in building brand awareness, especially in new markets.

Other Channels

Other net revenue accounted for 6.9% of total net revenue in fiscal 2015, compared to 7.1% in fiscal 2014, and 6.2% of total net revenue in fiscal 2013. Other net revenue includes sales made through the following channels:

In January 2015, we entered into a license and supply arrangement with a partner in the Middle East which grants our partner the right to operate lululemon athletica branded retail locations in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain for an initial term of five years. We retain the rights to sell lululemon products through our e-commerce websites in these countries. Under this arrangement, we supply our partner with lululemon products, training, and other support. As of January 31, 2016, there were two licensed stores in the United Arab Emirates, which are not included in the above company-operated stores table.

Community-Based Marketing

We utilize a community-based approach to building brand awareness and customer loyalty. We pursue a multi-faceted strategy which leverages our local ambassadors, social media, in-store community boards, and a variety of grassroots initiatives.

Product Design and Development

Our product design efforts are led by a team of designers based in Vancouver, British Columbia partnering with international designers. Our team is comprised of dedicated athletes and users of our products who embody our design philosophy and dedication to premium quality. Our design team identifies trends based on market intelligence and research, proactively seeks the input of our guests and our ambassadors and broadly seeks inspiration consistent with our goals of style, function and technical superiority.

As we strive to continue to provide our guests with technically advanced fabrics, our design team works closely with our suppliers to incorporate innovative fabrics that bring particular specifications to our products. We partner with independent inspection, verification, and testing companies, who conduct a variety of tests on our fabrics, testing performance characteristics including pilling, shrinkage, abrasion resistance, and colorfastness. We collaborate with leading fabric suppliers to develop fabrics that we ultimately trademark for brand recognition whenever possible.

Sourcing and Manufacturing

We do not own or operate any manufacturing facilities. We rely on a limited number of suppliers to provide fabrics for and to produce our products. We work with a group of approximately 57 suppliers to provide the fabrics for our products. We use a wide variety of fabrics in our products, including our Luon fabric. We obtain substantially all of our Luon fabric, which represents approximately 30% of the fabric we use in our products, from four suppliers. We work with a group of approximately 35 suppliers that manufacture our products, five of which produced approximately 65% of our products in fiscal 2015. During fiscal 2015, no single manufacturer produced more than 30% of our product offering. During fiscal 2015, approximately 44% of our products were produced in South East Asia, approximately 28% in South Asia, approximately 20% in China, approximately 2% in North America, and the remainder in other regions.

We have developed long-standing relationships with a number of our vendors and take great care to ensure that they share our commitment to quality and ethics. We do not, however, have any long-term term contracts with the majority of our suppliers or manufacturing sources for the production and supply of our fabrics and garments, and we compete with other companies for fabrics, raw materials, and production. We require that all of our manufacturers adhere to a vendor code of ethics regarding social and environmental sustainability practices. Our product quality and sustainability teams partner with leading inspection and verification firms to closely monitor each supplier's compliance with applicable laws and our vendor code of ethics.

Distribution Facilities

We operate and distribute finished products from our owned or leased distribution facilities in the United States, Canada, and Australia. We own our distribution center in Columbus (Ohio), which has approximately 307,000 square feet. The distribution facilities in Sumner (Washington), Vancouver (British Columbia), and Melbourne (Victoria) are leased and are approximately 167,000, 120,000, and 54,000 square feet, respectively. During fiscal 2015, we entered into a new lease for an approximately 156,000 square foot distribution center in Vancouver. We plan to relocate our existing leased distribution center in Vancouver to this premises. We believe our distribution infrastructure will be sufficient to accommodate our expected store growth and expanded product offerings over the next several years.

We also utilize third-party logistic providers to store and distribute finished products from their warehouse locations in Hong Kong, China, and the Netherlands.

Competition

Competition in the athletic apparel industry is principally on the basis of brand image and recognition as well as product quality, innovation, style, distribution, and price. We believe that we successfully compete on the basis of our premium brand image, our focus on women and our technical product innovation. In addition, we believe our vertical retail distribution strategy differentiates us from our competitors and allows us to more effectively control our brand image.

The market for athletic apparel is highly competitive. It includes increasing competition from established companies that are expanding their production and marketing of performance products, as well as from frequent new entrants to the market. We are in direct competition with wholesalers and direct sellers of athletic apparel, such as Nike, Inc., adidas AG, and Under Armour, Inc. We also compete with retailers specifically focused on women's athletic apparel including The Gap, Inc. (including the Athleta brand), VF Corporation (including the lucy brand), and bebe stores, inc. (including the BEBE SPORT collection).

Seasonality

Our business is affected by the general seasonal trends common to the retail apparel industry. Our annual net revenue is weighted more heavily toward our fourth fiscal quarter, reflecting our historical strength in sales during the holiday season, while our operating expenses are more equally distributed throughout the year. As a result, a substantial portion of our operating profits are generated in the fourth quarter of our fiscal year. For example, we generated approximately 45%, 42%, and 39% of our full year operating profit during the fourth quarters of fiscal 2015, fiscal 2014, and fiscal 2013, respectively.

Our Employees

As of January 31, 2016, we had approximately 11,000 employees, of which 6,500 were employed in the United States, 3,500 were employed in Canada, and 1,000 were employed outside of North America. None of our employees are currently covered by a collective bargaining agreement. We have had no labor-related work stoppages by our employees and we believe our relations with our employees are excellent.

Intellectual Property

We believe we own the material trademarks used in connection with the marketing, distribution and sale of all of our products in the United States, Canada and in the other countries in which our products are currently or intended to be either sold or manufactured. Our major trademarks include lululemon athletica & design, the logo design (WAVE design) and lululemon as a word mark. We own trademark registrations for names of several of our brands, slogans, fabrics, and products including ivivva, ivivva logo (kite design), Luon, Silverescent, Pace Breaker, Rulu, Scuba, Wunder Under, VitaSea, Boolux, Luxtreme, Groove Pant, Stuff Your Bra, Set-My-Ponytail-Free, Define Jacket, Light as Air, Booby Bracer, Ta Ta Tamer, and Power Y. In addition to trademarks, we own 45 industrial design registrations in Canada that protect our distinctive apparel and accessory designs, as well as a number of corresponding design patents in the United States and registered community designs in Europe.

Securities and Exchange Commission Filings

Our website address is www.lululemon.com. We provide free access to various reports that we file with, or furnish to, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, through our website, as soon as reasonably practicable after they have been filed or furnished. These reports include, but are not limited to, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports. Our SEC reports can also be accessed through the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Also available on our website are printable versions of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and charters of the Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Governance Committees of our Board of Directors. Information on our website does not constitute part of this annual report on Form 10-K or any other report we file or furnish with the SEC.

In addition to the other information contained in this Form 10-K, the following risk factors should be considered carefully in evaluating our business. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks. Please note that additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial could also impair our business and operations.

Our success depends on our ability to maintain the value and reputation of our brand.

Our success depends on the value and reputation of the lululemon athletica brand. The lululemon athletica name is integral to our business as well as to the implementation of our strategies for expanding our business. Maintaining, promoting, and positioning our brand will depend largely on the success of our marketing and merchandising efforts and our ability to provide a consistent, high quality product, and guest experience. We rely on social media, as one of our marketing strategies, to have a positive impact on both our brand value and reputation. Our brand and reputation could be adversely affected if we fail to achieve these objectives, if our public image was to be tarnished by negative publicity, if we fail to deliver innovative and high quality products acceptable to our guests, or if we face a product recall. Negative publicity regarding the production methods of any of our suppliers or manufacturers could adversely affect our reputation and sales and force us to locate alternative suppliers or manufacturing sources. Additionally, while we devote considerable efforts and resources to protecting our intellectual property, if these efforts are not successful the value of our brand may be harmed. Any harm to our brand and reputation could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

If any of our products are unacceptable to us or our guests, our business could be harmed.

We have occasionally received, and may in the future continue to receive, shipments of products that fail to comply with our technical specifications or that fail to conform to our quality control standards. We have also received, and may in the future continue to receive, products that either meet our technical specifications but that are nonetheless unacceptable to us, or products that are otherwise unacceptable to us or our guests. Under these circumstances, unless we are able to obtain replacement products in a timely manner, we risk the loss of net revenue resulting from the inability to sell those products and related increased administrative and shipping costs. Additionally, if the unacceptability of our products are not discovered until after such products are purchased by our guests, our guests could lose confidence in the technical attributes of our products or we could face a product recall and our results of operations could suffer and our business, reputation, and brand could be harmed.

Our reliance on suppliers to provide fabrics for and to produce our products could cause problems in our supply chain.

We do not manufacture our products or the raw materials for them and rely instead on suppliers. Many of the specialty fabrics used in our products are technically advanced textile products developed and manufactured by third parties and may be available, in the short-term, from only one or a very limited number of sources. For example, Luon fabric, which is included in

many of our products, is supplied to the garment factories we use by a limited number of manufacturers, and the components used in manufacturing Luon fabric may each be supplied to our manufacturers by single companies. In fiscal 2015, approximately 65% of our products were produced by our top five manufacturing suppliers, 40% of raw materials were produced by a single manufacturer. We have no long-term contracts with any of our suppliers or manufacturing sources for the production and supply of our fabrics and garments, and we compete with other companies for fabrics, raw materials, and production.

We have experienced, and may in the future continue to experience, a significant disruption in the supply of fabrics or raw materials from current sources and we may be unable to locate alternative materials suppliers of comparable quality at an acceptable price, or at all. In addition, if we experience significant increased demand, or if we need to replace an existing supplier or manufacturer, we may be unable to locate additional supplies of fabrics or raw materials or additional manufacturing capacity on terms that are acceptable to us, or at all, or we may be unable to locate any supplier or manufacturer with sufficient capacity to meet our requirements or to fill our orders in a timely manner. Identifying a suitable supplier is an involved process that requires us to become satisfied with its quality control, responsiveness and service, financial stability, and labor and other ethical practices. Even if we are able to expand existing or find new manufacturing or fabric sources, we may encounter delays in production and added costs as a result of the time it takes to train our suppliers and manufacturers in our methods, products, and quality control standards. Delays related to supplier changes could also arise due to an increase in shipping times if new suppliers are located farther away from our markets or from other participants in our supply chain. Any delays, interruption or increased costs in the supply of fabric or manufacture of our products could have an adverse effect on our ability to meet guest demand for our products and result in lower net revenue and income from operations both in the short and long term.

An economic downturn or economic uncertainty in our key markets may adversely affect consumer discretionary spending and demand for our products.

Many of our products may be considered discretionary items for consumers. Factors affecting the level of consumer spending for such discretionary items include general economic conditions, particularly those in North America and other factors such as consumer confidence in future economic conditions, fears of recession, the availability and cost of consumer credit, levels of unemployment, and tax rates. As global economic conditions continue to be volatile or economic uncertainty remains, trends in consumer discretionary spending also remain unpredictable and subject to reductions due to credit constraints and uncertainties about the future. Unfavorable economic conditions may lead consumers to delay or reduce purchases of our products. Consumer demand for our products may not reach our targets, or may decline, when there is an economic downturn or economic uncertainty in our key markets, particularly in North America. Our sensitivity to economic cycles and any related fluctuation in consumer demand may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

We operate in a highly competitive market and the size and resources of some of our competitors may allow them to compete more effectively than we can, resulting in a loss of our market share and a decrease in our net revenue and profitability.

The market for technical athletic apparel is highly competitive. Competition may result in pricing pressures, reduced profit margins or lost market share, or a failure to grow our market share, any of which could substantially harm our business and results of operations. We compete directly against wholesalers and direct retailers of athletic apparel, including large, diversified apparel companies with substantial market share and established companies expanding their production and marketing of technical athletic apparel, as well as against retailers specifically focused on women's athletic apparel. We also face competition from wholesalers and direct retailers of traditional commodity athletic apparel, such as cotton T-shirts and sweatshirts. Many of our competitors are large apparel and sporting goods companies with strong worldwide brand recognition. Because of the fragmented nature of the industry, we also compete with other apparel sellers, including those specializing in yoga apparel and other activewear. Many of our competitors have significant competitive advantages, including longer operating histories, larger and broader customer bases, more established relationships with a broader set of suppliers, greater brand recognition and greater financial, research and development, store development, marketing, distribution, and other resources than we do. In addition, our technical athletic apparel is sold at a price premium to traditional athletic apparel.

Our competitors may be able to achieve and maintain brand awareness and market share more quickly and effectively than we can. In contrast to our "grassroots" marketing approach, many of our competitors promote their brands through traditional forms of advertising, such as print media and television commercials, and through celebrity endorsements, and have substantial resources to devote to such efforts. Our competitors may also create and maintain brand awareness using traditional forms of advertising more quickly than we can. Our competitors may also be able to increase sales in their new and existing markets faster than we do by emphasizing different distribution channels than we do, such as catalog sales or an extensive franchise network, as opposed to distribution through retail stores, wholesale or internet, and many of our competitors have substantial resources to devote toward increasing sales in such ways.

In addition, because we hold limited patents and exclusive intellectual property rights in the technology, fabrics or processes underlying our products, our current and future competitors are able to manufacture and sell products with performance characteristics, fabrication techniques, and styling similar to our products.

Our sales and profitability may decline as a result of increasing product costs and decreasing selling prices.

Our business is subject to significant pressure on costs and pricing caused by many factors, including intense competition, constrained sourcing capacity and related inflationary pressure, pressure from consumers to reduce the prices we charge for our products, and changes in consumer demand. These factors may cause us to experience increased costs, reduce our prices to consumers or experience reduced sales in response to increased prices, any of which could cause our operating margin to decline if we are unable to offset these factors with reductions in operating costs and could have a material adverse effect on our financial conditions, operating results and cash flows.

If we are unable to anticipate consumer preferences and successfully develop and introduce new, innovative and updated products, we may not be able to maintain or increase our sales and profitability.

Our success depends on our ability to identify and originate product trends as well as to anticipate and react to changing consumer demands in a timely manner. All of our products are subject to changing consumer preferences that cannot be predicted with certainty. If we are unable to introduce new products or novel technologies in a timely manner or our new products or technologies are not accepted by our guests, our competitors may introduce similar products in a more timely fashion, which could hurt our goal to be viewed as a leader in technical athletic apparel innovation. Our new products may not receive consumer acceptance as consumer preferences could shift rapidly to different types of athletic apparel or away from these types of products altogether, and our future success depends in part on our ability to anticipate and respond to these changes. Our failure to anticipate and respond in a timely manner to changing consumer preferences could lead to, among other things, lower sales and excess inventory levels. Even if we are successful in anticipating consumer preferences, our ability to adequately react to and address those preferences will in part depend upon our continued ability to develop and introduce innovative, high-quality products. Our failure to effectively introduce new products that are accepted by consumers could result in a decrease in net revenue and excess inventory levels, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

Our results of operations could be materially harmed if we are unable to accurately forecast guest demand for our products.

To ensure adequate inventory supply, we must forecast inventory needs and place orders with our manufacturers based on our estimates of future demand for particular products. Our ability to accurately forecast demand for our products could be affected by many factors, including an increase or decrease in guest demand for our products or for products of our competitors, our failure to accurately forecast guest acceptance of new products, product introductions by competitors, unanticipated changes in general market conditions, and weakening of economic conditions or consumer confidence in future economic conditions. If we fail to accurately forecast guest demand we may experience excess inventory levels or a shortage of products available for sale in our stores or for delivery to guests.

Inventory levels in excess of guest demand may result in inventory write-downs or write-offs and the sale of excess inventory at discounted prices, which would cause our gross margin to suffer and could impair the strength and exclusivity of our brand. Conversely, if we underestimate guest demand for our products, our manufacturers may not be able to deliver products to meet our requirements, and this could result in damage to our reputation and guest relationships.

Our inability to safeguard against security breaches with respect to our information technology systems could disrupt our operations.

Our business employs systems and websites that allow for the storage and transmission of proprietary or confidential information regarding our business, guests and employees including credit card information. Security breaches could expose us to a risk of loss or misuse of this information and potential liability. We may not have the resources or technical sophistication to be able to anticipate or prevent rapidly evolving types of cyber-attacks. Actual or anticipated attacks may cause us to incur increasing costs including costs to deploy additional personnel and protection technologies, train employees and engage third party experts and consultants. Advances in computer capabilities, new technological discoveries or other developments may result in the technology used by us to protect transaction or other data being breached or compromised. Data and security breaches can also occur as a result of non-technical issues including intentional or inadvertent breach by employees or persons with whom we have commercial relationships that result in the unauthorized release of personal or confidential information. Any compromise or breach of our security could result in a violation of applicable privacy and other laws, significant litigation and potential liability and damage to our brand and reputation or other harm to our business.

Any material disruption of our information systems could disrupt our business and reduce our sales.

We are increasingly dependent on information systems to operate our e-commerce websites, process transactions, respond to guest inquiries, manage inventory, purchase, sell and ship goods on a timely basis, and maintain cost-efficient operations. Any material disruption or slowdown of our systems, including a disruption or slowdown caused by our failure to successfully upgrade our systems, system failures, viruses, computer "hackers" or other causes, could cause information, including data related to guest orders, to be lost or delayed which could-especially if the disruption or slowdown occurred during the holiday season-result in delays in the delivery of products to our stores and guests or lost sales, which could reduce demand for our products and cause our sales to decline. If changes in technology cause our information systems to become obsolete, or if our information systems are inadequate to handle our growth, we could lose guests.

If we continue to grow at a rapid pace, we may not be able to effectively manage our growth and the increased complexity of our business and as a result our brand image and financial performance may suffer.

We have expanded our operations rapidly since our inception in 1998 and our net revenue has increased from $40.7 million in fiscal 2004 to $2.1 billion in fiscal 2015. If our operations continue to grow at a rapid pace, we may experience difficulties in obtaining sufficient raw materials and manufacturing capacity to produce our products, as well as delays in production and shipments, as our products are subject to risks associated with overseas sourcing and manufacturing. We could be required to continue to expand our sales and marketing, product development and distribution functions, to upgrade our management information systems and other processes and technology, and to obtain more space for our expanding workforce. This expansion could increase the strain on our resources, and we could experience operating difficulties, including difficulties in hiring, training and managing an increasing number of employees. These difficulties could result in the erosion of our brand image which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

The fluctuating cost of raw materials could increase our cost of goods sold and cause our results of operations and financial condition to suffer.

The fabrics used by our suppliers and manufacturers include synthetic fabrics whose raw materials include petroleum-based products. Our products also include silver and natural fibers, including cotton. Our costs for raw materials are affected by, among other things, weather, consumer demand, speculation on the commodities market, the relative valuations and fluctuations of the currencies of producer versus consumer countries, and other factors that are generally unpredictable and beyond our control. Increases in the cost of raw materials, including petroleum or the prices we pay for silver and our cotton yarn and cotton-based textiles, could have a material adverse effect on our cost of goods sold, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows.

Our limited operating experience and limited brand recognition in new international markets may limit our expansion strategy and cause our business and growth to suffer.

Our future growth depends in part on our expansion efforts outside of North America. We have limited experience with regulatory environments and market practices internationally, and we may not be able to penetrate or successfully operate in any new market. In connection with our expansion efforts we may encounter obstacles we did not face in North America, including cultural and linguistic differences, differences in regulatory environments, labor practices and market practices, difficulties in keeping abreast of market, business and technical developments, and foreign guests' tastes and preferences. We may also encounter difficulty expanding into new international markets because of limited brand recognition leading to delayed acceptance of our technical athletic apparel by guests in these new international markets. Our failure to develop our business in new international markets or experiencing disappointing growth outside of existing markets could harm our business and results of operations.

If we encounter problems with our distribution system, our ability to deliver our products to the market and to meet guest expectations could be harmed.

We rely on our distribution facilities for substantially all of our product distribution. Our distribution facilities include computer controlled and automated equipment, which means their operations are complicated and may be subject to a number of risks related to security or computer viruses, the proper operation of software and hardware, electronic or power interruptions, or other system failures. In addition, because substantially all of our products are distributed from four locations, our operations could also be interrupted by labor difficulties, extreme or severe weather conditions or by floods, fires or other natural disasters near our distribution centers. If we encounter problems with our distribution system, our ability to meet guest expectations, manage inventory, complete sales, and achieve objectives for operating efficiencies could be harmed.

Our fabrics and manufacturing technology generally are not patented and can be imitated by our competitors.

The intellectual property rights in the technology, fabrics, and processes used to manufacture our products generally are owned or controlled by our suppliers and are generally not unique to us. Our ability to obtain intellectual property protection for our products is therefore limited and we do not generally own patents or hold exclusive intellectual property rights in the technology, fabrics or processes underlying our products. As a result, our current and future competitors are able to manufacture and sell products with performance characteristics, fabrics and styling similar to our products. Because many of our competitors have significantly greater financial, distribution, marketing, and other resources than we do, they may be able to manufacture and sell products based on our fabrics and manufacturing technology at lower prices than we can. If our competitors do sell similar products to ours at lower prices, our net revenue and profitability could suffer.

Our failure or inability to protect our intellectual property rights could diminish the value of our brand and weaken our competitive position.

We currently rely on a combination of copyright, trademark, trade dress, and unfair competition laws, as well as confidentiality procedures and licensing arrangements, to establish and protect our intellectual property rights. The steps we take to protect our intellectual property rights may not be adequate to prevent infringement of these rights by others, including imitation of our products and misappropriation of our brand. In addition, intellectual property protection may be unavailable or limited in some foreign countries where laws or law enforcement practices may not protect our intellectual property rights as fully as in the United States or Canada, and it may be more difficult for us to successfully challenge the use of our intellectual property rights by other parties in these countries. If we fail to protect and maintain our intellectual property rights, the value of our brand could be diminished and our competitive position may suffer.

Changes in tax laws, capital or financing needs in the United States, or our intentions with respect to the reinvestment of foreign earnings could adversely affect our effective income tax rate and profitability.

We are subject to the income tax laws of the United States, Canada, and several other international jurisdictions. If our capital or financing needs in the United States require us to repatriate earnings from foreign jurisdictions or if our intentions should change with respect to reinvesting foreign earnings, our effective income tax rates could be unfavorably impacted.

Our effective income tax rate may be adversely affected by a number of factors, including changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, changes in tax laws, the outcome of income tax audits in various jurisdictions around the world, and any changes to our plans related to repatriation of non-U.S. earnings for which we have not previously provided for U.S. taxes. Such plans are affected by our intentions related to reinvestment in our foreign operations and the capital and financing needs of our U.S. operations. Our effective tax rate might vary significantly as a result of our anticipated bilateral Advance Payment Arrangement ("APA") that we are in the process of negotiating with the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") and the Canada Revenue Agency ("CRA"). We expect that the outcome of the APA will result in a significant payment from one of our U.S. subsidiaries to a Canadian subsidiary, that the ongoing net cash flow of our U.S. operations will be lower than previously expected, and that we will need to distribute funds to our U.S. parent entity to finance this payment and future working capital needs in the United States.

We are subject to the examination of our tax returns by the IRS, the CRA, and other tax authorities. We regularly assess all of these matters to determine the adequacy of our tax provision, which is subject to significant discretion. Although we believe our tax provision is adequate, the final determination of tax audits and any related disputes could be materially different from our historical income tax provisions and accruals. The results of audits or related disputes could have an adverse effect on our financial statements for the period or periods for which the applicable final determinations are made.

We and our subsidiaries engage in a number of intercompany transactions across multiple tax jurisdictions. Although we believe that these transactions reflect the accurate economic allocation of profit and that proper transfer pricing documentation is in place, the profit allocation and transfer pricing terms and conditions may be scrutinized by local tax authorities during an audit and any resulting changes may impact our mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates.

Current economic and political conditions make tax rules in any jurisdiction, including the United States and Canada, subject to significant change. There have been proposals to reform U.S. and foreign tax laws that could significantly impact how U.S. multinational corporations are taxed on foreign earnings. Although we cannot predict whether or in what form such proposals will pass, several of the proposals considered, if enacted into law, could have an adverse impact on our income tax expense and cash flows.

We are subject to risks associated with leasing retail and distribution space subject to long-term and non-cancelable leases.

We lease the majority of our stores under operating leases and our inability to secure appropriate real estate or lease terms could impact our ability to grow. Our leases generally have initial terms of between five and ten years, and generally can be extended only in five-year increments if at all. We generally cannot cancel these leases at our option. If an existing or new store is not profitable, and we decide to close it, as we have done in the past and may do in the future, we may nonetheless be committed to perform our obligations under the applicable lease including, among other things, paying the base rent for the balance of the lease term. Similarly, we may be committed to perform our obligations under the applicable leases even if current locations of our stores become unattractive as demographic patterns change. In addition, as each of our leases expire, we may fail to negotiate renewals, either on commercially acceptable terms or at all, which could require us to close stores in desirable locations.

We also lease the majority of our distribution centers and our inability to secure appropriate real estate or lease terms could impact our ability to deliver our products to the market.

Increasing labor costs and other factors associated with the production of our products in South and South East Asia could increase the costs to produce our products.

A significant portion of our products are produced in South and South East Asia and increases in the costs of labor and other costs of doing business in the countries in this area could significantly increase our costs to produce our products and could have a negative impact on our operations, net revenue, and earnings. Factors that could negatively affect our business include a potential significant revaluation of the currencies used in these countries, which may result in an increase in the cost of producing products, labor shortage and increases in labor costs, and difficulties in moving products manufactured out of the countries in which they are manufactured and through the ports on the western coast of North America, whether due to port congestion, labor disputes, product regulations and/or inspections or other factors, and natural disasters or health pandemics. A labor strike or other transportation disruption affecting these ports could significantly disrupt our business. Also, the imposition of trade sanctions or other regulations against products imported by us from, or the loss of "normal trade relations" status with any country in which our products are manufactured, could significantly increase our cost of products imported into North America and/or Australia and harm our business.

We may not be able to successfully open new store locations in a timely manner, if at all, which could harm our results of operations.

Our growth will largely depend on our ability to successfully open and operate new stores, which depends on many factors, including, among others, our ability to:

Successful new store openings may also be affected by our ability to initiate our grassroots marketing efforts in advance of opening our first store in a new market. We typically rely on our grassroots marketing efforts to build awareness of our brand and demand for our products. Our grassroots marketing efforts are often lengthy and must be tailored to each new market based on our emerging understanding of the market. We may not be able to successfully implement our grassroots marketing efforts in a particular market in a timely manner, if at all. Additionally, we may be unsuccessful in identifying new markets where our technical athletic apparel and other products and brand image will be accepted or the performance of our stores will be considered successful.

Our failure to comply with trade and other regulations could lead to investigations or actions by government regulators and negative publicity.

The labeling, distribution, importation, marketing, and sale of our products are subject to extensive regulation by various federal agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Product Safety Commission and state attorneys general in the United States, the Competition Bureau and Health Canada in Canada, as well as by various other federal, state, provincial, local and international regulatory authorities in the countries in which our products are distributed or sold. If we fail to comply with any of these regulations, we could become subject to enforcement actions or the imposition of significant penalties or claims, which could harm our results of operations or our ability to conduct our business. In addition, the adoption of new regulations or changes in the interpretation of existing regulations may result in significant compliance costs or discontinuation of product sales and could impair the marketing of our products, resulting in significant loss of net revenue.

Our international operations are also subject to compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, and other anti-bribery laws applicable to our operations. In many foreign countries, particularly in those with developing economies, it may be a local custom that businesses operating in such countries engage in business practices that are prohibited by the FCPA or other U.S. and foreign laws and regulations applicable to us. Although we have implemented procedures designed to ensure compliance with the FCPA and similar laws, some of our employees, agents, or other channel partners, as well as those companies to which we outsource certain of our business operations, could take actions in violation of our policies. Any such violation could have a material and adverse effect on our business.

Our future success is substantially dependent on the continued service of our senior management.

Our future success is substantially dependent on the continued service of our senior management and other key employees. In the last several years, several members of our senior management team have left us and we have focused time and resources on recruiting the new members of our current management team. The continued turnover of senior management and the loss of key members of our executive team could have a negative impact on our ability to manage and grow our business effectively. In addition, if we're not effective with our succession planning, it may have a negative impact on our ability to fill senior management roles in a timely manner.

We do not maintain a key person life insurance policy on any of the members of our senior management team. As a result, we would have no way to cover the financial loss if we were to lose the services of members of our senior management team.

Our business is affected by seasonality.

Our business is affected by the general seasonal trends common to the retail apparel industry. Our annual net revenue is weighted more heavily toward our fourth fiscal quarter, reflecting our historical strength in sales during the holiday season, while our operating expenses are more equally distributed throughout the year. As a result, a substantial portion of our operating profits are generated in the fourth quarter of our fiscal year. For example, we generated approximately 45%, 42% and 39% of our full year operating profit during the fourth quarters of fiscal 2015, fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2013, respectively. This seasonality may adversely affect our business and cause our results of operations to fluctuate, and, as a result, we believe that comparisons of our operating results between different quarters within a single fiscal year are not necessarily meaningful and that results of operations in any period should not be considered indicative of the results to be expected for any future period.

Because a significant portion of our net revenue and expenses are generated in countries other than the United States, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates have affected our results of operations and may continue to do so in the future.

The functional currency of our foreign subsidiaries is generally the applicable local currency. Our consolidated financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars. Therefore, the net revenues, expenses, assets, and liabilities of our foreign subsidiaries are translated from their functional currencies into U.S. dollars. Fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar affect the reported amounts of net revenue, expenses, assets, and liabilities. Foreign exchange differences which arise on translation of our foreign subsidiaries' balance sheets into U.S. dollars are recorded as a foreign currency translation adjustment in accumulated other comprehensive income or loss within stockholders' equity. We also have exposure to changes in foreign exchange rates associated with transactions which are undertaken by our subsidiaries in currencies other than their functional currency. Such transactions include intercompany transactions and inventory purchases denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of the purchasing entity. As a result, we have been impacted by changes in exchange rates and may be impacted materially for the foreseeable future. The potential impact of currency fluctuation increases as international expansion increases.

We currently generate a significant portion of our net revenue and incur a significant portion of our expenses in Canada. We also hold a significant portion of our net assets in Canada. The reporting currency for our consolidated financial statements is the U.S. dollar. A strengthening of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar results in:

During fiscal 2015, the change in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar resulted in a $63.2 million increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss within stockholders' equity. During fiscal 2014, the change in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar resulted in a $103.3 million increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss within stockholders' equity.

A 10% appreciation in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar compared to the exchange rates in effect for fiscal 2014 would have resulted in lost income from operations of approximately $2.2 million in fiscal 2015. This assumes a consistent 10% appreciation in the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar throughout the fiscal year. The timing of changes in the relative value of the U.S. dollar combined with the seasonal nature of our business, can affect the magnitude of the impact that fluctuations in foreign exchange rates have on our income from operations.

We have not historically hedged foreign currency fluctuations. However, in the future, in an effort to mitigate losses associated with these risks, we may at times enter into derivative financial instruments, although we have not historically done so. We do not, and do not intend to, engage in the practice of trading derivative securities for profit.

The operations of many of our suppliers are subject to additional risks that are beyond our control and that could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Almost all of our suppliers are located outside of North America. During fiscal 2015, approximately 44% of our products were produced in South East Asia, approximately 28% in South Asia, approximately 20% in China, approximately 2% in North America, and the remainder in other regions. As a result of our international suppliers, we are subject to risks associated with doing business abroad, including:

These and other factors beyond our control could interrupt our suppliers' production in offshore facilities, influence the ability of our suppliers to export our products cost-effectively or at all and inhibit our suppliers' ability to procure certain materials, any of which could harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Our ability to source our merchandise profitably or at all could be hurt if new trade restrictions are imposed or existing trade restrictions become more burdensome.

The United States and the countries in which our products are produced or sold internationally have imposed and may impose additional quotas, duties, tariffs, or other restrictions or regulations, or may adversely adjust prevailing quota, duty or tariff levels. We have expanded our relationships with suppliers outside of China, which among other things has resulted in increased costs and shipping times for some products. Countries impose, modify and remove tariffs and other trade restrictions in response to a diverse array of factors, including global and national economic and political conditions, which make it impossible for us to predict future developments regarding tariffs and other trade restrictions. Trade restrictions, including tariffs, quotas, embargoes, safeguards, and customs restrictions, could increase the cost or reduce the supply of products available to us or may require us to modify our supply chain organization or other current business practices, any of which could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our trademarks and other proprietary rights could potentially conflict with the rights of others and we may be prevented from selling some of our products.

Our success depends in large part on our brand image. We believe that our trademarks and other proprietary rights have significant value and are important to identifying and differentiating our products from those of our competitors and creating and sustaining demand for our products. We have obtained and applied for some United States and foreign trademark registrations, and will continue to evaluate the registration of additional trademarks as appropriate. However, some or all of these pending trademark applications may not be approved by the applicable governmental authorities. Moreover, even if the applications are approved, third parties may seek to oppose or otherwise challenge these registrations. Additionally, we may face obstacles as we expand our product line and the geographic scope of our sales and marketing. Third parties may assert intellectual property claims against us, particularly as we expand our business and the number of products we offer. Our defense of any claim, regardless of its merit, could be expensive and time consuming and could divert management resources. Successful infringement claims against us could result in significant monetary liability or prevent us from selling some of our products. In addition, resolution of claims may require us to redesign our products, license rights from third parties, or cease using those rights altogether. Any of these events could harm our business and cause our results of operations, liquidity, and financial condition to suffer.

We are subject to periodic claims and litigation that could result in unexpected expenses and could ultimately be resolved against us.

From time to time, we are involved in litigation and other proceedings, including matters related to product liability claims, stockholder class action and derivative claims, commercial disputes and intellectual property, as well as trade, regulatory, and other claims related to our business. Any of these proceedings could result in significant settlement amounts, damages, fines or other penalties, divert financial and management resources, and result in significant legal fees. An unfavorable outcome of any particular proceeding could exceed the limits of our insurance policies or the carriers may decline to fund such final settlements and/or judgments and could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. In addition, any proceeding could negatively impact our reputation among our guests and our brand image.

Our business could be negatively affected as a result of actions of activist stockholders, and such activism could impact the trading value of our securities.

Responding to actions by activist stockholders can be costly and time-consuming, disrupting our operations and diverting the attention of management and our employees. Such activities could interfere with our ability to execute our strategic plan. In addition, a proxy contest for the election of directors at our annual meeting would require us to incur significant legal fees and proxy solicitation expenses and require significant time and attention by management and our board of directors. The perceived uncertainties as to our future direction also could affect the market price and volatility of our securities.

Anti-takeover provisions of Delaware law and our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could delay and discourage takeover attempts that stockholders may consider to be favorable.

Certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law may make it more difficult or impossible for a third-party to acquire control of us or effect a change in our board of directors and management. These provisions include:

In addition, we are governed by Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law which, subject to some specified exceptions, prohibits "business combinations" between a Delaware corporation and an "interested stockholder," which is

generally defined as a stockholder who becomes a beneficial owner of 15% or more of a Delaware corporation's voting stock, for a three-year period following the date that the stockholder became an interested stockholder. Section 203 could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control that our stockholders might consider to be in their best interests.

Our principal executive and administrative offices are located at 1818 Cornwall Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6J 1C7.

We currently operate four distribution centers located in the United States, Canada, and Australia. In addition to those distribution centers, we hold inventory at warehouses managed by third-parties in Hong Kong, China, and the Netherlands. During fiscal 2015 we entered into a new lease for an approximately 156,000 square foot distribution center in Vancouver, BC which expires in January 2031. We plan to relocate our existing leased distribution center in Vancouver, BC to this premises.

We believe our current administrative offices, distribution centers, and the warehouse space available through our third-party logistics providers will be sufficient for our near term expansion plans.

The general location, use and approximate size of our owned properties at January 31, 2016, are set forth below:

The general location, use, approximate size and lease renewal date of our principal non-retail leased properties at January 31, 2016, are set forth below:

As of January 31, 2016, we leased approximately 1,065,000 gross square feet relating to 361 of our 363 stores. Our leases generally have initial terms of between five and 10 years, and generally can be extended only in five-year increments, if at all. All of our leases require a fixed annual rent, and most require the payment of additional rent if store sales exceed a negotiated amount. Generally, our leases are "net" leases, which require us to pay all of the cost of insurance, taxes, maintenance and utilities. We generally cannot cancel these leases at our option.

In addition to the legal matters described below, we are, from time to time, involved in routine legal matters incidental to the conduct of our business, including legal matters such as initiation and defense of proceedings to protect intellectual property rights, personal injury claims, product liability claims, and similar matters. We believe the ultimate resolution of any such current proceeding will not have a material adverse effect on our continued financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

On July 15, 2015, plaintiffs Hallandale Beach Police Officers and Firefighters' Personnel Retirement Fund and Laborers' District Council Industry Pension Fund filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery a derivative lawsuit on behalf of lululemon against certain of our current and former directors, captioned Laborers' District Council Industry Pension Fund v. Bensoussan, et al., C.A. No. 11293-CB. Plaintiffs claim that the individual defendants breached their fiduciary duties to lululemon by allegedly failing to investigate certain trades of lululemon stock owned by Dennis J. Wilson in 2013. Plaintiffs also claim that Mr. Wilson breached his fiduciary duties by making his broker aware of certain non-public, material events prior to executing sales of lululemon stock on Mr. Wilson's behalf. The defendants have filed motions to dismiss the action for failure to adequately plead that demand on the board was excused and the individual defendants have filed motions for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted.

On October 9, 2015, certain of our current and former hourly employees filed a class action lawsuit in the Supreme Court of New York entitled Rebecca Gathmann-Landini et al v. lululemon USA inc. On December 2, 2015, the case was removed to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The lawsuit alleges that we violated various New York

labor codes by failing to pay all earned wages, including overtime compensation. The plaintiffs are seeking an unspecified amount of damages. We intend to vigorously defend this matter.

We have indemnification agreements with certain of our current and former officers and directors that may require us, among other things, to indemnify such current or former officers and directors against certain liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers and to advance their expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified.

We are unable at this time to predict the amount of our legal expenses associated with these proceedings and any settlement or damages associated with these matters. In the event that we are unsuccessful in our defense, or if we pursue settlement with regard to any of these actions, we could be required to pay significant final settlement amounts and/or judgments that exceed the limits of our insurance policies or the carriers may decline to fund such final settlements and/or judgments, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and liquidity. Regardless of whether any of the claims asserted against us in these actions are valid, or whether we are ultimately held liable, such litigation may be expensive to defend and may divert resources away from our operations and negatively impact earnings. Further, we may not be able to obtain adequate insurance to protect us from these types of litigation matters or extraordinary business losses.

PART II

Market Information and Dividends

Our common stock is quoted on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol "LULU." The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high and low closing sale prices of our common stock reported by the Nasdaq Global Select Market for the last two fiscal years:

As of January 31, 2016, there were approximately 800 holders of record of our common stock.

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock. Any future determination as to the payment of cash dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our financial condition, operating results, current and anticipated cash needs, plans for expansion, and other factors that our board of directors considers to be relevant. In addition, financial and other covenants in any instruments or agreements that we enter into in the future may restrict our ability to pay cash dividends on our common stock.

Stock Performance Graph

The graph set forth below compares the cumulative total stockholder return on our common stock between January 30, 2011 (the date of our fiscal year end five years ago) and January 31, 2016, with the cumulative total return of (i) the S&P 500 Index and (ii) S&P 500 Apparel, Accessories & Luxury Goods Index, over the same period. This graph assumes the investment of $100 on January 30, 2011 at the closing sale price our common stock, the S&P 500 Index and the S&P Apparel, Accessories & Luxury Goods Index and assumes the reinvestment of dividends, if any.

The comparisons shown in the graph below are based on historical data. We caution that the stock price performance showing in the graph below is not necessarily indicative of, nor is it intended to forecast, the potential future performance of our common stock. Information used in the graph was obtained from the Nasdaq and S&P Capital IQ websites, sources believed to be reliable, but we are not responsible for any errors or omissions in such information.

Issuer Purchase of Equity Securities

The following table provides information regarding our purchases of shares of our common stock during the thirteen weeks ended January 31, 2016 related to our stock repurchase program:

The following table provides information regarding our purchases of shares of our common stock during the thirteen weeks ended January 31, 2016 related to our Employee Share Purchase Plan:

Excluded from this disclosure are shares repurchased to settle statutory employee tax withholding related to the vesting of stock-based compensation awards.

The selected consolidated financial data set forth below is derived from our consolidated financial statements and should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements for the years ended January 31, 2016, February 1, 2015, February 2, 2014, February 3, 2013 and January 29, 2012. The consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income data for each of the years ended January 31, 2016, February 1, 2015 and February 2, 2014 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of January 31, 2016 and February 1, 2015 is derived from, and qualified by reference to, our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report. The consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income for the year ended February 3, 2013 covers a 53 week period compared to a 52 week period for the other years.

This discussion summarizes our consolidated operating results, financial condition, and liquidity during the three-year period ending January 31, 2016. Our fiscal year ends on the Sunday closest to January 31 of the following year, typically resulting in a 52 week year, but occasionally giving rise to an additional week, resulting in a 53 week year.

Fiscal 2015, fiscal 2014, and fiscal 2013 were 52 week years. The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

This discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, such as our plans, objectives, expectations, and intentions set forth in the "Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements." Our actual results and the timing of events may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including those set forth in the "Item 1A. Risk Factors" section and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Overview

Fiscal 2015 was a year in which we made significant progress on our strategic priorities that positions us well for long term profitable growth.

We strengthened our leadership by filling key executive positions during the year and now have in place a complete, experienced, and culturally aligned management team to drive our strategic priorities towards our 10 year vision.

We reignited our product engine starting with our first global product launch, our new women's pant lines, that brought together the best of product innovation and education. We also reorganized our design and merchandising teams, resulting in a singular creative voice for our women's and men's product with a renewed focus on design and innovation.

We made key investments in our website, omni-channel capabilities, supply chain, and information technology infrastructure. These are foundational investments that will support and enable our long term growth.

In addition to continuing our expansion in the United States, we opened company-operated stores for the first time in Germany and Hong Kong and opened additional stores in Singapore and the United Kingdom. We also opened showrooms in new markets in France, Korea, Malaysia, Sweden, and Switzerland. As of January 31, 2016, we operated 20 showrooms in 10 different countries in Asia and Europe. In addition, our licensee in the Middle East opened two licensed stores in the United Arab Emirates during fiscal 2015.

In fiscal 2016, our top priority will be first to strengthen and grow our women's category, specifically with a renewed focus on our tops. For men's, we will continue to focus on product design, while also adding more dedicated square footage through store expansions. To further grow our direct to consumer segment, we will make investments in customer relationship management, analytics, and digital marketing, while also launching our new North America website in the first half of fiscal 2016. In international markets, we will focus our efforts in key cities, while expanding into new markets where we've seen strong traction from our showroom performance. Our final priority is operational excellence, where we are investing in developing a scalable and world-class supply chain and operational infrastructure that we expect to be a key enabler of our long term growth.

Financial Highlights

Refer to the non-GAAP reconciliation tables contained in the "Results of Operations" section of this "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" for reconciliations of constant dollar total comparable sales, constant dollar comparable store sales, constant dollar changes in direct to consumer net revenue, the effective tax rate excluding certain tax and related interest adjustments, and diluted earnings per share excluding certain tax and related interest adjustments to measures calculated in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP").

General

Net revenue is comprised of company-operated store sales, direct to consumer sales through www.lululemon.com, www.ivivva.com, and other country and region specific websites, and other net revenue, which includes outlet sales, showroom sales, sales to wholesale accounts, warehouse sales, sales from temporary locations, and license and supply arrangement net revenue, which consists of royalties as well as sales of our products to licensees.

Cost of goods sold includes the cost of purchased merchandi

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Market risk represents the risk of loss that may impact our financial position due to adverse changes in financial market prices and rates. Our market risk exposure is primarily a result of fluctuations in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates. We do not hold or issue financial instruments for trading purposes.

Foreign Currency Exchange Risk. The functional currency of our foreign subsidiaries is generally the applicable local currency. Our consolidated financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars. Therefore, the net revenues, expenses, assets, and liabilities of our foreign subsidiaries are translated from their functional currencies into U.S. dollars. Fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar affect the reported amounts of net revenue, expenses, assets, and liabilities. Foreign exchange differences which arise on translation of our foreign subsidiaries' balance sheets into U.S. dollars are recorded as a foreign currency translation adjustment in accumulated other comprehensive income or loss within stockholders' equity.

We also have exposure to changes in foreign exchange rates associated with transactions which are undertaken by our subsidiaries in currencies other than their functional currency. Such transactions include intercompany transactions and inventory purchases denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of the purchasing entity. As a result, we have been impacted by changes in exchange rates and may be impacted materially for the foreseeable future. The potential impact of currency fluctuation increases as international expansion increases.

We currently generate a significant portion of our net revenue and incur a significant portion of our expenses in Canada. We also hold a significant portion of our net assets in Canada. The reporting currency for our consolidated financial statements is the U.S. dollar. A strengthening of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar results in:

During fiscal 2015, the change in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar resulted in a $63.2 million increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss within stockholders' equity. During fiscal 2014, the change in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar resulted in a $103.3 million increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss within stockholders' equity.

A 10% appreciation in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar compared to the exchange rates in effect for fiscal 2015 would have resulted in lost income from operations of approximately $2.2 million in fiscal 2015. This assumes a consistent 10% appreciation in the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar throughout the fiscal year. The timing of changes in the relative value of the U.S. dollar combined with the seasonal nature of our business, can affect the magnitude of the impact that fluctuations in foreign exchange rates have on our income from operations.

We have not historically hedged foreign currency fluctuations. However, in the future, in an effort to mitigate losses associated with these risks, we may at times enter into derivative financial instruments, although we have not historically done so. We do not, and do not intend to, engage in the practice of trading derivative securities for profit.

Interest Rate Risk. Our revolving credit facilities provide us with available borrowings in amount up to $15.0 million in the aggregate. Because our revolving credit facilities bear interest at a variable rate, we will be exposed to market risks relating to changes in interest rates, if we have a meaningful outstanding balance. As of January 31, 2016, aside from letters of credit, we had no outstanding balances under our revolving facilities. We currently do not engage in any interest rate hedging activity and currently have no intention to do so in the foreseeable future. However, in the future, if we have a meaningful outstanding balance under our revolving facility, in an effort to mitigate losses associated with these risks, we may at times enter into derivative financial instruments, although we have not historically done so. These may take the form of forward contracts, option contracts, or interest rate swaps. We do not, and do not intend to, engage in the practice of trading derivative securities for profit.

Inflation

Inflationary factors such as increases in the cost of our product and overhead costs may adversely affect our operating results. Although we do not believe that inflation has had a material impact on our financial position or results of operations to date, a high rate of inflation in the future may have an adverse effect on our ability to maintain current levels of gross margin and selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of net revenue if the selling prices of our products do not increase with these increased costs.

lululemon athletica inc.

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Stockholders of lululemon athletica inc.

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of lululemon athletica inc. and its subsidiaries as of January 31, 2016 and February 1, 2015 and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income, stockholders' equity and cash flows for the 52 week periods ended January 31, 2016, February 1, 2015 and February 2, 2014. In addition, we have audited the financial statement schedule listed in the index appearing under Item 15(a)(2). We also have audited lululemon athletica inc. and its subsidiaries' internal control over financial reporting as of January 31, 2016, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission ("COSO"). Management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in Management's Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting appearing under Item 9A. Our responsibility is to express opinions on these consolidated financial statements, on the financial statement schedule, and on the company's internal control over financial reporting based on our integrated audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall consolidated financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that: (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of lululemon athletica inc. and its subsidiaries as of January 31, 2016 and February 1, 2015 and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the 52 week periods ended January 31, 2016, February 1, 2015, and February 2, 2014, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. In addition, in our opinion, the financial statement schedule listed in the index appearing under Item 15(a)(2) presents fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein when read in conjunction with the related consolidated financial statements. Also, in our opinion, lululemon athletica inc. and its subsidiaries maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of January 31, 2016, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.

lululemon athletica inc.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

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Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, as of the end of the period covered by this report, or the Evaluation Date. Based upon the evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the Evaluation Date. Disclosure controls and procedures are controls and procedures designed to reasonably ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Exchange Act, such as this report, is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC's rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include controls and procedures designed to reasonably ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Inherent Limitations over Internal Controls

Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurances regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our assets; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. Management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, does not expect that our internal controls will prevent or detect all errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource limitations on all control systems; no evaluation of internal controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected. Also, any evaluation of the effectiveness of controls in future periods are subject to the risk that those internal controls may become inadequate because of changes in business conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies and procedures may deteriorate.

Management's Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). Management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the criteria set forth in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, or COSO. Based on this evaluation, management concluded that we maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of January 31, 2016. The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of January 31, 2016 has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP our independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report in Item 8 of Part II of this Form 10-K.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended January 31, 2016 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

PART III

The information required by this item concerning our directors, director nominees and Section 16 beneficial ownership reporting compliance is incorporated by reference to our definitive Proxy Statement for our 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders under the captions "Election of Directors," "Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance," "Executive Officers" and "Corporate Governance."

We have adopted a written code of business conduct and ethics, which applies to all of our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer and our principal financial and accounting officer. Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is available on our website, www.lululemon.com, and can be obtained by writing to Investor Relations, lululemon athletica inc., 1818 Cornwall Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6J 1C7 or by sending an email to investors@lululemon.com. The information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Any amendments, other than technical, administrative or other non-substantive amendments, to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or waivers from the provisions of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for our principal executive officer and our principal financial and accounting officer will be disclosed on our website within four business days following the effective date of such amendment or waiver.

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our 2016 Proxy Statement under the captions "Executive Compensation" and "Executive Compensation Tables."

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our 2016 Proxy Statement under the caption "Principal Stockholders and Stock Ownership by Management."

Equity Compensation Plan Information (as of January 31, 2016)

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our 2016 Proxy Statement under the captions "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions" and "Corporate Governance."

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our 2016 Proxy Statement under the caption "Fees for Professional Services."

PART IV

(a) Documents filed as part of this report:

1. Financial Statements. The financial statements as set forth under Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K are incorporated herein.

2. Financial Statement Schedule.

Schedule II

Valuation and Qualifying Accounts

3. Exhibits

Exhibit Index

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Laurent Potdevin and Stuart C. Haselden and each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution and full power to act without the other, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to act in his or her name, place and stead and to execute in the name and on behalf of each person, individually and in each capacity stated below, and to file, any and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing, ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them or their and his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

Exhibit Index