lululemon athletica 10-K 2018-01-28

10-K 1 lulu-20180128x10k.htm 10-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K

For the fiscal year ended January 28, 2018

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, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company," and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o

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 28, 2017 was approximately $4,703,000,000. 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 28, 2017. 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 voting stock of the registrant on July 28, 2017.

Common Stock:

At March 21, 2018 there were 125,679,588 shares of the registrant's common stock, par value $0.005 per share, outstanding.

Exchangeable and Special Voting Shares:

At March 21, 2018, there were outstanding 9,776,421 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 21, 2018, the registrant had outstanding 9,776,421 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

Portions of the Proxy Statement for the 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders have been incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This report and some documents incorporated herein by reference include estimates, projections, statements relating to our business plans, objectives, and expected operating results that are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. 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 principally a designer, distributor, and retailer of healthy lifestyle inspired athletic apparel and accessories. We have a mission to create transformational products and experiences which enable people to live a life they love, and have developed a brand for those pursuing an active, mindful lifestyle. Since our inception, we have fostered a distinctive corporate culture; we promote a set of core values in our business which include taking personal responsibility, nurturing entrepreneurial spirit, acting with honesty and courage, valuing connection, and choosing to have fun. These core values attract passionate and motivated employees who are driven to achieve personal and professional goals, and share our purpose of "elevating the world through the power of practice."

In this Annual Report on Form 10-K ("10-K" or "Report") for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2018 ("fiscal 2017"), 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 and accessories are marketed under the lululemon and ivivva 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 a healthy lifestyle and athletic activities such as yoga, running, training, and most other sweaty pursuits. We also offer fitness-related accessories, including items such as bags, socks, underwear, yoga mats and equipment, and water bottles.

Our design and development team continues to source technically advanced fabrics, with new feel and fit, and craft innovative functional features for our products. Through our vertical retail strategy and direct connection with our guests, we are able to collect feedback and incorporate unique performance and fashion needs into our design process. In this way, we believe we solve problems for our guests, helping us advance our product lines and differentiate us from the competition.

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 Market

Our guests seek a combination of performance, style, and sensation in their athletic apparel, choosing products that allow them to feel great however they exercise. Since consumer purchase decisions are driven by both an actual need for functional products and a desire to live a particular lifestyle, we believe the credibility of our brand and the authentic community experiences we offer expand our potential market beyond just athletes to those who pursue an active, mindful, and balanced life.

Although our primary and largest customer group is made up of women, we also design a comprehensive men's line and have a targeted strategy in place to serve our male guests. Our business is growing as more men discover the technical rigor and premium quality of our products, and are attracted by our distinctive brand.

North America is our largest market by geographical split, offering a mature health and wellness industry and sophisticated consumer. Additionally, we are expanding internationally across Europe (including the United Kingdom and Germany) and Asia Pacific (including China, South Korea, and Japan). We are expanding in these regions via a decentralized model, allowing for local community insight and consumer preference to inform our strategic expansion.

Our Segments

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

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

We operate in both the physical and digital space to better cater to the shopping desires of our guest. At the end of fiscal 2017, we had 404 stores in 12 countries across the globe. In addition to being a venue to sell product, our stores give us a direct connection to our guest, which we view as a valuable tool in helping us build our brand and product line.

Our direct to consumer segment includes the net revenue which we generate from our e-commerce website www.lululemon.com, other country and region specific websites, and mobile apps, including mobile apps on in-store devices that allow demand to be fulfilled via our distribution centers.

Segment information is included in Note 19 to our audited consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of Part II of this report.

Company-Operated Stores

As of January 28, 2018, our retail footprint included 404 company-operated stores. While most of our company-operated stores are branded lululemon, seven of our company-operated stores are branded ivivva 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 28, 2018 and January 29, 2017, are summarized in the table below:

We opened 46 net new lululemon branded company-operated stores in fiscal 2017, including 16 net new stores outside of North America.

We perform ongoing evaluations of our portfolio of company-operated store locations. In fiscal 2017, we closed three of our lululemon branded company-operated stores, and on August 20, 2017, as part of the restructuring of our ivivva operations, we closed 48 of our 55 ivivva branded company-operated stores. The seven remaining ivivva branded stores remain in operation and are not expected to close. As we continue our evaluation we may, in future periods, close or relocate additional company-operated stores.

In fiscal 2018, our new store growth will come primarily from new company-operated stores in the United States and an acceleration in our company-operated store openings in Asia. 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 believe that our innovative retail concept and guest experience contribute to the success of our stores. During fiscal 2017, our company-operated stores open at least one year, which average approximately 3,012 square feet, averaged sales of $1,554 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 a substantial part of our business, representing approximately 21.8% of our net revenue in fiscal 2017. We believe that e-commerce 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.

We continue to evolve and integrate our digital and physical channels in order to enrich our interactions with our guests, and to provide an enhanced omni-channel experience.

Other Channels

Other net revenue accounted for 8.9% of total net revenue in fiscal 2017, compared to 8.0% in fiscal 2016, and 6.9% of total net revenue in fiscal 2015. Other net revenue includes sales made through the following channels:

We have entered into license and supply arrangements with partners in the Middle East and Mexico which grant them the right to operate lululemon branded retail locations in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Mexico. We retain the rights to sell lululemon products through our e-commerce websites in these countries. Under these arrangements we supply the partners with lululemon products, training and other support. The initial term of the agreement for the Middle East expires in January 2020, and the initial term of the agreement for Mexico expires in November 2026. As of January 28, 2018, there were three licensed retail locations in the United Arab Emirates, one in Qatar, and one in Mexico, which are not included in the above company-operated stores table.

Community-Based Marketing

We utilize a community-based approach to build brand awareness and customer loyalty. We pursue a multi-faceted strategy which leverages our local teams and ambassadors, digital marketing and social media, in-store community boards, and a variety of grassroots initiatives. Our first global marketing campaign launched in fiscal 2017, and we plan to continue to explore how we complement and amplify our community-based initiatives with global brand-building activity.

Product Design and Development

Our product design and development efforts are led by a team of researchers, scientists, engineers and designers based in Vancouver, British Columbia, partnering with international designers. Our team is comprised of athletes and users of our products who embody our design philosophy and dedication to premium quality. Our design and development 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 function, style and technical superiority.

As we strive to continue to provide our guests with technically advanced fabrics, our team works closely with our suppliers to incorporate the latest in technical innovation, bringing 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 develop proprietary fabrics and collaborate with leading fabric and trims suppliers to manufacture fabrics and trims that we ultimately protect through agreements, trademarks and trade-secrets.

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 65 suppliers to provide the fabrics for our products. We work with a group of approximately 47 vendors that manufacture our products, five of which produced approximately 64% of

our products in fiscal 2017. During fiscal 2017, no single manufacturer produced more than 25% of our product offerings. During fiscal 2017, approximately 53% of our products were manufactured in South East Asia, approximately 25% in South Asia, approximately 10% in China, approximately 8% in the Americas, 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 distribution facilities in the United States, Canada, and Australia. We own our distribution center in Columbus, Ohio, and lease our other distribution facilities. The approximate square footage of each facility is included in Item 2 of Part I of this report. We also utilize third-party logistics providers to warehouse and distribute finished products from their warehouse locations in Hong Kong, Rotterdam, and Shanghai.

Competition

Competition in the athletic apparel industry is based principally on 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 and our technical product innovation. We also believe our ability to introduce new product innovations and combine function and fashion sets us apart from our competition. In addition, we believe our vertical retail distribution strategy and community-based marketing differentiates us further, allowing us to more effectively control our brand image and connect with our guest.

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) and L Brands, Inc. (including the Victoria Sport assortment at Victoria's Secret).

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 56%, 47%, and 45% of our full year operating profit during the fourth quarters of fiscal 2017, fiscal 2016, and fiscal 2015, respectively. Excluding the costs we incurred in connection with the ivivva restructuring, we generated approximately 51% of our operating profit during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017.

Our Employees

We believe that our people are key to the success of our business, and we strive to foster a distinctive corporate culture rooted in our core business values which attract passionate and motivated employees who are driven to achieve personal and professional goals.

As of January 28, 2018, we had approximately 13,400 employees, of which approximately 7,900 were employed in the United States, approximately 3,800 were employed in Canada, and approximately 1,700 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 have trademark rights on most of our products and believe having distinctive marks that are readily identifiable is an important factor in building our brand image and in distinguishing our products from the products of others. We consider our lululemon and wave design trademarks to be among our most valuable assets. In addition, we own many other trademarks for

names of several of our brands, slogans, fabrics and products. We own registered and pending U.S. and foreign utility and design patents, industrial designs in Canada, and registered community designs in Europe that protect our product innovations, distinctive apparel, and accessory designs.

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. The public may read and copy any materials filed by us with the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. 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 brand. The lululemon 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 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 receive, 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 is not discovered until after such products are purchased by our guests, our guests could lose confidence in 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.

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 or maintain 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.

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.

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 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. We work with a group of approximately 65 suppliers to provide the fabrics for our products. In fiscal 2017, approximately 59% of our fabrics were produced by our top five fabric suppliers, and no single manufacturer produced more than 35% of raw materials used. We work with a group of approximately 47 vendors that manufacture our products, five of which produced approximately 64% of our products in fiscal 2017. During fiscal 2017, no single manufacturer produced more than 25% of our product offerings. 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 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.

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 technology systems or unexpected network interruption could disrupt our business and reduce our sales.

We are increasingly dependent on information technology systems and third-parties 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. The failure of our information technology systems to operate properly or effectively, problems with transitioning to upgraded or replacement systems, or difficulty in integrating new systems, could adversely affect our business. In addition, we have e-commerce websites in the United States, Canada, and internationally. Our information technology systems, websites, and operations of third parties on whom we rely, may encounter damage or disruption or slowdown caused by a failure to successfully upgrade 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. In addition, 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. We have limited back-up systems and redundancies, and our information technology systems and websites have experienced system failures and electrical outages in the past which have disrupted our operations. Any significant disruption in our information technology systems or websites could harm our reputation and credibility, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

If the technology-based systems that give our customers the ability to shop with us online do not function effectively, our operating results, as well as our ability to grow our e-commerce business globally, could be materially adversely affected.

Many of our customers shop with us through our e-commerce websites and mobile apps. Increasingly, customers are using tablets and smart phones to shop online with us and with our competitors and to do comparison shopping. We are increasingly using social media and proprietary mobile apps to interact with our customers and as a means to enhance their shopping experience. Any failure on our part to provide attractive, effective, reliable, user-friendly e-commerce platforms that offer a wide assortment of merchandise with rapid delivery options and that continually meet the changing expectations of online shoppers could place us at a competitive disadvantage, result in the loss of e-commerce and other sales, harm our reputation with customers, have a material adverse impact on the growth of our e-commerce business globally and could have a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

Risks specific to our e-commerce business also include diversion of sales from our company-operated stores, difficulty in recreating the in-store experience through direct channels and liability for online content. Our failure to successfully respond to these risks might adversely affect sales in our e-commerce business, as well as damage our reputation and brands.

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 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 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 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.

Our future success is substantially dependent on the continued service of our senior management and identifying and attracting our next Chief Executive Officer.

On February 2, 2018, our Chief Executive Officer resigned. In addition to this change, a number of members of our senior management team have left the Company in the last several years. These changes, or the loss of services of any of our other key executive officers or other members of our senior management team, or any negative public perception with respect to these individuals, may be disruptive to, or cause uncertainty in, our business and could have a negative impact on our ability to manage and grow our business effectively. Such disruption could have a material adverse impact on our financial performance, financial condition, and the market price of our stock.

We may not be successful in identifying and attracting a highly qualified successor to our Chief Executive Officer, and our process to search for the successor may be time-consuming and divert management's attention and resources away from our business. The search for our next Chief Executive Officer may have a negative impact on our senior management team, business, and financial performance and condition.

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.

Changes in tax laws or unanticipated tax liabilities 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. Our effective income tax rates could be unfavorably impacted by a number of factors, including changes in the mix of earnings amongst 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 repatriation of unremitted earnings for which we have not previously accrued applicable U.S. income taxes and foreign withholding taxes.

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. Changes in applicable U.S., Canadian, or other or foreign tax laws and regulations, or their interpretation and application, including the possibility of retroactive effect, could affect our income tax expense and profitability, as they have in fiscal 2017 upon passage of the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

We have recorded provisional amounts in fiscal 2017 in relation to the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. We may make adjustments to the provisional amounts as additional information is collected and analyzed, and as we complete our assessment of the impact that the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has, if any, upon our reinvestment plans for the accumulated earnings of the Company's foreign subsidiaries. As the Company completes its analysis of the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act it may also make adjustments to incorporate any additional interpretations or guidance that may be issued. The Company may also identify additional effects of the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that are not reflected as of January 28, 2018. Any such adjustments may materially impact the provision for income taxes and our effective income tax rate in the period in which the adjustments are made, and in future periods.

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 $2.6 billion in fiscal 2017. 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.

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 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.

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.

We are dependent on international trade agreements and regulations. If the United States were to withdraw from or materially modify certain international trade agreements, our business could be adversely affected.

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.

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 2017, approximately 53% of our products were manufactured in South East Asia, approximately 25% in South Asia, approximately 10% in China, approximately 8% in the Americas, 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.

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 business is affected by seasonality.

Our business is affected by the general seasonal trends common to the retail apparel industry. 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 revenue, 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 for the foreseeable future. The potential impact of currency fluctuation increases as our international expansion increases.

We have, and may continue to, enter into forward currency contracts, or other derivative instruments, in an effort to mitigate the foreign exchange risks which we are exposed to. This may include entering into forward currency contracts to hedge against the foreign exchange gains and losses which arise on translation of our foreign subsidiaries' balance sheets into U.S. dollars, or entering into forward currency contracts in an effort to reduce our exposure to foreign exchange revaluation gains and losses that arise on monetary assets and liabilities held by our subsidiaries in a currency other than their functional currency.

Although we use financial instruments to hedge certain foreign currency risks, these measures may not succeed in fully offsetting the negative impact of foreign currency rate movements.

We are exposed to credit-related losses in the event of nonperformance by the counterparties to the forward currency contracts.

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, employment, 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.

As of January 28, 2018, we operated four distribution centers located in the United States, Canada, and Australia. During fiscal 2017 we completed the relocation of our distribution center facilities in Vancouver, BC to a new 155,000 square foot leased premises in Vancouver, BC. In addition to those distribution centers, we hold inventory at warehouses managed by third-parties in Hong Kong, Rotterdam, and Shanghai. We regularly evaluate our distribution infrastructure and consolidate or expand our distribution capacity as we believe appropriate for our operations and to meet anticipated needs.

The general location, use and approximate size of our principal owned properties as of January 28, 2018, are set forth below:

The general location, use, approximate size and lease renewal date of our principal non-retail leased properties as of January 28, 2018, are set forth below:

As of January 28, 2018, we leased approximately 1.3 million gross square feet relating to 402 of our 404 stores. Our store leases generally have initial terms of between five and 10 years, and generally can be extended in five-year increments, if at all. All of our leases require a fixed annual rent, and the majority 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 in Note 16 to our audited consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of Part II of this report, 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, employment 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.

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 March 21, 2018, there were approximately 800 holders of record of our common stock. This does not include persons whose stock is in nominee or "street name" accounts through brokers.

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 February 3, 2013 (the date of our fiscal year end five years ago) and January 28, 2018, 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 February 3, 2013 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 Bloomberg, a source 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 28, 2018 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 28, 2018 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 28, 2018, January 29, 2017, January 31, 2016, February 1, 2015 and February 2, 2014. The consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income data for each of the years ended January 28, 2018, January 29, 2017 and January 31, 2016 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of January 28, 2018 and January 29, 2017 is derived from, and qualified by reference to, our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report.

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 2017, fiscal 2016, and fiscal 2015 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 2017 was a strong year for our company. New stores and new store formats, product innovations, and an enhanced e-commerce offering, combined with successful community and brand initiatives helped drive a 13% increase in net revenue. We had a 7% increase in total comparable sales.

Our product design and development teams launched a number of new category innovations this year. For women, our newest fabric Everlux was created for high intensity, indoor workouts and the Enlite bra offers guests proprietary technology for running and high impact training. For men, we expanded our popular ABC pant franchise to include slim and jogger styles, and all of our men's fixed waist bottoms now feature our ABC construction. We look forward to delivering on a strong pipeline of innovation and product rollouts in fiscal 2018.

During the year, we opened 46 net new lululemon branded company-operated stores, including 30 in North America, 14 in Asia Pacific, and two in Europe. Our multiple formats now include standard, co-located, local, and select flagship locations, which allow us to cater to our guests where they live, work, and sweat.

As of January 28, 2018, we had 57 stores in Asia Pacific and 13 stores in Europe, including our European flagship on London's Regent Street which showcases the fullest expression of our brand to both local and travelling guests. We expanded in Germany in fiscal 2017 with a new location in Munich. In Asia, we opened nine new stores in China during fiscal 2017, in addition to growing our local e-commerce presence via Tmall, and opening company-operated stores in Japan.

We relaunched our websites at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2017, improving the online experience through upgraded visuals, added video content, more intuitive navigation, enhanced storytelling, and the integration of ivivva. The sales performance of our e-commerce business, which accelerated throughout the year, culminated in a 44% increase in direct to consumer net revenue in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016. In fiscal 2018 we plan to continue to develop our omni-channel experience to serve guests wherever and however they choose to shop, including launching a WeChat store in China.

Our grassroots approach to brand-building - locally led by stores and store associates, who we call educators - enables us to connect with and uniquely understand our guest. We hosted several events during the year, including our annual SeaWheeze half marathon in Vancouver, The Ghost Race in 15 cities in North America, the Sweatlife Festival in London, and Unroll China across multiple cities. We complemented our local efforts with our first global marketing campaign "This Is Yoga", followed by men's focused "Strength To Be" and finally, for holiday, "Breathe It All In".

We look forward to continuing this strong momentum into fiscal 2018, focusing on our four key strategic growth pillars: Digital, Men's, North America, and International, underpinned by innovations in product, our distinctive brand and community approach, and our vertically-integrated model.

Financial Highlights

The summary below provides both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. In connection with the restructuring of our ivivva operations, we recognized pre-tax costs totaling $47.2 million in fiscal 2017, and a related income tax recovery of $12.7 million. We recognized a provisional income tax expense of $59.3 million in fiscal 2017 related to the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The adjusted financial measures exclude these items, and also exclude certain discrete items related to our transfer pricing arrangements and taxes on repatriation of foreign earnings which were recognized during the fiscal 2016.

For the fiscal year ended January 28, 2018, compared to the fiscal year ended January 29, 2017:

Refer to the non-GAAP reconciliation tables contained in the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" for reconciliations between constant dollar changes in net revenue, total comparable sales, comparable store sales, and direct to consumer net revenue, and adjusted gross profit, gross margin, income from operations, operating margin, income tax expense, effective tax rates, and diluted earnings per share, and the most directly comparable measures calculated in accordance with GAAP.

General

Net revenue is comprised of company-operated store sales, direct to consumer sales through www.lululemon.com, other country and region specific websites, and mobile apps, including mobile apps on in-store devices that allow demand to be fulfilled via our distribution centers, and other net revenue, which includes outlet sales, sales from temporary locations, sales to wholesale accounts, showroom sales, warehouse sales, 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 merchandise, including freight, duty, and nonrefundable taxes incurred in delivering the goods to our distribution centers. It also includes occupancy costs and depreciation expense for our company-operated store locations, all costs incurred in operating our distribution centers and production, design, distribution, and mer

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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 revenue, 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 for the foreseeable future. The potential impact of currency fluctuation increases as our international expansion increases.

As of January 28, 2018, we had certain forward currency contracts outstanding in order to hedge a portion of the foreign currency exposure that arises on translation of a Canadian subsidiary into U.S. dollars. We also had certain forward currency contracts outstanding in an effort to reduce our exposure to the foreign exchange revaluation gains and losses that are recognized by our Canadian subsidiaries on U.S. dollar denominated monetary assets and liabilities. Please refer to Note 12 to our audited consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of Part II of this report for further information, including details of the notional amounts outstanding.

In the future, in an effort to reduce foreign exchange risks, we may enter into further derivative financial instruments including hedging additional currency pairs. We do not, and do not intend to, engage in the practice of trading derivative securities for profit.

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 weakening of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar results in:

During fiscal 2017, the change in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar resulted in a $44.4 million reduction in accumulated other comprehensive loss within stockholders' equity. During fiscal 2016, the change in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar resulted in a $41.7 million reduction in accumulated other comprehensive loss within stockholders' equity.

A 10% depreciation in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar compared to the exchange rates in effect for fiscal 2017 would have resulted in additional income from operations of approximately $1.0 million in fiscal 2017. This assumes a consistent 10% depreciation 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.

Interest Rate Risk. Our revolving credit facility provides us with available borrowings in an amount up to $150.0 million in the aggregate. Because our revolving credit facility bears 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 28, 2018, aside from letters of credit of $1.2 million, we had no other borrowings outstanding under this credit facility. We currently do not engage in any interest rate hedging activity and currently have no intention to do so. 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.

Our cash and cash equivalent balances are held in the form of cash on hand, bank balances, and short-term deposits with original maturities of three months or less. We do not believe these balances are subject to material interest rate risk.

Credit Risk. We have cash and cash equivalents on deposit with various large, reputable financial institutions. The amount of cash and cash equivalents held with certain financial institutions exceeds government-insured limits. We are also exposed to credit-related losses in the event of nonperformance by the financial institutions that are counterparties to our forward currency contracts. The credit risk amount is our unrealized gains on our derivative instruments, based on foreign currency rates at the time of nonperformance. We have not experienced any losses related to these items, and we believe credit risk to be minimal. We seek to minimize our credit risk by entering into transactions with credit worthy and reputable financial institutions and by monitoring the credit standing of the financial institutions with whom we transact. We seek to limit the amount exposure with any one counterparty.

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 and Board of Directors of lululemon athletica inc.

Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of lululemon athletica inc. and its subsidiaries, (together, the Company) as of January 28, 2018 and January 29, 2017, and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income, stockholders' equity and cash flows for each of the 52 week periods ended January 28, 2018, January 29, 2017 and January 31, 2016, including the related notes and the financial statement schedule listed in the index appearing under Item 15(a)(2) (collectively referred to as the "consolidated financial statements"). We also have audited the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of January 28, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of January 28, 2018 and January 29, 2017, and their results of operations and their cash flows for each of the 52 week periods ended January 28, 2018, January 29, 2017, and January 31, 2016 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (US GAAP). Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of January 28, 2018, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the COSO.

Basis for Opinions

The Company's management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, 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 the Company's consolidated financial statements and on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. 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, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.

Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. 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.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

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.

We have served as the Company's auditor since 2006.

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 and accounting 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 and accounting 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 principal executive officer and principal financial and accounting 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 and accounting 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 28,

2018. The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of January 28, 2018 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 28, 2018 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 2018 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 promptly disclosed on our website following the effective date of such amendment or waiver.

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our 2018 Proxy Statement under the captions "Executive Compensation" and "Executive Compensation Tables."

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our 2018 Proxy Statement under the caption "Principal Stockholders and Stock Ownership by Management."

Equity Compensation Plan Information (as of January 28, 2018)

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our 2018 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 2018 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

l3. 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 Glenn Murphy 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