Burlington Stores Reports Strong Q4 Earnings but Shares Slide
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 06 2026
0mins
Source: Benzinga
Burlington Stores Inc's stock fell 5.57% after hitting a 20-day low, despite reporting strong Q4 earnings and sales growth.
The company reported a robust 11% year-over-year increase in total sales to $3.65 billion, surpassing the $3.57 billion market estimate. The adjusted EPS of $4.99 exceeded the consensus of $4.75, reflecting an improvement in profitability. However, the cautious future outlook, with first quarter adjusted EPS guidance falling short of estimates, raised investor concerns, leading to a decline in share price despite the strong earnings report.
The market reaction indicates that while Burlington's performance was strong, investor sentiment is cautious due to the lower-than-expected guidance for the upcoming quarter, which may affect future stock performance.
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Analyst Views on BURL
Wall Street analysts forecast BURL stock price to rise
18 Analyst Rating
13 Buy
5 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 326.570
Low
310.00
Averages
334.62
High
363.00
Current: 326.570
Low
310.00
Averages
334.62
High
363.00
About BURL
Burlington Stores, Inc. is an off-price retailer of branded merchandise at everyday low prices. The Company’s stores offer an extensive selection of in-season, fashion-focused merchandise, including women’s ready-to-wear apparel, menswear, youth apparel, baby, beauty, footwear, accessories, home, toys, gifts and coats. Its broad selection provides a wide range of apparel, accessories and furnishings for all ages. It sells a broad selection of merchandise acquired directly from manufacturers and other suppliers. It has six distribution centers. Its three east coast distribution centers are located in Edgewater Park, New Jersey; Burlington, New Jersey; and Logan, New Jersey. Its three west coast distribution centers are located in San Bernardino, California, Redlands, California, and Riverside, California. These six distribution centers occupy an aggregate of 5,135,000 square feet, and each includes processing, shipping and storage capabilities. It operates in about 1,108 stores.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Burlington Scheduled to Announce Q4 Earnings
- Earnings Announcement: Burlington (BURL) is set to release its Q4 2023 earnings on May 28 before market open, with consensus EPS estimates at $1.80, reflecting a significant 56.4% year-over-year decline, and revenue expectations at $2.8 billion, down 14.4% year-over-year, indicating challenges ahead for the company.
- Historical Performance: Over the past two years, Burlington has consistently beaten EPS estimates 100% of the time and revenue estimates 63% of the time, showcasing a degree of financial stability despite current downward pressures.
- Estimate Revision Trends: In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen 4 upward revisions and 7 downward adjustments, while revenue estimates have experienced 9 upward revisions with no downward changes, reflecting market uncertainty regarding Burlington's future performance, which could impact investor confidence.
- Market Context: With Lululemon's mixed earnings report, Burlington's performance is under scrutiny; although the company has effectively managed expenses and protected margins, the overall market environment remains uncertain, potentially affecting its growth prospects.
See More
Wall Street Trading Week Outlook and Focus
- Salesforce Earnings Outlook: Salesforce is set to report earnings on Wednesday, with market concerns about its AI business still prevalent; analysts expect revenue of $11.05 billion and EPS of $3.12, and strong revenue growth could alleviate worries about slowing growth in its legacy business.
- Costco Membership Renewal Challenges: Costco will report earnings on Thursday, with expected revenue of $69.73 billion and EPS of $4.93; while high oil prices may pressure profit margins, its membership model and bulk selling strategy are likely to attract consumers, especially during periods of rising gas prices.
- Economic Data Focus: The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index will be released on Thursday, with a year-over-year increase expected at 3.8% and a core increase of 3.3%, which will influence the Federal Reserve's rate hike decisions, leaving the market uncertain about future rate changes.
- Investor Conference Season: This week marks the start of investor conference season, with Boeing, Johnson & Johnson, and others attending the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference, where analyst questions may reveal insights into market perceptions of company futures, making it a key event to watch.
See More
Surge in Options Trading Volume for BURL and GOOGL
- BURL Options Volume: Burlington Stores Inc's options trading volume reached 7,981 contracts today, representing approximately 798,100 shares, which is 114% of its average daily trading volume over the past month, indicating strong market interest in the stock.
- High-Frequency Contracts: Among BURL options, the $270 strike put option was particularly active with 3,761 contracts traded today, representing about 376,100 shares, suggesting investor expectations of a potential price decline.
- GOOGL Options Activity: Alphabet Inc also saw significant options trading volume at 333,905 contracts, equating to approximately 33.4 million shares, which is 111.9% of its average daily trading volume over the past month, reflecting strong market interest in its stock.
- Key Contract Analysis: The $387.50 strike call option for GOOGL traded 35,492 contracts today, representing around 3.5 million shares, indicating investor confidence in the stock's potential for future appreciation.
See More
U.S. Stocks Close Higher, S&P 500 Approaches 7,500
- Market Performance: The S&P 500 is nearing 7,500, on track for its eighth consecutive week of gains, reflecting strong market performance driven by sectors like healthcare and information technology, indicating investor confidence in economic recovery.
- Stock Dynamics: Merck leads the healthcare sector with encouraging trial results, while Dell's stock surges over 16%, showcasing a robust rebound in tech stocks that may attract more investor interest in these sectors' growth potential.
- Arm Holdings Surge: Arm Holdings rallies nearly 50% this week, and despite trimming shares on Monday, it still locked in a 20% gain, highlighting its significance and growth potential within the portfolio, reflecting optimistic market expectations for its future performance.
- Starbucks AI Project Adjustment: Starbucks has ended an AI program for automating inventory accounting, which may impact its $2 billion cost savings target; however, CEO Brian Niccol is set to discuss this goal at next week's conference, indicating the company's ongoing focus on cost control during its turnaround efforts.
See More
Off-Price Retailers Surge Amid Consumer Strain, Implications for Fed
- Significant Sales Growth: Ross Stores reported quarterly sales and earnings exceeding expectations, with same-store sales surging 17%, as CEO James Conroy noted increased transaction volume and customer count across income levels, driving the stock price up over 5.5%.
- Strong Performance from TJX: TJX's first-quarter same-store sales grew by 6%, with CFO John Klinger emphasizing that this growth was driven by a higher average basket and increased customer transactions, indicating robust consumer purchasing power across various demographics, leading to a stock price increase of over 6% on earnings day.
- Declining Consumer Confidence: The latest consumer sentiment survey hit a record low, indicating that consumers are becoming more frugal amid high gas prices and other economic pressures, with Walmart's CFO Rainey noting that customer fuel purchases fell below 10 gallons for the first time, reflecting consumer stress.
- Impact of High Gas Prices on Spending: With gas prices nearing a four-year high at $4.56 per gallon, consumers may further cut discretionary spending, potentially impacting overall economic performance and providing the Fed with room to lower interest rates, reflecting the risks of an economic slowdown.
See More
TJX Companies Reports Strong Q1 Results, Raises Outlook
- Significant Revenue Growth: TJX Companies reported a 9.2% year-over-year revenue increase to $14.32 billion in Q1, surpassing the consensus estimate of $14.03 billion, demonstrating the company's robust performance in the retail sector and solidifying its market position.
- Earnings Per Share Exceeds Expectations: EPS surged by 29.3% to $1.19, exceeding analyst expectations of $1.02, reflecting a notable enhancement in the company's profitability and boosting investor confidence.
- Strong Same-Store Sales: Same-store sales rose by 6%, well above the 4.1% market estimate, indicating consumer recognition of TJX's shopping experience and price advantages, which further propelled the company's performance.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Although management's guidance for future sales and EPS slightly fell short of market expectations, the company's historically conservative forecasting strategy instills confidence in its long-term growth potential, leading to a positive stock reaction.
See More
Burlington Scheduled to Announce Q4 Earnings
- Earnings Announcement: Burlington (BURL) is set to release its Q4 2023 earnings on May 28 before market open, with consensus EPS estimates at $1.80, reflecting a significant 56.4% year-over-year decline, and revenue expectations at $2.8 billion, down 14.4% year-over-year, indicating challenges ahead for the company.
- Historical Performance: Over the past two years, Burlington has consistently beaten EPS estimates 100% of the time and revenue estimates 63% of the time, showcasing a degree of financial stability despite current downward pressures.
- Estimate Revision Trends: In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen 4 upward revisions and 7 downward adjustments, while revenue estimates have experienced 9 upward revisions with no downward changes, reflecting market uncertainty regarding Burlington's future performance, which could impact investor confidence.
- Market Context: With Lululemon's mixed earnings report, Burlington's performance is under scrutiny; although the company has effectively managed expenses and protected margins, the overall market environment remains uncertain, potentially affecting its growth prospects.
See More
Wall Street Trading Week Outlook and Focus
- Salesforce Earnings Outlook: Salesforce is set to report earnings on Wednesday, with market concerns about its AI business still prevalent; analysts expect revenue of $11.05 billion and EPS of $3.12, and strong revenue growth could alleviate worries about slowing growth in its legacy business.
- Costco Membership Renewal Challenges: Costco will report earnings on Thursday, with expected revenue of $69.73 billion and EPS of $4.93; while high oil prices may pressure profit margins, its membership model and bulk selling strategy are likely to attract consumers, especially during periods of rising gas prices.
- Economic Data Focus: The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index will be released on Thursday, with a year-over-year increase expected at 3.8% and a core increase of 3.3%, which will influence the Federal Reserve's rate hike decisions, leaving the market uncertain about future rate changes.
- Investor Conference Season: This week marks the start of investor conference season, with Boeing, Johnson & Johnson, and others attending the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference, where analyst questions may reveal insights into market perceptions of company futures, making it a key event to watch.
See More
Surge in Options Trading Volume for BURL and GOOGL
- BURL Options Volume: Burlington Stores Inc's options trading volume reached 7,981 contracts today, representing approximately 798,100 shares, which is 114% of its average daily trading volume over the past month, indicating strong market interest in the stock.
- High-Frequency Contracts: Among BURL options, the $270 strike put option was particularly active with 3,761 contracts traded today, representing about 376,100 shares, suggesting investor expectations of a potential price decline.
- GOOGL Options Activity: Alphabet Inc also saw significant options trading volume at 333,905 contracts, equating to approximately 33.4 million shares, which is 111.9% of its average daily trading volume over the past month, reflecting strong market interest in its stock.
- Key Contract Analysis: The $387.50 strike call option for GOOGL traded 35,492 contracts today, representing around 3.5 million shares, indicating investor confidence in the stock's potential for future appreciation.
See More
U.S. Stocks Close Higher, S&P 500 Approaches 7,500
- Market Performance: The S&P 500 is nearing 7,500, on track for its eighth consecutive week of gains, reflecting strong market performance driven by sectors like healthcare and information technology, indicating investor confidence in economic recovery.
- Stock Dynamics: Merck leads the healthcare sector with encouraging trial results, while Dell's stock surges over 16%, showcasing a robust rebound in tech stocks that may attract more investor interest in these sectors' growth potential.
- Arm Holdings Surge: Arm Holdings rallies nearly 50% this week, and despite trimming shares on Monday, it still locked in a 20% gain, highlighting its significance and growth potential within the portfolio, reflecting optimistic market expectations for its future performance.
- Starbucks AI Project Adjustment: Starbucks has ended an AI program for automating inventory accounting, which may impact its $2 billion cost savings target; however, CEO Brian Niccol is set to discuss this goal at next week's conference, indicating the company's ongoing focus on cost control during its turnaround efforts.
See More
Off-Price Retailers Surge Amid Consumer Strain, Implications for Fed
- Significant Sales Growth: Ross Stores reported quarterly sales and earnings exceeding expectations, with same-store sales surging 17%, as CEO James Conroy noted increased transaction volume and customer count across income levels, driving the stock price up over 5.5%.
- Strong Performance from TJX: TJX's first-quarter same-store sales grew by 6%, with CFO John Klinger emphasizing that this growth was driven by a higher average basket and increased customer transactions, indicating robust consumer purchasing power across various demographics, leading to a stock price increase of over 6% on earnings day.
- Declining Consumer Confidence: The latest consumer sentiment survey hit a record low, indicating that consumers are becoming more frugal amid high gas prices and other economic pressures, with Walmart's CFO Rainey noting that customer fuel purchases fell below 10 gallons for the first time, reflecting consumer stress.
- Impact of High Gas Prices on Spending: With gas prices nearing a four-year high at $4.56 per gallon, consumers may further cut discretionary spending, potentially impacting overall economic performance and providing the Fed with room to lower interest rates, reflecting the risks of an economic slowdown.
See More
TJX Companies Reports Strong Q1 Results, Raises Outlook
- Significant Revenue Growth: TJX Companies reported a 9.2% year-over-year revenue increase to $14.32 billion in Q1, surpassing the consensus estimate of $14.03 billion, demonstrating the company's robust performance in the retail sector and solidifying its market position.
- Earnings Per Share Exceeds Expectations: EPS surged by 29.3% to $1.19, exceeding analyst expectations of $1.02, reflecting a notable enhancement in the company's profitability and boosting investor confidence.
- Strong Same-Store Sales: Same-store sales rose by 6%, well above the 4.1% market estimate, indicating consumer recognition of TJX's shopping experience and price advantages, which further propelled the company's performance.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: Although management's guidance for future sales and EPS slightly fell short of market expectations, the company's historically conservative forecasting strategy instills confidence in its long-term growth potential, leading to a positive stock reaction.
See More
