LULU News & Events

According to Lex, the flagship investment column of the Financial Times, "ailing" Lululemon going private might not be a stretch. The column traces how founder Chip Wilson -- who left the company in 2013 but still owns about 7% -- has spent months pushing for board changes and criticizing what he sees as a dilution of the brand. Lex notes that his complaints aren't baseless as Lululemon shares have plunged 75% from their 2023 peak, like for like sales in the Americas fell 3% last year with analysts expecting a deeper decline in 2026, and inventories have ballooned 18%, signaling weak sell through and cash pressure. With two of Wilson's preferred directors joining the board and the company carrying essentially no net debt while still generating $1B in free cash flow, Lex argues that a buyout is not out of the question as Lululemon's ex U.S. ambitions and brand reset come under scrutiny.

lululemon athletica entered into a cooperation agreement with Dennis "Chip" Wilson, who owns approximately 8.7% of the company's outstanding common stock. In connection with the agreement, Laura Gentile, former Chief Marketing Officer of ESPN, and Marc Maurer, former Co-CEO of On, will join the company's Board of Directors following the company's 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. As part of the Board's ongoing refreshment efforts, the company also agreed to appoint an additional director with product and brand expertise in apparel to the Board by October 1, 2026. Under the terms of the agreement, Mr. Wilson has agreed to customary standstill, non-disparagement, voting, and related provisions for approximately 18 months until 30 days prior to the nomination deadline for the 2028 annual meeting. In lieu of expense reimbursement, lululemon and Mr. Wilson have agreed that a donation will be made supporting athletics, art, and landscaping at Kitsilano Beach in Vancouver, where lululemon was founded. The full cooperation agreement between lululemon and Mr. Wilson will be filed on a Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Lululemon announced the opening of the first lululemon stores in Greece through its franchise partnership with Arion Retail Group. The first store location will open on Saturday, May 23, at Akadimias 17 & Voukourestiou in Kolonaki, central Athens. A second store location is set to open on Friday, June 12, at the Golden Hall shopping mall. The opening of the first lululemon stores in Greece reflects the company's continued focus on strategic international growth and marks the brand's third new market entry of the year, following Poland and Hungary in March 2026. This year through its franchise partnership model, lululemon plans a record six new market entries over a 12-month period. Further planned entries in 2026 include Romania, Austria, and India, extending lululemon's community-led approach and innovative products to even more guests around the world.