Burlington
BURL
$310.19
+8.42%
Burlington Stores, Inc. is an off-price retailer operating in the Consumer Cyclical sector, specifically within the Apparel - Retail industry. The company offers a broad selection of in-season, fashion-focused merchandise including apparel, accessories, home goods, and toys, primarily sourced directly from manufacturers and other suppliers. As a major player in the off-price retail segment, Burlington competes with the likes of TJX Companies and Ross Stores by focusing on a treasure-hunt shopping experience and value pricing. The current investor narrative revolves around the company's ability to navigate a challenging consumer spending environment, with recent quarterly results showing strong revenue growth, but recent stock price volatility suggests investor debate over the sustainability of its margin recovery and growth trajectory amid broader market pressures.…
BURL
Burlington
$310.19
BURL 12-Month Price Forecast
Wall Street consensus
Most Wall Street analysts maintain a constructive view on Burlington's 12-month outlook, with a consensus price target around $403.25 and implied upside of +30.0% versus the current price.
Average Target
$403.25
2 analysts
Implied Upside
+30.0%
vs. current price
Analyst Count
2
covering this stock
Price Range
$248 - $403
Analyst target range
Analyst coverage for Burlington appears limited based on the provided data, with only two analysts providing estimates for future EPS and revenue, and a series of institutional ratings from major firms. The consensus sentiment from the recent institutional ratings is overwhelmingly positive, with firms like Telsey Advisory Group, Baird, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, JP Morgan, and Barclays all maintaining 'Outperform', 'Overweight', or 'Buy' equivalents as recently as March 2026. This indicates strong institutional conviction in the stock's prospects. The average analyst revenue estimate for the upcoming period is $15.54 billion, with a range from $15.25 billion to $15.84 billion, and an average EPS estimate of $16.42. While a specific consensus price target is not provided in the data, the uniform bullish ratings from major firms and the narrow range of revenue estimates suggest a positive outlook with relatively high conviction. The lack of a wide target price spread in the available data points to a consensus view on the company's fundamental trajectory, though the limited number of explicit EPS estimates suggests the stock may have fewer dedicated analysts providing detailed models, which is not uncommon for mid-cap names. The strong institutional buy-side support provides a tailwind, but the stock's recent price decline indicates the market is currently weighing near-term operational challenges against this longer-term bullish analyst framework.
Bulls vs Bears: BURL Investment Factors
The bull case for Burlington is anchored in strong fundamental execution, evidenced by double-digit revenue growth, high profitability, and overwhelmingly positive analyst sentiment. The bear case is driven by technical weakness, elevated leverage, and a premium valuation that demands flawless execution. Currently, the bearish near-term technical momentum and valuation concerns appear to have the upper hand, as reflected in the stock's sharp 13% monthly decline. The single most important tension in the investment debate is whether the company's robust 11.5% revenue growth and 33.8% ROE can be sustained to justify its forward P/E of 21.8x, or if macroeconomic pressures and high leverage will trigger a derating of its premium valuation multiple.
Bullish
- Strong Revenue Growth and Execution: Q4 FY25 revenue grew 11.47% YoY to $3.65B, demonstrating robust demand for its off-price model. Sequential quarterly growth from $2.50B to $3.65B over the fiscal year indicates positive business momentum and effective execution in a competitive retail environment.
- High Profitability and Return Metrics: The company boasts a high Return on Equity of 33.76% and a net margin of 8.51% for the latest quarter. These metrics indicate strong capital efficiency and operational effectiveness, supporting a premium valuation.
- Overwhelmingly Positive Analyst Sentiment: Major institutions including Telsey, Baird, Wells Fargo, and JP Morgan maintain 'Outperform' or 'Buy' ratings as of March 2026. This strong institutional conviction provides a fundamental tailwind and suggests confidence in the company's long-term trajectory.
- Attractive Forward Valuation vs. Trailing: The forward P/E of 21.76x is significantly lower than the trailing P/E of 31.09x, implying the market expects substantial earnings growth. This forward multiple prices in anticipated profit expansion, making the stock more appealing on a forward-looking basis.
Bearish
- Significant Recent Price Weakness and Volatility: The stock is down 13.44% over the past month and has underperformed the S&P 500 by 19.04% in that period. With a high beta of 1.478, this amplified volatility signals negative momentum and heightened sensitivity to market and consumer sentiment shifts.
- Elevated Financial Leverage: A Debt-to-Equity ratio of 3.32 indicates significant financial leverage. While common for retail expansion, this increases financial risk, especially in a potentially higher interest rate environment, and could pressure earnings if financing costs rise.
- Premium Valuation Relative to History: A trailing P/E of 31.09x and a Price-to-Book ratio of 10.50 are historically elevated for the company. This premium valuation leaves little room for error and makes the stock vulnerable to multiple compression if growth expectations are not met.
- Margin Fluctuation and Potential Pressure: Gross margin has fluctuated between 40% and 44% over recent quarters, settling at 40.11% in Q4. Any sustained pressure on merchandise margins or increased promotional activity could directly impact the high profitability that supports its valuation.
BURL Technical Analysis
The stock is currently in a corrective phase within a longer-term uptrend, as evidenced by a 10.84% one-year price increase but a sharp 13.44% decline over the past month. The current price of $293.6 sits at approximately 56% of its 52-week range (between $218.52 and $351.85), indicating a significant retreat from recent highs and positioning the stock in the lower-middle portion of its annual band. This suggests the momentum that drove the stock to its 52-week high has stalled, and the stock is now testing a key support zone after a substantial pullback. Recent momentum has turned decisively negative, with the stock down 13.44% over the past month and 2.90% over the past three months, diverging sharply from its positive one-year trend. This short-term weakness is further underscored by a significant underperformance relative to the broader market, as indicated by a relative strength reading of -19.04% over one month. This divergence signals a potential trend reversal or a deeper correction, likely driven by profit-taking or sector-specific headwinds following the stock's earlier strength. Key technical support is at the 52-week low of $218.52, while immediate resistance is at the recent highs near the 52-week high of $351.85. A sustained break below the $290 level, where the stock currently trades, could open the door to a test of lower support levels. The stock's beta of 1.478 indicates it is approximately 48% more volatile than the S&P 500 (SPY), which has gained 5.6% over the past month while BURL declined. This high beta amplifies both upside and downside moves, making recent underperformance particularly pronounced and highlighting its sensitivity to shifts in market and consumer sentiment.
Beta
1.48
1.48x market volatility
Max Drawdown
-19.6%
Largest decline past year
52-Week Range
$219-$352
Price range past year
Annual Return
+15.7%
Cumulative gain past year
| Period | BURL Return | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | -10.8% | +4.6% |
| 3m | -0.8% | +8.3% |
| 6m | +4.6% | +12.5% |
| 1y | +15.7% | +25.0% |
| ytd | +4.0% | +8.7% |
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BURL Fundamental Analysis
Burlington's revenue trajectory shows solid growth, with the most recent quarterly revenue of $3.65 billion representing an 11.47% year-over-year increase. This follows a pattern of sequential quarterly revenue growth from $2.50 billion in Q1 FY25 to $3.65 billion in Q4 FY25, indicating a strong seasonal finish and positive business momentum. The revenue growth is primarily driven by its core off-price retail model, capitalizing on consumer demand for value-oriented discretionary goods. This consistent top-line expansion is a key pillar of the investment case, suggesting effective execution in a competitive retail landscape. The company is profitable, reporting net income of $310.4 million for the latest quarter, translating to a net margin of 8.51%. Gross margin for the quarter was healthy at 40.11%, though it has shown some fluctuation between 40% and 44% over recent quarters. Operating margin for the latest period was 11.28%, indicating strong operational efficiency. The profitability metrics, including a Return on Equity (ROE) of 33.76% and Return on Assets (ROA) of 5.78%, demonstrate the company's ability to generate solid returns on its capital, which is supportive of its premium valuation. Balance sheet and cash flow health present a mixed picture. The company has a high debt-to-equity ratio of 3.32, indicating significant financial leverage, which is common in the capital-intensive retail sector for store expansion. However, the current ratio of 1.23 suggests adequate short-term liquidity. Trailing twelve-month free cash flow is positive at $231.7 million, providing the company with internal funds for growth and debt servicing. The combination of strong operating cash flow generation and manageable, albeit elevated, leverage suggests the company is funding its operations and growth sustainably, though investors must monitor the debt load closely in a rising interest rate environment.
Quarterly Revenue
$3.6B
2026-01
Revenue YoY Growth
+0.11%
YoY Comparison
Gross Margin
+0.40%
Latest Quarter
Free Cash Flow
$231745000.0B
Last 12 Months
Revenue & Net Income Trends (2 Years)
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Valuation Analysis: Is BURL Overvalued?
Given Burlington's positive net income, the primary valuation metric is the Price-to-Earnings (PE) ratio. The trailing PE ratio is 31.09x, while the forward PE is lower at 21.76x. This significant gap implies the market expects substantial earnings growth in the coming year, as the forward multiple prices in anticipated profit expansion. The forward-looking PEG ratio of 1.54 suggests the stock's valuation is pricing in growth, but not at an extreme premium relative to that growth rate. Compared to sector averages (which are not explicitly provided in the data), Burlington's trailing PE of 31.09x and forward PE of 21.76x would typically be considered elevated for a traditional retailer, but may be justified by its off-price model's superior growth profile and high returns (ROE of 33.76%). The Price-to-Sales (PS) ratio of 1.64 and EV/Sales of 1.98 offer alternative perspectives, indicating the market values each dollar of revenue at a premium, likely due to expectations of margin expansion and market share gains within the off-price segment. Historically, the stock's own valuation has fluctuated significantly. The current trailing PE of 31.09x is above the historical low observed in recent quarters but well below the extreme highs seen in 2021 (e.g., over 200x during pandemic recovery). This places the valuation in a more normalized, yet still growth-premium, range relative to its own history. The Price-to-Book (PB) ratio of 10.50 is historically high, reflecting the market's assessment of the value of its store footprint and business model beyond its tangible asset base. The current valuation suggests the market has priced in a successful execution of its growth strategy but remains sensitive to any earnings disappointments.
PE
31.1x
Latest Quarter
vs. Historical
Low-End
5-Year PE Range 13x~338x
vs. Industry Avg
N/A
Industry PE ~N/A*
EV/EBITDA
18.2x
Enterprise Value Multiple
Investment Risk Disclosure
Financial & Operational Risks center on Burlington's elevated financial leverage, with a Debt-to-Equity ratio of 3.32, which amplifies risks in a rising interest rate environment. While the company generates positive free cash flow ($231.7M TTM), its profitability is subject to margin fluctuation, as gross margin dipped to 40.11% in Q4 from higher levels earlier in the year. The stock's valuation is highly dependent on sustaining its current 11.5% revenue growth rate; any deceleration could significantly pressure its premium trailing P/E of 31.1x.
Market & Competitive Risks are pronounced due to the stock's high beta of 1.478, making it 48% more volatile than the market and susceptible to sharp downdrafts during sector rotations or risk-off sentiment, as seen in its recent 19% underperformance versus the SPY. Trading at a forward P/E of 21.8x and a PEG ratio of 1.54, the stock carries valuation compression risk if growth expectations are not met or if investor appetite for discretionary retail stocks wanes. Competitive intensity from larger off-price peers like TJX and Ross, along with potential inventory mismanagement, poses a constant threat to its treasure-hunt model's appeal and margins.
Worst-Case Scenario involves a combination of a consumer recession reducing discretionary spending, leading to a significant miss on revenue and earnings estimates. This could trigger analyst downgrades from the current uniformly bullish stance, compounded by the high leverage leading to credit concerns. In this adverse scenario, the stock could re-test its 52-week low of $218.52, representing a potential downside of approximately -25.6% from the current price of $293.6. A drawdown of this magnitude is plausible given the stock's historical volatility and recent max drawdown of -19.55% over the provided period.

