Burlington Stores, Inc.
operates as a national off-price retailer in the United States, offering branded apparel and home goods at discounted prices. It is a major player in the off-price retail sector, known for its treasure-hunt shopping experience and opportunistic buying strategy that drives value for cost-conscious consumers.
Updated: January 14, 2026, 16:00 EST
BURL shows impressive bullish momentum, significantly outpacing the market with strong double-digit gains over recent months. However, trading near its 52-week high suggests limited immediate upside and a less favorable risk/reward profile for new positions. The high volatility and significant historical drawdown of -26.53% also underscore the potential for sharp pullbacks.
Revenue stability contrasts with declining profitability, as gross and net profit margins face pressure from rising costs. The company operates with high leverage, indicated by a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.89, while operational efficiency metrics like ROE and asset turnover remain subpar. These factors point to challenges in maintaining financial health and effective capital utilization.
BURL appears significantly overvalued, with elevated P/E and EV/EBITDA multiples suggesting investors are paying a steep premium for declining expected earnings. High beta and substantial historical drawdowns highlight its susceptibility to market downturns and volatility. These risks, combined with rich valuation, raise concerns about sustainability.
Not Recommended for Purchase at Current Levels. While recent momentum is strong, deteriorating profitability, high leverage, and stretched valuation present substantial downsides. The stock's volatility and proximity to its 52-week high further diminish the appeal for new investors. A more prudent approach would be to wait for a meaningful price correction or signs of improved fundamentals before considering an entry.
*Note: This is not investment advice, for reference only.*
Based on the analysis, the 12-month outlook for BURL is cautious with a high probability of consolidation or a pullback from current elevated levels. Key catalysts that could defy this outlook would be a successful reversal of the margin compression and a demonstration of improved capital allocation. The primary risks are its rich valuation, high financial leverage, and vulnerability to a broader market downturn, which could trigger a significant correction given its high volatility and history of large drawdowns. In the absence of a formal analyst target, a more attractive entry point would likely be well below the current price of $310, contingent on an improvement in fundamental metrics.
Most Wall Street analysts are optimistic about BURL's 12-month outlook, with consensus target around $303.36, indicating expected upside potential.
Overall, BURL has investment potential but also faces challenges. Here are key factors to weigh before investing.
BURL has demonstrated strong bullish momentum, significantly outperforming the market over the past three months with substantial double-digit gains. The stock is currently trading near its 52-week high, reflecting sustained positive investor sentiment.
The stock has delivered impressive short-term gains, rising over 15% in one month and 19% over three months. This performance substantially outpaces the broader market, as evidenced by a +15.76% relative strength, indicating strong alpha generation. The high beta of 1.745 suggests these moves have been more volatile than the overall market.
Trading at approximately 98.5% of its 52-week high, BURL is in an extended position with limited immediate upside based on recent history. While not technically overbought, its proximity to the yearly peak suggests the risk/reward profile may be less favorable for new long positions, especially considering the stock's high volatility and significant historical drawdown of -26.53%.
| Period | BURL Return | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | +14.0% | +1.3% |
| 3m | +19.2% | +5.7% |
| 6m | +19.7% | +10.6% |
| 1y | +6.3% | +16.5% |
| ytd | +1.7% | +1.1% |
Revenue & Profitability Revenue remains stable quarter-over-quarter at approximately $2.7 billion, but profitability metrics show pressure. The gross profit ratio declined from 43.8% to 40.6% in Q3, while the net profit margin also softened to 3.9%, reflecting challenges in maintaining profitability amid rising costs.
Financial Health BURL maintains a moderate current ratio of 1.21, but exhibits high leverage with a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.89 and total debt to capitalization of 79.6%. Interest coverage remains adequate at 6.6x, though the cash flow to debt ratio of 0.024 indicates limited cash generation relative to debt obligations.
Operational Efficiency Operational efficiency appears constrained, with ROE at 6.9% and ROA at just 1.1%. Asset turnover of 0.28 suggests suboptimal utilization of assets, while inventory turnover below 1 indicates slower inventory movement, potentially impacting working capital efficiency.
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Try Now & Get Tesla Stock RewardBURL appears significantly overvalued based on its current metrics. The trailing P/E of 33.89 and an even higher forward P/E of 41.8 are exceptionally high, suggesting investors are paying a steep premium for expected earnings that are actually projected to decline. This concerning outlook is corroborated by an extremely high EV/EBITDA of 87.75 and a PEG ratio of 4.45, which indicates the stock's price is not justified by its growth rate. While the P/S ratio of 1.7 might seem reasonable, it cannot offset the alarm signals from the profit-based multiples.
A conclusive peer comparison cannot be performed as the specific industry average data was not provided in the query. To accurately assess whether BURL's valuation multiples (e.g., P/E of 33.89, P/B of 12.44) are high or low, they must be benchmarked against the average ratios for its direct industry competitors. Without this essential context, it is only possible to state that the absolute levels of its multiples appear very rich on a standalone basis.
BURL exhibits high volatility risk, evidenced by its elevated beta of 1.745, indicating it is approximately 75% more volatile than the broader market. This significant sensitivity to market movements is further highlighted by its substantial 1-year maximum drawdown of -26.53%, underscoring the potential for considerable price declines during adverse conditions.
While negligible short interest suggests limited speculative downside pressure, the stock's high beta implies heightened vulnerability to market-wide downturns and sector-specific headwinds. Additionally, its inherent volatility could present liquidity challenges during periods of market stress, despite the apparent lack of short-term bearish sentiment.
Neutral to slightly bearish - BURL appears overextended and richly valued despite positive momentum. The stock trades near its 52-week high with a concerning valuation (P/E of 33.89, forward P/E of 41.8) and shows pressure on profitability margins. While store expansion plans are a bullish factor, high volatility and leverage pose significant risks. Suitable only for aggressive, short-term traders comfortable with high risk; long-term and value investors should wait for a better entry point or clearer signs of fundamental improvement.
Based on the provided metrics, BURL appears significantly overvalued. Key metrics like a high trailing P/E of 33.89 and an extremely elevated PEG ratio of 4.45 indicate investors are paying a steep premium that is not justified by its earnings or growth prospects, especially compared to typical fair value benchmarks where a PEG ratio near 1 is desirable. The overvaluation is primarily driven by declining profitability, as seen in the falling net margin to 3.9%, combined with high leverage and weak operational efficiency (low ROE of 6.9%). While the P/S ratio of 1.7 is reasonable, it is outweighed by the alarming profit-based multiples.
Based on the provided information, here are the key risks of holding Burlington Stores (BURL) stock, ordered by importance:
1. High Financial Leverage Risk: The company's aggressive capital structure, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.89 and total debt representing 79.6% of capital, increases its vulnerability to rising interest rates and limits financial flexibility during economic downturns. 2. Elevated Market Volatility Risk: The stock's high beta of 1.745 makes it significantly more volatile than the market, exposing it to amplified losses during broader market or retail sector downturns, as evidenced by its -26.53% maximum drawdown. 3. Profitability and Operational Efficiency Risk: Declining gross and net profit margins, coupled with a low ROA of 1.1% and an asset turnover of 0.28, point to potential challenges in converting assets into profits and maintaining competitive margins amid rising costs.
Based on the provided analysis, here is the BURL stock forecast for 2026:
Target Price & Outlook: The 2026 forecast is cautious, with a base case target range of $250-$280, representing a potential decline from the current $310, and a bull case scenario unlikely to exceed $350, contingent on successful execution of a turnaround.
Key Growth Drivers: The primary drivers to warrant a higher valuation would be 1) a successful reversal of margin compression through improved cost management, and 2) a demonstration of more effective capital allocation to enhance shareholder value.
Assumptions & Uncertainty: This forecast assumes the challenges of high leverage, subpar operational efficiency, and rich valuation persist. The uncertainty is very high, as the stock's high volatility and sensitivity to a market downturn could lead to performance significantly outside these ranges.