NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

3 Months Ended

May 03, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Nature of operations

lululemon athletica inc., a Delaware corporation ("lululemon" and, together with its subsidiaries unless the context otherwise requires, the "Company") is engaged in the design, distribution, and retail of healthy lifestyle inspired athletic apparel and accessories. The Company primarily conducts its business through company-operated stores and direct to consumer through e-commerce. It also generates net revenue from outlets, sales from temporary locations, sales to wholesale accounts, license and supply arrangements, and warehouse sales. The Company operates stores in the United States, Canada, the People's Republic of China ("PRC"), Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, Germany, South Korea, Singapore, France, Malaysia, Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. There were 489 and 491 company-operated stores in operation as of May 3, 2020 and February 2, 2020, respectively.

COVID-19 Pandemic

The outbreak of a novel strain of coronavirus ("COVID-19") was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020.

In line with recommendations by public health officials and in accordance with governmental authority orders, the Company took actions to close the majority of its retail locations and to reduce operating hours. In February 2020, the Company temporarily closed all of its retail locations in Mainland China. All of these locations have since reopened. In March 2020, the Company temporarily closed all of its retail locations in North America, Europe, and certain countries in Asia Pacific. Its distribution centers in Columbus, Ohio and Sumner, Washington were temporarily closed for one and two weeks, respectively, during the first quarter of fiscal 2020 due to COVID-19. Subsequent to May 3, 2020, the Company began reopening stores in certain markets in accordance with local government and public health authority guidelines. These stores are operating with precautionary measures in place such as reduced operating hours and maximum occupancy levels. As of June 10, 2020, 295 of its company-operated stores were open. As of June 10, 2020, all of its distribution centers were open.

In response to COVID-19, various government programs have been announced to provide financial relief for affected businesses. The most significant relief measures which the Company qualifies for are the Employee Retention Credit under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES Act") in the United States, and the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy ("CEWS") under the COVID-19 Economic Response Plan in Canada. During the first quarter of fiscal 2020, the Company recognized payroll subsidies totaling $14.3 million under these wage subsidy programs and similar plans in other jurisdictions. These subsidies were recorded as a reduction in the associated wage costs which the Company incurred, and were recognized in selling, general and administrative expenses.

The Company also qualifies for and has deferred certain corporate income tax payments and employer payroll tax payments. The most significant is the deferral of $56.8 million of Canadian corporate income tax payments which would otherwise have been paid during the first quarter of fiscal 2020 to the third quarter of fiscal 2020.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") staff issued guidance in April 2020 in relation to accounting for lease concessions made in connection with the effects of COVID-19. In accordance with this guidance, the Company has elected to treat COVID-19-related lease concessions as variable lease payments. The Company is actively negotiating commercially reasonable lease concessions. No significant lease concessions have yet been confirmed.

The temporary store closures as a result of COVID-19 and associated reduction in operating income during the first quarter of fiscal 2020 are considered to be an indicator of impairment and the Company performed an assessment of recoverability for the long-lived assets and right-of-use assets associated with its closed retail locations. The Company recognized an insignificant impairment charge as a result of this analysis.

Inventory is valued at the lower of cost and net realizable value. The Company periodically reviews its inventories and makes provisions as necessary to appropriately value goods that are obsolete, have quality issues, or are damaged. The amount of the provision is equal to the difference between the cost of the inventory and its net realizable value based upon assumptions about product quality, damages, future demand, selling prices, and market conditions. The Company did not recognize any significant additional inventory provisions in the first quarter of fiscal 2020 as a result of this analysis.

Revenue is presented net of an allowance for expected returns, which is estimated based on historic return rates, trends, and future expectations. In light of the store closures, the Company has extended its return policy and the increase in the sales return allowances reflects an anticipated delay in returns as a result of retail location closures.

The COVID-19 pandemic has materially impacted the Company's statement of operations. The extent to which COVID-19 continues to impacts the Company's results and financial position will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information that may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19 and the actions taken to contain it or treat its impact. Continued proliferation of the virus, or resurgence, may result in further or prolonged closures of its retail locations and distribution centers, reduce operating hours, interrupt the Company's supply chain, cause changes in guest behavior, and reduce discretionary spending. Such factors could result in the impairment of long-lived assets and right-of-use assets and the need for an increased provision against the carrying value of the Company's inventories.

Basis of presentation

The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements as of May 3, 2020 and for the quarters ended May 3, 2020 and May 5, 2019 are presented in United States dollars and have been prepared by the Company under the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The financial information is presented in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for interim financial information and, accordingly, does not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The financial information as of February 2, 2020 is derived from the Company's audited consolidated financial statements and related notes for the fiscal year ended February 2, 2020, which are included in Item 8 in the Company's fiscal 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 26, 2020. These unaudited interim consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to a fair statement of the results for the interim periods presented. These unaudited interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's consolidated financial statements and related notes included in Item 8 in the Company's fiscal 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Except as disclosed in Note 2 pertaining to the adoption of new accounting pronouncements, there have been no significant changes to the Company's significant accounting policies as described in the Company's fiscal 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The Company's 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 2020 will end on January 31, 2021 and will be a 52-week year. Fiscal 2019 was a 52-week year.

The Company's business is affected by the pattern of seasonality common to most retail apparel businesses. Historically, the Company has recognized a significant portion of its operating profit in the fourth fiscal quarter of each year as a result of increased net revenue during the holiday season.

Certain comparative figures have been reclassified to conform to the financial presentation adopted for the current year.