Jim Cramer on Lululemon earnings: It has become the standard of what people wear

Jim Cramer, David Faber and Carl Quintanilla discuss Lululemon's earnings beat yesterday and how the company's clothes and innovation set the standard for pandemic loungewear in their industry. To see more of the interview with Cramer sign up for a free trial to CNBC Pro: https://cnb.cx/3trOqkJ

Lululemon shares broke an all-time high Thursday after the retailer blew past Wall Street’s expectations in its latest fiscal quarter and said it’s on track to hit a 2023 revenue target well ahead of schedule.

The athletic apparel maker’s stock closed the day up 10.5%, and at one point reached a record intraday high of $434.22. Shares had last reached an intraday high of $417.85 on Aug. 30. Lululemon has gained about 21% year to date, bringing its market value to almost $54.8 billion.

Famous for its women’s leggings and “ABC” jogger pants for men, Lululemon’s sales have outperformed those of other retailers during the Covid pandemic. Consumers have been searching for comfortable clothing to wear while working from home and when exercising. Shoppers have spent more money on so-called athleisure styles than dresses, suits and other formal wear.

The company — and the fashion trend — stands to benefit even as consumers are emerging from their homes and returning to schools and offices.

For its current fiscal year, Lululemon expects revenue to range between $6.19 billion and $6.26 billion, meaning it will surpass a key financial goal roughly two years ahead of schedule.

Chief Executive Calvin McDonald told analysts on an earrings conference call that the retailer will also double its men’s business and quadruple its international segment earlier than expected. It plans to offer new, long-term financial targets after the 2021 holidays.

McDonald added that Lululemon would be performing “even stronger,” if it weren’t for the supply-chain headaches facing the retail industry today.

“Sales in the quarter probably could have been even stronger if we weren’t having to face some of those disruptions,” the CEO told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Thursday morning.

Cowen & Co. hiked its price target for Lululemon stock to $520 a share from $476, marking a new high on Wall Street.

According to Cowen retail analyst John Kernan, “Management expressed significant confidence in the pace of its business and being in the early innings of its growth potential across product lines, activities, categories and regions.”

On the heels of Lululemon’s upbeat quarterly results, Telsey Advisory Group also raised its price target on Lululemon stock to $485 from $460. The average price target for Lululemon’s stock is now $434.20, according to FactSet.

While supply-chain disruptions including heightened air-freight costs and factory closures in Vietnam remain headwinds, Lululemon has taken these factors into account in its updated outlook, Telsey’s Dana Telsey said in a note to clients.

“The pandemic has accelerated Lululemon’s strategic initiatives and the company appears well-positioned to further capitalize on opportunities in a post-pandemic world,” she said.

Lululemon, which also owns the connected fitness product Mirror, hopes to keep driving growth by launching products in new fabrics, some of which are environmentally friendly. It’s still eyeing greater gains in its men’s business and in key international markets like China.

There have also been rumors that Lululemon will launch into footwear next year, making it a closer competitor to Nike and Adidas.

“What has been accelerated is the interest in well-being ... in functional apparel. And that is the sweet spot of the brand,” McDonald told CNBC.

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