Burlington Stores (NYSE:BURL) Releases Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.28 EPS

Burlington Stores (NYSE:BURL) released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The company reported $4.99 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.71 by $0.28, FiscalAI reports. The business had revenue of $3.65 billion during the quarter. Burlington Stores had a net margin of 5.01% and a return on equity of 41.02%. The firm’s revenue was up 11.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $4.07 EPS. Burlington Stores updated its FY 2026 guidance to 10.950-11.450 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance to 1.600-1.750 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Burlington Stores’ conference call:

• Strong financial results: Q4 total sales rose 11% with comps +4% (two‑year stack +10%), Q4 adjusted EBIT margin expanded 100 bps and adjusted EPS grew 21%; full‑year sales +9%, operating margin +80 bps and EPS +22%.
• Tariff‑driven tradeoffs: Management deliberately pulled back receipts in tariff‑hit categories (mostly home) to protect margins, which dampened sales upside but preserved significant earnings growth.
• Bullish 2026 outlook and raised guidance: Company now targets total sales +8%–10% (assumes 110 net new stores), comps +1%–3%, adjusted EBIT margin flat to +20 bps and EPS $10.95–$11.45, and sees potential upside to that guide.
• 1Q margin headwinds: Q1 EBIT margin is expected to be down 60–100 bps due to markdown timing shifts, start‑up costs for the new Savannah DC and lapping prior one‑time savings, yielding Q1 EPS $1.60–$1.75.
• Operational positioning and liquidity: Management entered 2026 with deliberate comp‑store inventories up 12% (reserve at 40%), plentiful off‑price supply, ~$2.2B total liquidity and $385M remaining repurchase authorization, supporting the plan to chase sales and open ~110 new stores.

Burlington Stores Price Performance

NYSE:BURL opened at $321.45 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 1.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.32. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $302.87 and its 200 day moving average price is $282.83. Burlington Stores has a 52-week low of $212.92 and a 52-week high of $332.20. The firm has a market cap of $20.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.95, a PEG ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.73.

Trending Headlines about Burlington Stores

Here are the key news stories impacting Burlington Stores this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat — Burlington reported adjusted EPS of $4.99 (above consensus) and ~ $3.64–3.65B in revenue, with revenue up ~11% y/y and a 4% comparable‑store sales gain; management highlighted margin expansion that helped drive 21% EPS growth. Burlington Stores, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Upgraded FY outlook — Burlington raised FY 2026 EPS guidance to $10.95–$11.45 (above Street consensus) and issued higher revenue guidance, signaling confidence in longer‑term profitability and store growth. Earnings Press Release / Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Operational strength — management said tariff pressures eased, new‑store growth is accelerating, and liquidity/repurchase activity remain supportive of expansion and shareholder returns. Analysts and commentators highlighted durable off‑price demand and improved SG&A leverage. Guidance & Tariff Commentary
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst reaction — at least one shop raised BURL’s price target following the results, reflecting improved visibility into FY earnings. Price Target Raised
• Neutral Sentiment: Street commentary and analysis — several outlets flagged Burlington as a stable growth pick given margin gains, strong liquidity and a two‑year comp stack, useful context for longer‑term investors but less direct short‑term impact. Stable Growth Analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Q1 guidance below Street — Burlington guided Q1 2026 EPS to $1.60–$1.75 versus a higher consensus (~$1.82), which is a near‑term headwind and likely drove some profit‑taking among short‑term traders. Guidance Details
• Negative Sentiment: Options flow caution — there was a large uptick in put buying (several thousand contracts), a signal some traders are hedging or taking downside bets following the mixed guidance. (Listed trading activity was reported in market summaries.)

Institutional Trading of Burlington Stores

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Quarry LP bought a new stake in shares of Burlington Stores during the 3rd quarter worth $139,000. Kestra Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in shares of Burlington Stores in the 4th quarter valued at $151,000. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new position in Burlington Stores in the 2nd quarter worth about $151,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Burlington Stores by 91.8% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 698 shares of the company’s stock worth $162,000 after purchasing an additional 334 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. raised its holdings in Burlington Stores by 61.8% during the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 877 shares of the company’s stock worth $204,000 after buying an additional 335 shares during the period.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

BURL has been the topic of several analyst reports. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on shares of Burlington Stores from $330.00 to $310.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft began coverage on Burlington Stores in a report on Thursday, January 8th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $318.00 price objective for the company. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Burlington Stores in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Guggenheim began coverage on Burlington Stores in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. They set a “neutral” rating for the company. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein set a $350.00 price target on Burlington Stores and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $346.81.

Burlington Stores Company Profile

Burlington Stores, Inc is an American off-price retailer that sells apparel and home goods at discounted prices. The company’s merchandise assortment includes clothing for women, men and children, plus baby products, footwear, accessories, beauty items, toys and home décor. Burlington’s merchandising strategy focuses on offering branded and private-label goods at lower prices than traditional department stores by sourcing excess inventory, closeouts and opportunistic buys from manufacturers and other retailers.

The business traces its roots to the Burlington Coat Factory name established in the early 1970s and has since evolved into a broader off-price retailer that carries a wide range of seasonal and everyday merchandise.