Key Points
Burlington Stores, Inc. (BURL) closed sharply lower, reversing from a previous close of $284.47 to finish at $260.40. The stock was down 8.46% on the session, declining $24.07 as traders digested updated outlook commentary and near-term operating headwinds. Today’s move pushed the shares further off recent peaks and reset near-term expectations following a strong multi-month run within Consumer Discretionary.
Trading activity skewed heavy, with above-average volume accompanying the sell-off. From a technical perspective, BURL now sits 16% below its 52-week high of $309.00, set earlier this year, which places the stock in a corrective phase relative to its prior uptrend. The retreat through recent congestion zones emphasizes the market’s sensitivity to new guidance and inventory mix commentary, with round-number levels near $250 emerging as a potential area of intermediate support while $270–$275 may act as initial resistance on rebounds.
In the prior several sessions, price action had become more two-sided as investors weighed off-price retail resilience against cooling discretionary demand. Within the Consumer Discretionary sector, positioning remains uneven as investors rotate around earnings quality and traffic trends. The day’s downside follow-through underscores how quickly sentiment can turn for higher-beta retail names when outlooks tilt cautious. While long-term strategic initiatives remain in focus for some investors, the near-term tape character is now driven by execution against seasonal merchandise plans and the durability of traffic through key holiday periods.
Why Burlington Stores, Inc. Price is Moving
At $260.40, Burlington Stores, Inc. trades with a market capitalization of $17.71 billion and trailing EPS of $8.47. The stock sits 16% below its 52-week high of $309.00, reflecting a reset in expectations following management’s latest outlook. Elevated trading volume accentuated the move, signaling active institutional participation as investors reassessed the balance between growth and execution risk in the Consumer Discretionary Distribution and Retail industry.
The catalyst: Burlington’s November 25, 2025 sell-off of roughly 8.5%–11.5% followed cautious guidance and weather-dependent sales headwinds, even as the company exceeded earnings expectations. Q3 2025 adjusted EPS of $1.80 beat the $1.64 consensus by 9.76%, but revenue of $2.71 billion missed the $2.72 billion estimate by about $10 million (-0.37%). Total sales grew 7% year over year while comparable store sales rose 1%, a modest comp result that trailed key off-price peers. Management highlighted that mild temperatures in September and October left cold-weather categories representing over 20% of inventory, spotlighting a structural sensitivity to seasonal patterns. The combination of an EPS beat with a revenue miss suggests earnings quality leaned on markdown discipline and other levers rather than broad-based top-line momentum.
Analysts also flagged execution risk as Burlington accelerates expansion. The company raised full-year 2025 EPS guidance to $9.69–$9.89, opened 73 new stores in Q3, and plans to add 110 locations in 2026. While these moves reinforce long-term growth ambitions, they require consistent traffic and compelling value perception. With valuation around a 30.8 P/E and a 2.51 beta, the stock is more vulnerable to negative surprises, magnifying price reactions when guidance tightens or inventory risks rise.
What is the Burlington Stores, Inc. Rating - Should I Sell or Buy?
Weiss Ratings assigns BURL a C rating. Current recommendation is Hold.
The rating is built on several key indices: the Excellent Growth Index aligns with 9.73% revenue growth, underscoring expanding operations. The Good Efficiency Index is supported by a 43.41% ROE and a 4.96% profit margin, indicating solid capital productivity despite retail margin constraints. The Good Solvency Index reflects a balance sheet positioned to meet obligations. The Fair Total Return Index captures middling risk-adjusted performance relative to peers, and the Weak Volatility Index highlights elevated price swings, which, alongside a 33.57 P/E ratio, raises sensitivity to execution and sentiment shifts.
Relative to sector peers, Amazon (AMZN) carries a B, Tesla (TSLA) holds a C, and The Home Depot (HD) also carries a B. BURL’s C sits between the high-quality leaders and the more volatile names in Consumer Discretionary, reflecting a balanced but not superior risk/reward profile.
Overall, the C rating indicates a fair trade-off between opportunity and risk. Strong growth and efficiency metrics lend support, but higher volatility and only fair total returns temper the outlook. In Weiss Ratings’ framework, these mixed signals net to a Hold: strengths in operational momentum and solvency are offset by sensitivity to external factors, valuation demands, and execution risks that can amplify drawdowns. Investors considering BURL should weigh its growth runway against the requirement for consistent merchandising execution in a highly competitive off-price environment.
About Burlington Stores, Inc.
Burlington Stores, Inc. is a national off-price retailer within the Consumer Discretionary sector, operating across the United States. The company offers branded apparel and home-related merchandise at discounted prices through a large network of brick-and-mortar locations. Founded in 1972 and headquartered in Burlington Township, New Jersey, Burlington has evolved from a single store focused on coats and outerwear into a broad-value retailer serving diverse customer needs across seasons.
Burlington’s product assortment spans women’s, men’s, and children’s apparel; outerwear and footwear; home décor and soft home; beauty and personal care; gifts and accessories; and baby and youth categories. The company’s off-price model emphasizes opportunistic buying, closeouts, and pack-and-hold strategies to deliver value-driven assortments that change frequently. By rotating inventory and emphasizing a “treasure-hunt” experience, Burlington aims to drive repeat visits and impulse purchases while offering compelling price points on recognized brands and private-label goods.
The company competes in the Consumer Discretionary Distribution and Retail industry by leveraging a flexible sourcing network, disciplined inventory management, and a no-frills store experience that prioritizes value over showroom presentation. Burlington’s merchandising approach, focused on breadth and turn rather than depth, helps it respond to changing trends and seasonal demands. Its store layouts and localized assortments are designed to address community-specific preferences while maintaining cost efficiency. The brand’s positioning as a value destination for everyday essentials and seasonal items remains central to its strategy of attracting budget-conscious shoppers and families seeking brand-name products at meaningful discounts.
Investor Outlook
For BURL, watch whether shares stabilize above potential support near the mid-$250s and how quickly sentiment improves on traffic and inventory progress through the peak selling season. With a Weiss C (Hold) rating, the balance of solid growth/efficiency versus elevated volatility and fair total returns argues for close monitoring of execution, pricing, and sector demand. See full rankings of all C-rated Consumer Discretionary stocks inside the Weiss Stock Screener.