Lululemon: Downward Dog Days Ahead? - A Wyckoff Distr AnalysisINTRO
I have been sitting on this idea for a while and finally decided to put the pen to the pad. For the past three years, there have been signs that Lululemon's stock may be destined for a decline. This trade idea will explore the potential for a downtrend using Wyckoff analysis, a technical analysis pattern used to identify trends within a market cycle.
The Wyckoff Distribution theory suggests that large institutions subtly distribute their holdings and initiate short positions before a significant price decline. This distribution unfolds in five distinct phases, each with its own characteristics. In this article, I'll describe these phases and analyze how they might be seen in Lululemon's case.
For reference, this is the schematic I will be comparing my LULU case to.
The Setup
The company's story began in 2008 with its founding. Like most companies, it was affected by the 2008 financial crisis and faced challenges in its performance. However, it recovered strongly over the next 3 years, with its stock price increasing by almost 3,700% from its low in 2009 to its high in 2012. From 2012 to 2018, the stock underperformed as its valuation took some time to catch up. During this period, LULU steadily improved its financial performance, attracting the attention of smart investors who began accumulating shares.
Phase A
The distribution phase marks the end of the prior uptrend. Up to this point, buyers have been dominant, but now we see evidence of institutional selling with the preliminary supply (PSY) and the buying climax (BC). The BC indicates the end of the uptrend as institutions freely unload shares. The low created after the BC is called the automatic reaction (AR). This low is important because it represents the lowest price at which institutions are willing to sell their shares. The AR and BC form our distribution channel, and there will be secondary tests (ST) of these ranges.
Phase B
Phase B functions to create momentum in preparation for a new downtrend. During this phase, institutions and large professional interests sell off their holdings and start taking short positions. This is typically marked by low-volume rallies and high-volume declines. Additionally, we may witness signs of weakness (SOW) and upthrusts (UT), which are further tests of supply and demand as institutions assess interest. Note the volume as the stock price advances and declines.
Phase C
Phase C is an optional phase that primarily serves as a test of the remaining demand. You can identify it by the UpThrust After Distribution (UTAD), which is a price move above the trading channel resistance that quickly reverses and closes back within the channel. It is a bull trap – it appears to signal the resumption of the uptrend but in reality, it is intended to trick uninformed break-out traders. It is used to snag additional shares short at elevated prices before a decline. Note the volume spike to create the UTAD and the volume spike to take it away.
Phase D
In Phase D, there is growing evidence that the uptrend is coming to an end. Sellers take control, leading to a clear break of support or a decline below the midpoint of the trading channel after a UT or UTAD. During this phase, there are typically several weak rallies, each marked by the last point of supply (LPSY).
Phase E
The final phase of the cycle is Phase E. It depicts the unfolding of the downtrend; the stock leaves the channel to the downside and supply is in control. This represents a high-probability opportunity to sell short. Subsequent rallies during the newly formed downtrend are quickly washed with selling.
We haven't entered Phase E yet, but the chart is currently aligning well with our expectations. Given that the pattern has taken 3 years to form, it will likely result in a longer-term short. I believe that targeting the 150s is reasonable if the analysis is accurate. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts on this.
