Lululemon Athletica Inc. said it has seen a shift in the shopping behaviour of its high-end U.S. consumer, which drove a lower-than-expected sales outlook for the first quarter and full year.

Visits to U.S. stores slowed at the beginning of the year and shoppers bought slightly less than a year earlier, Chief Executive Officer Calvin McDonald told analysts during a conference call on Thursday. American consumers “are a little soft coming into the year,” he added.

The U.S. traffic slowdown has been across the board, the company said, and wasn’t particular to a specific category.

The shares fell 14 per cent in premarket trading at 8:12 a.m. Friday in New York. If the decline holds into regular trading, Lululemon will be set for its biggest fall since March 2020. The stock has slipped 6.3 per cent so far this year through Thursday’s close, compared with a 9.9 per cent gain for the S&P 500 Index.

Lululemon sees revenue in the current fiscal year in a range of US$10.7 billion to $10.8 billion, according to a statement. That would represent growth of 11 per cent to 12 per cent, which is well below the 19 per cent it posted the previous year. The upper limit is also below analysts’ average estimate.

The company has had a stellar post-pandemic run and continues to post robust results. Lululemon’s ongoing double-digit sales growth compares with declines at many US apparel companies. Additionally, the yogawear maker typically guides conservatively — and then beats those forecasts, leading investors to anticipate better-than-forecast results.

“They will beat their conservatively-set guidance,” Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Poonam Goyal said. “Plenty of opportunity exists — especially abroad and in men’s.”

To attract more shoppers, McDonald said Lululemon will be rolling out products in new colors as well as more items in the 0 to 4 size range. Analysts are also optimistic about new fabrics and other innovations planned for the year.

“We think the company’s strong innovation pipeline will continue to be a key growth driver,” wrote Joseph Civello and Scot Ciccarelli at Truist.

Products for men grew 15 per cent in the fourth quarter, which ended in late January, outpacing 13 per cent for women’s apparel. Accessories, meanwhile, surged 40 per cent in the period. The Vancouver-based company expects to open 35 to 40 new stores this year, mainly in China.

International net revenue jumped 54 per cent while sales in the Americas increased a more modest 12 per cent. Lululemon expects to generate net revenue of $12.5 billion by 2026, driven in part by a plan to bolster e-commerce, international sales and sales of men’s apparel.

“All international markets, including Canada, are continuing their strong momentum into Q1,” McDonald said.

The activewear company is focusing on expansion in China in particular as competition rises in the US and competition ramps up with brands such as Alo Yoga and Vuori. It’s also expanding its offering of accessories, footwear and men’s apparel to complement its robust sales of women’s leggings and other sportswear.