RL
Ralph Lauren Corporation Consumer Cyclical - Apparel Manufacturing Investor Relations →
Ralph Lauren Corporation (RL) closed at $342.89 as of 2026-02-02, trading 93.4% above its 200-week moving average of $177.32. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 100.7% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 61, indicating neutral momentum.
Over the past 1447 weeks of data, RL has crossed below its 200-week moving average 19 times. On average, these episodes lasted 24 weeks. Historically, investors who bought RL at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +7.4%.
With a market cap of $20.8 billion, RL is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 2.8%. Return on equity stands at 33.8%, indicating strong profitability. The stock trades at 7.2x book value.
The company has been aggressively buying back shares, reducing its share count by 12.0% over the past three years.
Over the past 27.8 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in RL would have grown to $1500, compared to $1027 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 10.2% vs 8.7% for the index — confirming RL as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been growing at a 22.9% compound annual rate, with 4 consecutive years of positive cash generation.
Growth of $100: RL vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After RL Crosses Below the Line?
Across 19 historical episodes, buying RL when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +11.6% after 12 months (median +10.0%), compared to +3.0% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 68% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +37.2% vs +19.7% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment RL crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
RL has crossed below its 200-week MA 19 times with an average 1-year return of +7.4% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1998 | Nov 2000 | 121 | 40.0% | -26.1% | +1590.5% |
| Nov 2000 | Dec 2000 | 3 | 1.0% | +11.5% | +2015.5% |
| Sep 2001 | Oct 2001 | 3 | 14.3% | +20.9% | +2339.9% |
| Jul 2002 | Aug 2002 | 4 | 11.6% | +32.5% | +2189.7% |
| Sep 2002 | Nov 2002 | 7 | 18.3% | +26.9% | +2094.2% |
| Dec 2002 | Dec 2002 | 1 | 3.3% | +35.5% | +2073.3% |
| Jan 2003 | Mar 2003 | 10 | 8.1% | +41.7% | +2041.8% |
| Dec 2007 | Jan 2008 | 3 | 6.9% | -15.9% | +691.5% |
| Mar 2008 | Mar 2008 | 4 | 1.9% | -43.2% | +679.5% |
| May 2008 | May 2008 | 1 | 0.4% | -15.6% | +651.8% |
| Jul 2008 | Aug 2008 | 4 | 5.1% | -12.0% | +675.6% |
| Sep 2008 | Aug 2009 | 44 | 48.2% | +26.9% | +670.6% |
| Feb 2015 | Jan 2018 | 154 | 47.0% | -36.1% | +206.7% |
| Jan 2018 | Mar 2018 | 8 | 6.1% | +7.6% | +264.8% |
| Apr 2018 | May 2018 | 3 | 1.6% | +25.9% | +275.2% |
| Dec 2018 | Dec 2018 | 3 | 4.3% | +18.0% | +289.1% |
| Jul 2019 | Nov 2019 | 14 | 15.9% | -26.2% | +292.6% |
| Mar 2020 | Nov 2020 | 38 | 38.3% | +49.6% | +357.9% |
| May 2022 | Nov 2022 | 27 | 15.6% | +19.1% | +276.0% |
| Average | 24 | — | +7.4% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02