Estee Lauder Companies Inc vs e l f Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Estee Lauder Companies Inc trades at $82.76 (market cap $29.78B), while e l f Beauty Inc trades at $74.74 (market cap $4.37B). The key difference: Estee Lauder Companies Inc is far larger — about 6.8× e l f Beauty Inc's market cap, and Estee Lauder Companies Inc pays a 1.7% dividend while e l f Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| EL | ELF | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $29.78B | $4.37B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Technology |
52-Week High | $119.61 | $146.67 |
52-Week Low | $67.23 | $49.57 |
Enterprise Value | $35.95B | $5.00B |
Dividend Yield | 1.7% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Estée Lauder (EL) trades at $82.72, up 2.3% with recent earnings beats but faces fundamental challenges including a negative net income margin of -1.67% and elevated P/E ratio of 147.8. Technical indicators show bearish momentum with support at $81 and resistance at $84. The company maintains strong gross margins at 74.71% and positive analyst sentiment with 44% buy ratings and $90.60 consensus target.
While recent earnings outperformance and strong brand positioning provide upside potential, investors face risks from declining revenue trends, negative profitability, and high valuation multiples. The stock's near-term direction will depend on Q2 2026 earnings delivery and management's ability to restore sustainable growth amid competitive pressures.
ELF Beauty trades at $74.77, up 3.49% with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The company shows strong revenue growth reaching $1.31B in 2025 but faces margin compression with net income margin at 1.61%. Recent earnings beats and analyst coverage skewed toward buy/hold suggest cautious optimism. Technical indicators show support at $73 and resistance at $76, with RSI neutral but ADX signaling strong trend momentum.
Outlook remains mixed: growth initiatives in skincare and international markets provide upside, but high P/E of 168.68 and margin pressures pose valuation risks. Analyst consensus target of $74.42 aligns with current price, indicating limited near-term upside. Key risks include competitive pressures and execution on brand expansion.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Estee Lauder is the world leader in the global prestige beauty market, participating across skincare (56% of fiscal 2022 sales), makeup (26%), fragrance (14%), and haircare (4%) categories, with popular brands such as Estee Lauder, Clinique, MAC, La Mer, Jo Malone, Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Too Faced, Origins, Dr. Jart+, and The Ordinary. The firm operates in 150 countries, with 26% of fiscal 2022 revenue stemming from the Americas, 43% from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and 31% from Asia-Pacific. The company sells its products through department stores, travel retail, multi-brand specialty beauty stores, brand-dedicated freestanding stores, e-commerce, salons/spas, and perfumeries.
Read more on EL →e.l.f. Beauty is a leading cosmetics company offering high-quality, 100% vegan, and cruelty-free products. It is known for its affordable and prestige-quality makeup and skincare items for a diverse global audience.
Read more on ELF →