Estee Lauder Companies Inc vs HCA Health Inc — how do they compare? Estee Lauder Companies Inc trades at $87.79 (market cap $31.54B), while HCA Health Inc trades at $411.81 (market cap $89.64B). The key difference: HCA Health Inc is far larger — about 2.8× Estee Lauder Companies Inc's market cap, and Estee Lauder Companies Inc pays the higher dividend (1.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| EL | HCA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $31.54B | $89.64B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Health |
52-Week High | $119.61 | $545.13 |
52-Week Low | $67.23 | $361.32 |
Enterprise Value | $37.72B | $140.18B |
Dividend Yield | 1.61% | 0.75% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Estée Lauder (EL) trades at $88.35, up 3.35% with a bullish technical signal and recent earnings beats. The stock shows strong institutional interest with Bank of America increasing its stake by 950.9% in Q1 2026. Despite negative net income margins, the company maintains a robust gross margin of 74.71% and has upcoming Q2 2026 earnings expected at $0.3197 per share. Recent corporate developments include a new fragrance launch and executive appointments.
The outlook remains cautiously optimistic with a consensus price target of $91.67 offering 3.8% upside potential. Key risks include declining revenue trends and negative profitability, while opportunities lie in product innovation and digital engagement. The stock faces resistance near $90-$93 levels with support at $86.
HCA Healthcare trades at $413.36, up 1.09% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $449.93. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings of $7.59 per share, beating estimates, and has shown consistent revenue growth, reaching $75.60 billion in 2025. Recent corporate actions include dividend payments of $0.78 per share, while news highlights executive appointments and ongoing legal investigations.
The stock presents a compelling investment case with attractive valuation multiples like a P/E of 13.86 and robust profitability, but faces risks from legal probes and high debt levels. Upside potential is supported by analyst optimism and solid operational cash flow, though investors should monitor expense pressures and regulatory developments.
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 →HCA Healthcare is a Nashville-based healthcare provider organization operating the largest collection of acute-care hospitals in the U.S. As of December 2021, the firm owned and operated 182 hospitals, 125 freestanding outpatient surgery centers, and a broad network of physician offices, urgent care clinics, and freestanding emergency rooms across nearly 20 states and a small foothold in England.
Read more on HCA →