Estee Lauder Companies Inc vs Macy's Inc — how do they compare? Estee Lauder Companies Inc trades at $87.54 (market cap $31.54B), while Macy's Inc trades at $24.57 (market cap $6.68B). The key difference: Estee Lauder Companies Inc is far larger — about 4.7× Macy's Inc's market cap, and Macy's Inc pays the higher dividend (3.02%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| EL | M | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $31.54B | $6.68B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $119.61 | $26.21 |
52-Week Low | $67.23 | $12.11 |
Enterprise Value | $37.72B | $10.50B |
Dividend Yield | 1.61% | 3.02% |
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.
Macy's (M) trades at $25.40, up 1.07% daily, with a bullish technical signal and positive earnings momentum after beating estimates in three consecutive quarters. The stock shows attractive valuation with a P/E of 10.5 and P/S of 0.31, while recent news highlights institutional buying and turnaround progress under the 'Bold New Chapter' strategy.
Outlook is cautiously optimistic with potential upside to the $30 analyst high target, supported by cost discipline and store revamps. Risks include competitive retail pressures and consumer spending volatility, but solid cash flow and low debt provide stability. The stock offers value with a 2.94% net margin and 14.36% ROE.
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 →Founded in 1858 and based in New York City, Macy's operates 570 stores under the Macy's nameplate, 58 stores under the Bloomingdale's nameplate, and 160 freestanding Bluemercury specialty beauty stores (as of the end of fiscal-year 2021). Macy's also operates e-commerce sites and licenses two Bloomingdale's stores in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Women's apparel, accessories, shoes, cosmetics, and fragrances comprised 59% of Macy's 2021 sales.
Read more on M →