Estee Lauder Companies Inc vs McCormick & Company, Incorporated — how do they compare? Estee Lauder Companies Inc trades at $88.12 (market cap $31.54B), while McCormick & Company, Incorporated trades at $53.03 (market cap $14.27B). The key difference: Estee Lauder Companies Inc is far larger — about 2.2× McCormick & Company, Incorporated's market cap, and McCormick & Company, Incorporated pays the higher dividend (3.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| EL | MKC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $31.54B | $14.27B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $119.61 | $72.26 |
52-Week Low | $67.23 | $45.60 |
Enterprise Value | $37.72B | $18.87B |
Dividend Yield | 1.61% | 3.61% |
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.
MKC trades at $52.96, up 1.3% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $59.67 suggesting 13% upside. The company reported Q2 2026 results that beat expectations, driven by the McCormick de Mexico acquisition and margin expansion, with revenue growth of 16.7% year-over-year. The pending $65 billion merger with Unilever's food business represents a transformative opportunity, though integration risks remain.
The outlook is positive, supported by strong profitability metrics, including a 21.91% net income margin and 25.7% ROE, alongside a reasonable valuation with a P/E of 8.81. Key risks include execution of the Unilever deal, competitive pressures in the consumer segment, and potential macroeconomic headwinds affecting consumer spending.
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 →In its 130-year history, McCormick has grown to become the leading global manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of spices, herbs, extracts, seasonings, and other flavorings. Beyond end consumers, McCormick's customer base also includes top quick-service restaurants, retail grocery chains, and other packaged food and beverage manufacturers, with about 30% of sales generated beyond its home turf to include 150 other countries and territories. In addition to its namesake brand, the firm's portfolio includes Old Bay, Zatarain's, Thai Kitchen, Frank's RedHot, French's, and the recently acquired Cholula brand.
Read more on MKC →