Estee Lauder Companies Inc vs Yum China Holdings Inc — how do they compare? Estee Lauder Companies Inc trades at $88.14 (market cap $31.76B), while Yum China Holdings Inc trades at $47.7 (market cap $16.28B). The key difference: Estee Lauder Companies Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Yum China Holdings Inc pays the higher dividend (2.44%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| EL | YUMC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $31.76B | $16.28B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $119.61 | $57.95 |
52-Week Low | $67.23 | $40.18 |
Enterprise Value | $37.93B | $17.19B |
Dividend Yield | 1.59% | 2.44% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
EL trades at $88.56, up 1.57% today, with a bullish technical trend and strong recent earnings beats. The stock shows robust gross margins of 74.71% but faces profitability challenges with a negative net income margin. Analyst consensus is mixed with a $91.67 price target, while recent news highlights new product launches and institutional accumulation.
Outlook remains cautiously optimistic given earnings momentum and brand strength, but high valuation multiples and inconsistent cash flow pose risks. Investors should weigh growth potential against margin pressures and macroeconomic sensitivity in the beauty sector.
YUMC trades at $47.77, down 0.87% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong fundamental performance. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $0.70, beating estimates, and revenue growth of 13% year-over-year. Recent completion of the Pizza Hut brand acquisition in Mainland China for $1.2 billion enhances strategic control and potential margin expansion.
Outlook remains positive with consistent earnings beats and analyst consensus favoring a buy rating. Key risks include macroeconomic headwinds in China and integration challenges from the acquisition. The stock offers growth potential with a reasonable P/E of 17.43 and a projected 26.2% upside based on Wall Street targets.
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 →With almost 10,600 units and USD 9.5 billion in systemwide sales in 2020, Yum China is the largest restaurant chain in China. It generates revenue through its own restaurants and franchise fees. Key concepts include KFC (7,166 units) and Pizza Hut (2,355), but the company's portfolio also includes other brands such as Little Sheep, East Dawning, Taco Bell, Huang Ji Huang, COFFii & Joy, and Lavazza (collectively representing about 985 units). Yum China is a trademark licensee of Yum Brands, paying 3% of total systemwide sales to the company it separated from in October 2016.
Read more on YUMC →