New York-based The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) manufactures, markets, and sells skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products worldwide. The company has a market cap of $31.4 billion and offers skin care products, sun care products, makeup products and fragrance products.
EL shares have rallied the broader market over the past year, surged 48.1% compared to the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) 31.4% surge. However, in 2026, the stock has fallen nearly 17.2%, underperforming the SPX’s 7.2% rise.
Focusing on its industry benchmark, the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) has risen 3.6% over the past year, underperforming the stock. In 2026, however, XLP surged 8.4% and has outperformed the stock.
On May 1, EL stock rose 3.4% following the release of its Q3 2026 earnings. The company’s revenue came in at $3.7 billion and surpassed the Street’s estimates. Moreover, its adjusted EPS amounted to $0.91, also coming in on top of Wall Street estimates. Estee Lauder expects full-year earnings in the range of $2.35 to $2.45 per share.
For the current year, which ends in June, analysts expect EL’s EPS to rise 58.3% to $2.39 on a diluted basis. The company surpassed the consensus estimate in each of the last four quarters.
Among the 23 analysts covering EL stock, the consensus is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on seven “Strong Buy” ratings, one “Moderate Buy,” 14 “Holds,” and one “Strong Sell.”
This configuration has remained mostly stable in recent months.
On May 5, J.P. Morgan analyst Andrea Faria Teixeira maintained a “Buy” rating for EL and adjusted its price target from $98 to $99.
EL’s mean price target of $91.41 indicates a premium of 5.5% from the current market prices. Its Street-high target of $125 suggests a robust 44.2% upside potential from current price levels.
