Insider Selling: Estee Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL) Director Sells 2,406 Shares of Company Stock

Key Points

• Director Paul Fribourg sold 2,406 shares at an average of $115.10, worth about $276,931. He retained 323,922 shares after the sale.
• Estée Lauder reported quarterly EPS of $0.72, beating the $0.51 consensus, while revenue rose 6.7% year over year to $3.72 billion.
• Analysts cited improving performance in China as a potential turnaround driver; Citigroup raised its price target to $132 and maintained a Buy rating.

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL - Get Free Report) Director Paul Fribourg sold 2,406 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.10, for a total value of $276,930.60. Following the sale, the director owned 323,922 shares of the company's stock, valued at $37,283,422.20. This represents a 0.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Estee Lauder Companies Trading Up 0.1%

Shares of NYSE EL traded up $0.15 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $113.31. The stock had a trading volume of 3,595,644 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,819,267. The company has a market capitalization of $41.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 113.31, a PEG ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.23. The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. has a 1-year low of $66.22 and a 1-year high of $121.64. The company has a quick ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.67. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $100.93 and a 200 day moving average price of $91.71.

Estee Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, November 2nd. The company reported $0.72 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.51 by $0.21. Estee Lauder Companies had a return on equity of 26.99% and a net margin of 2.41%. The business had revenue of $3.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.65 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.32 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. will post 3.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Estee Lauder Companies Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 30th will be paid a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 30th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. Estee Lauder Companies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 140.00%.

Estee Lauder Companies News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Estee Lauder Companies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Citigroup raised its price target to $132 from $121 and reiterated a Buy rating, implying about 16% upside from the cited share price. Citigroup rating information
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts see improving performance in China supporting EL’s turnaround, with potential for stronger sales and margins. Estee Lauder's China Business Is Looking Good
• Neutral Sentiment: EL introduced a “Mastering Skin Longevity” skincare platform. The announcement highlights product innovation, though the report provides no expected financial impact. Estée Lauder unveils skincare platform
• Negative Sentiment: Director Paul Fribourg disclosed sales of 70,000 shares and 20,972 shares in separate transactions. Insider selling can weigh on sentiment, although he retained a substantial stake after the reported sales. Director share sale

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Global Retirement Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Estee Lauder Companies by 592.9% during the 3rd quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 9,098 shares of the company's stock valued at $844,000 after acquiring an additional 7,785 shares in the last quarter. Sompo Asset Management Co. Ltd. boosted its holdings in Estee Lauder Companies by 4.4% in the third quarter. Sompo Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 34,546 shares of the company's stock worth $3,205,000 after purchasing an additional 1,466 shares during the period. Edgestream Partners L.P. bought a new stake in Estee Lauder Companies during the third quarter valued at $1,126,000. Banco Santander S.A. increased its stake in Estee Lauder Companies by 4.2% during the third quarter. Banco Santander S.A. now owns 257,236 shares of the company's stock valued at $23,864,000 after purchasing an additional 10,379 shares during the last quarter. Finally, HighTower Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Estee Lauder Companies by 7.7% during the third quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 577,525 shares of the company's stock worth $53,577,000 after purchasing an additional 41,444 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 55.15% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Estee Lauder Companies from $95.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Tuesday, November 3rd. CICC Research upgraded shares of Estee Lauder Companies from a "neutral" rating to an "outperform" rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $65.00 to $122.00 in a research note on Monday, August 31st. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Estee Lauder Companies from $104.00 to $112.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 3rd. Raymond James Financial upped their target price on shares of Estee Lauder Companies from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on shares of Estee Lauder Companies from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, October 19th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Estee Lauder Companies presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $110.73.

About Estee Lauder Companies

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. is a global prestige beauty company founded in 1946 by Estée and Joseph Lauder. Based in New York City, it develops, markets and sells beauty products under a portfolio of brands, including Estée Lauder, Clinique, M·A·C, La Mer, Aveda and Jo Malone London. The company's products span skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care. It reaches consumers through department stores, specialty retailers, its own stores and websites, and other online and travel-retail channels.

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