Concentric Capital Strategies LP Sells 26,909 Shares of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL)

Concentric Capital Strategies LP reduced its position in The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL - Free Report) by 64.4% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 14,851 shares of the company's stock after selling 26,909 shares during the period. Concentric Capital Strategies LP's holdings in Estée Lauder Companies were worth $1,114,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. CastleKnight Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Estée Lauder Companies in the 4th quarter worth $1,372,000. Cetera Investment Advisers raised its position in Estée Lauder Companies by 14.1% in the fourth quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 27,926 shares of the company's stock worth $2,094,000 after acquiring an additional 3,449 shares during the period. Captrust Financial Advisors raised its position in Estée Lauder Companies by 117.6% in the fourth quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 20,806 shares of the company's stock worth $1,560,000 after acquiring an additional 11,243 shares during the period. Banque Transatlantique SA bought a new position in Estée Lauder Companies in the fourth quarter worth approximately $299,000. Finally, BLI Banque de Luxembourg Investments bought a new position in Estée Lauder Companies in the fourth quarter worth approximately $13,744,000. 55.15% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Estée Lauder Companies Price Performance

Shares of EL stock traded up $0.08 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $65.44. The stock had a trading volume of 1,309,328 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,067,903. The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. has a one year low of $48.37 and a one year high of $139.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75, a current ratio of 1.37 and a quick ratio of 0.97. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $61.20 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $69.36. The stock has a market capitalization of $23.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -33.56, a PEG ratio of 6.09 and a beta of 1.12.

Estée Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 1st. The company reported $0.65 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.29 by $0.36. Estée Lauder Companies had a positive return on equity of 16.82% and a negative net margin of 4.61%. The firm had revenue of $2.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.51 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.97 earnings per share. The business's revenue was down 9.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. will post 1.36 EPS for the current year.

Estée Lauder Companies Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 30th will be issued a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 30th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.14%. Estée Lauder Companies's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -57.85%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have weighed in on EL. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on shares of Estée Lauder Companies from $77.00 to $67.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 10th. Citigroup lowered their target price on Estée Lauder Companies from $77.00 to $55.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 14th. B. Riley reiterated a "neutral" rating and set a $60.00 target price (down from $70.00) on shares of Estée Lauder Companies in a research report on Friday, May 2nd. UBS Group lifted their target price on Estée Lauder Companies from $60.00 to $62.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, May 2nd. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group lowered their target price on Estée Lauder Companies from $70.00 to $62.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 29th. Nineteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $75.20.

About Estée Lauder Companies

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc manufactures, markets, and sells skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products worldwide. It offers skin care products, including moisturizers, serums, cleansers, toners, body care, exfoliators, acne care and oil correctors, facial masks, and sun care products; and makeup products, such as lipsticks, lip glosses, mascaras, foundations, eyeshadows, and powders, as well as compacts, brushes, and other makeup tools.