Stock Traders Purchase Large Volume of Estee Lauder Companies Put Options (NYSE:EL)

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL) was the target of unusually large options trading on Tuesday. Stock traders bought 7,383 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of 41% compared to the average daily volume of 5,237 put options.

Insider Transactions at Estee Lauder Companies

In other news, VP Meridith Webster sold 5,430 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.84, for a total value of $476,971.20. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 13.05% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Estee Lauder Companies

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Prime Capital Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Estee Lauder Companies by 3.2% during the 4th quarter. Prime Capital Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,823 shares of the company’s stock worth $296,000 after acquiring an additional 88 shares in the last quarter. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC lifted its position in Estee Lauder Companies by 39.1% in the fourth quarter. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC now owns 324 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares during the period. Gladstone Institutional Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Estee Lauder Companies by 4.2% during the 3rd quarter. Gladstone Institutional Advisory LLC now owns 2,629 shares of the company’s stock worth $232,000 after acquiring an additional 107 shares during the period. Greenleaf Trust grew its stake in shares of Estee Lauder Companies by 3.2% in the 4th quarter. Greenleaf Trust now owns 3,579 shares of the company’s stock valued at $375,000 after purchasing an additional 110 shares during the period. Finally, Allworth Financial LP increased its position in shares of Estee Lauder Companies by 6.6% during the 4th quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 1,789 shares of the company’s stock worth $187,000 after purchasing an additional 110 shares in the last quarter. 55.15% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Estee Lauder Companies Stock Performance

Estee Lauder Companies stock traded up $4.54 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $103.55. 1,114,014 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,199,836. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $109.26 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $97.60. Estee Lauder Companies has a fifty-two week low of $48.37 and a fifty-two week high of $121.64. The firm has a market cap of $37.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -206.76, a PEG ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.14. The company has a current ratio of 1.36, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.82.

Estee Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The company reported $0.89 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.84 by $0.05. Estee Lauder Companies had a negative net margin of 1.21% and a positive return on equity of 17.59%. The business had revenue of $4.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.22 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.62 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. Estee Lauder Companies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.030-2.230 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Estee Lauder Companies will post 1.36 earnings per share for the current year.

Estee Lauder Companies Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 16th. Investors of record on Friday, February 27th will be issued a dividend of $0.35 per share. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 27th. Estee Lauder Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -280.00%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on EL shares. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price target on Estee Lauder Companies from $85.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 27th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Estee Lauder Companies in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. TD Cowen cut their price objective on Estee Lauder Companies from $130.00 to $115.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. Evercore increased their target price on Estee Lauder Companies from $115.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Estee Lauder Companies from $111.00 to $105.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Estee Lauder Companies currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $103.36.

Key Stories Impacting Estee Lauder Companies

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

• Positive Sentiment: Sector rotation into consumer staples is drawing investor interest and Zacks lists EL among five staples “to buy,” supporting demand for the stock. 5 Consumer Staples Giants to Buy Amid the Sector’s Strong Momentum
• Positive Sentiment: Citigroup upgraded EL (coverage note reported), which provides a supportive institutional endorsement amid mixed analyst activity. Estee Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL) Upgraded at Citigroup
• Positive Sentiment: Estée Lauder is due to pay a $0.35 dividend, which can attract income-focused investors and underpin the share price. Estée Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL) Is Due To Pay A Dividend Of $0.35
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo trimmed its price target to $105 — a modest reduction that stays near the trading range and is unlikely to dramatically change the near-term view. Wells Fargo & Company Cuts Estee Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL) Price Target to $105.00
• Neutral Sentiment: JPMorgan lowered its price target to $121; still above current levels, the move signals tempered upside expectations rather than a bearish reassessment. JPMorgan Chase & Co. Cuts Estee Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL) Price Target to $121.00
• Negative Sentiment: TD Cowen cut its target from $130 to $115 and moved to a hold — a downgrade in optimism that can apply selling pressure. TD Cowen Lowers Price Target
• Negative Sentiment: Barclays lowered its target to $94 and put an equal-weight rating, which is explicitly below the current price and could weigh on sentiment. Barclays Lowers Price Target to $94
• Negative Sentiment: HSBC downgraded EL from buy to hold with a $106 target — another large shop trimming its stance and reducing conviction among growth-oriented buyers. Finviz Analyst Notes
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary from Jim Cramer questioning EL’s momentum can amplify short-term selling pressure from retail investors. Jim Cramer Commentary

About Estee Lauder Companies

Estée Lauder Companies Inc (NYSE: EL) is a global leader in prestige beauty that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of skincare, makeup, fragrance and hair care products. Founded in 1946 by Estée Lauder, the company has grown from a small family business into a multinational consumer-products enterprise headquartered in New York City. Its activities span product research and development, brand and product marketing, manufacturing and global distribution across multiple retail channels.

The company’s portfolio includes a mix of legacy and prestige brands that target different consumer segments and price points, with well-known names such as Estée Lauder, Clinique, MAC, La Mer and Jo Malone among others.