ELF's Gross Margin Falls 165 bps: Are Tariffs the Main Drag Now?

Core Insights - e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) experienced solid top-line growth in Q2 of fiscal 2026, with net sales increasing by 14% due to market share gains, despite profitability pressures from tariffs [1][3][4] - Gross margin contracted by approximately 165 basis points to 69%, primarily due to higher tariff expenses, although pricing and product mix provided some compensation [1][9] - Operating income decreased significantly to about $7.7 million from $27.9 million year-over-year, indicating a substantial contraction in operating margin [2][9] Financial Performance - Adjusted EBITDA for e.l.f. Beauty totaled roughly $66 million, representing 19% of sales, down from the previous year's level, highlighting the impact of tariffs and increased expenses on profitability [2][9] - The company implemented a global $1 price hike on August 1, yet 75% of its product portfolio remains priced at $10 or less, maintaining its value positioning [3][4] Tariff Impact and Future Outlook - Easing tariff comparisons later in the fiscal year are expected to provide margin relief, as e.l.f. Beauty anticipates a lower average tariff rate moving into the next year [4][9] - Despite current profitability challenges due to tariffs, strong demand and effective pricing strategies position e.l.f. Beauty for potential margin recovery in the future [4] Industry Comparison - Coty Inc. reported a 100-basis-point decrease in adjusted gross margin to 64.5%, with tariffs being a significant factor affecting profitability [5] - The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. saw a gross margin expansion of 60 basis points to 73.3%, but also expects tariff-related challenges amounting to approximately $100 million for the fiscal year [6] Stock Performance and Valuation - e.l.f. Beauty's stock price has declined by 38.9% year-to-date, contrasting with the industry's decline of 1.1% [7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 32.48, which is higher than the industry average of 26.4 [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a year-over-year earnings decline of 13.6% for fiscal 2026, with a projected growth of 27.3% for fiscal 2027 [13]