Key Takeaways Ulta Beauty (ULTA) shares surged to a record high on Friday after the cosmetics and fragrance retailer posted earnings that topped analysts' estimates and raised its outlook. The stock was up over 14% in recent trading, on track to finish the week at an all-time high and leading gains in the S&P 500. (Read our daily markets coverage here.) Beauty has been among retail's most resilient categories, outperforming apparel and other goods as consumers continue to spend on cosmetics, fragrances, and ...

Core Insights - Estee Lauder Companies Inc. reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 results with both net sales and earnings exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimates, showing a year-over-year increase in both metrics [1][11] - Adjusted earnings per share were 32 cents, surpassing the expected 16 cents, marking a 128.5% increase from 14 cents in the same quarter last year [1][11] Financial Performance - Quarterly net sales reached $3,481 million, exceeding the consensus estimate of $3,384 million, reflecting a 4% year-over-year increase [2][11] - Organic net sales grew by 3% to $3,455 million, with increases across most product categories and geographic regions, except for makeup and hair care in the Americas [2] Category-Wise Revenue Results - Skin Care sales rose 3% year over year to $1,575 million, driven by strong sales in Asia travel retail and product innovations [3] - Makeup revenues declined 2% to $1,030 million, primarily due to lower sales of Bobbi Brown and fewer eye product offerings, although operating results improved due to cost savings [4] - Fragrance category revenues increased 13% to $721 million, led by luxury brands such as Le Labo and Jo Malone London [5] - Hair Care sales totaled $129 million, down 7% year over year, impacted by Aveda's strategic pullback on promotions and store closures [6] Regional Revenue Results - Sales in the Americas fell 2% to $1,174 million, while EMEA revenues remained flat at $901 million [7] - Asia-Pacific sales increased by 9% to $873 million, with Mainland China also seeing a 9% increase to $532 million [7] Margin and Operating Performance - Adjusted gross margin expanded by 100 basis points to 73.4%, driven by efficiencies from the Profit Recovery and Growth Plan (PRGP) [8] - Operating earnings were reported at $169 million, a significant recovery from a loss of $121 million in the prior year [9] Financial Health - The company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $2,219 million and long-term debt of $7,320 million [12] - Net cash flow from operating activities was $340 million, with capital expenditures amounting to $96 million [12] Restructuring and Future Outlook - Estee Lauder's PRGP aims to transform its operating model, with completion expected by fiscal 2027, anticipating annual gross benefits of $800 million to $1 billion [13][14] - The company expects restructuring charges between $1.2 billion and $1.6 billion, with a net reduction of approximately 5,800 to 7,000 positions [14] - For fiscal 2026, the company projects net sales growth of 2-5% and adjusted earnings per share to increase by 26-39% [15][16]

Core Insights - Puig expects to achieve full-year growth guidance of 6 percent to 8 percent for 2025, surpassing consensus expectations, driven by strong third-quarter sales [1] - The company's sales for Q3 reached 1.3 billion euros, reflecting a 3.2 percent increase on a reported basis and a 6.1 percent increase in like-for-like terms, outperforming the global premium beauty market [1][3] Sales Performance - In Q3, Puig's Fragrance and Fashion division saw a 2.8 percent organic sales increase, while Makeup sales surged by 18.8 percent, largely due to Charlotte Tilbury's performance on Amazon [3] - Skin Care sales grew by 10.5 percent, contributing to the overall positive sales trend [3] Year-to-Date Performance - For the first nine months of 2025, Puig's sales totaled 3.6 billion euros, marking a 4.9 percent increase on a reported basis and a 7 percent increase in like-for-like terms [3] Geographic Performance - All geographic regions contributed positively to sales, with the Europe, Middle East, and Africa zone accounting for 53 percent of net sales, reaching 1.9 billion euros and a 3.9 percent like-for-like increase [4] - The Americas represented 37 percent of net sales, totaling 1.33 billion euros with a 7.8 percent increase [5] - The Asia-Pacific region outperformed with sales of 367.6 million euros, achieving 23 percent organic growth, making it Puig's fastest-growing region [6]

Core Viewpoint - Ulta Beauty has experienced a strong rebound with shares up approximately 25% year to date, driven by improving trends in the specialty beauty retail sector [1][2] Financial Performance - In Q2 2025, Ulta reported net sales of about $2.8 billion, a 9.3% increase, with comparable sales rising by 6.7% [4] - Gross margin improved to 39.2% from 38.3%, and earnings per share (EPS) increased by 9% to $5.78 [4] - The company repurchased approximately $110 million of stock in the quarter and about $468 million year to date, with $2.2 billion remaining under its buyback program [4] Management Outlook - Ulta raised its full-year outlook, expecting net sales between $12 billion and $12.1 billion, comparable sales growth of 2.5% to 3.5%, and EPS of $23.85 to $24.30 [5] - CEO Kecia Steelman noted strong performance across all major categories but expressed caution regarding consumer demand in the latter half of the year [5] Valuation and Market Position - The stock is trading around $547, approximately 23 times the midpoint of its full-year EPS guidance, indicating a fair valuation for a high-quality retailer [6] - Competition from Sephora remains significant, as it continues to grow in revenue and market share, highlighting the competitive landscape in the beauty sector [7] Future Considerations - If Ulta maintains low-to-mid-single-digit comparable sales growth and gross margin around 39%, the current price could yield respectable returns [8] - However, there are concerns regarding rising SG&A expenses and inventory levels, as well as uncertainty around consumer demand [8] - Overall, while Ulta's fundamentals are solid, potential buyers may consider waiting for a better entry point due to the competitive environment [9]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the second quarter, net sales increased by 9.3% to $2.8 billion compared to $2.6 billion last year [8][35] - Operating profit increased by 4.8% to $345 million, with an operating margin of 12.4%, down from 12.9% last year [41] - Diluted earnings per share rose by 9.1% to $5.78, including a $0.03 benefit from income tax accounting for stock-based compensation [41] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Comparable sales grew by 6.7%, driven by a 3.7% increase in transactions and a 2.9% increase in average ticket [36] - Fragrance was the strongest performing category with robust double-digit growth, supported by successful promotional events [13] - Skin care and wellness saw high single-digit growth, while makeup delivered mid single-digit comp growth [14][15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S. beauty category showed stable growth, with low single-digit growth in mass and mid single-digit growth in prestige beauty [10] - The wellness market is projected to be a $410 billion market in 2024, growing faster than beauty [67] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on its "Ulta Beauty Unleashed" strategy, which aims to enhance core business growth and improve operational excellence [9][21] - The acquisition of Space NK marks a significant step in international expansion, allowing entry into the UK market with an established player [26][27] - The company plans to launch a curated online marketplace to explore a broader array of beauty and wellness products [29] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism about the future, acknowledging ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties while highlighting strong first-half performance [33][46] - The company anticipates comp sales growth in the second half to be flat to low single digits, reflecting a prudent approach to planning [43][44] - Management emphasized the importance of employee engagement and culture as a competitive advantage [30] Other Important Information - The company hosted over 30,000 events during the quarter to enhance customer engagement and brand experience [17] - The decision to end the partnership with Target will conclude in August 2026, with minimal impact on net sales [31][32] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the sustainability of the initiatives under the Beauty Unleashed plan? - Management is pleased with the team's response and believes momentum will continue, but acknowledges higher comps in the back half of the year [52] Question: Can you clarify the assumptions behind the comp range for the back half of the year? - Management remains cautious but has modestly increased expectations for the second half, reflecting less uncertainty in the macro environment [62] Question: How is the promotional backdrop in the beauty sector evolving? - The company has optimized promotional strategies, reducing less productive events and aligning offers with consumer shopping behavior [65] Question: What is the outlook for the wellness category? - The wellness market is recognized as a significant growth opportunity, with plans to expand product offerings and store footprint [67] Question: How are the stores recovering from previous competitive pressures? - Management noted steady improvement in comp trends and emphasized the importance of the loyalty program in recapturing customers [78]

Financial Performance - e.l.f. Cosmetics' Q1 FY 2026 net sales increased by 9% year-over-year[14, 205] - The company achieved adjusted EBITDA growth of 12%[17] - e.l.f. Cosmetics has experienced 26 consecutive quarters of net sales growth and market share gains[21] - Adjusted net income for Q1 FY 2026 was $51 million, compared to $64 million in Q1 FY 2025[252] - Adjusted EPS for Q1 FY 2026 was $0.89, compared to $1.10 in Q1 FY 2025[253] Market Position and Growth Strategy - e.l.f. Cosmetics aims to double its net sales to $3 billion, with growth expected in cosmetics, skincare, and international markets[33] - The company has increased its unit share in the cosmetics category from approximately 7% in 2022 to around 15% today[43, 44] - e.l.f. Cosmetics is the 1 cosmetics brand at Target, holding a 21% dollar share[62] International Expansion - International net sales grew by 30% in Q1 FY 2026 year-over-year[135] - International penetration increased from 10% in FY 2020 to 20% in Q1 FY 2026[164] Tariffs - Tariffs are expected to have an annualized cost of goods sold (COGS) impact of $50 million[295, 298]

Core Insights - Estee Lauder reported $3.55 billion in revenue for the quarter ended March 2025, a year-over-year decline of 9.9% with an EPS of $0.65 compared to $0.97 a year ago, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.51 billion by 1.22% and delivering an EPS surprise of 124.14% against a consensus estimate of $0.29 [1] Revenue Performance - Net sales in the Americas were $1.05 billion, below the average estimate of $1.08 billion, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 5.8% [4] - Net sales in Asia/Pacific reached $1.14 billion, surpassing the average estimate of $1.02 billion, but still showing a year-over-year decrease of 3.1% [4] - Net sales in Europe, the Middle East & Africa totaled $1.36 billion, slightly below the average estimate of $1.40 billion, with a significant year-over-year decline of 17.6% [4] - Skin Care net sales were $1.81 billion, compared to the average estimate of $1.87 billion, marking a year-over-year decline of 12.3% [4] - Makeup net sales were $1.04 billion, below the average estimate of $1.07 billion, reflecting an 8.9% year-over-year decline [4] - Other net sales were $25 million, exceeding the average estimate of -$38.46 million, with a year-over-year change of -3.9% [4] - Hair Care net sales were $126 million, below the average estimate of $134.79 million, representing an 11.9% year-over-year decline [4] - Fragrance net sales were $557 million, slightly below the average estimate of $574.19 million, with a year-over-year decline of 3.1% [4] Operating Income Analysis - Hair Care reported an operating loss of $13 million, worse than the average estimate of -$7.17 million [4] - Skin Care achieved an operating income of $361 million, slightly above the average estimate of $354.08 million [4] - Other segments reported an operating income of $9 million, significantly better than the average estimate of -$220.82 million [4] - Makeup reported an operating income of $14 million, below the average estimate of $53.44 million [4] Stock Performance - Estee Lauder shares have returned -12.8% over the past month, compared to a -0.7% change in the Zacks S&P 500 composite, with a current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) indicating potential performance in line with the broader market [3]

Core Viewpoint - Estee Lauder is expected to report a significant decline in quarterly earnings and revenues, reflecting a downward revision in analysts' projections over the past month [1][2]. Financial Performance - The anticipated earnings per share (EPS) for Estee Lauder is $0.29, representing a 70.1% decline year over year [1]. - Analysts forecast revenues of $3.51 billion, indicating an 11% decrease compared to the previous year [1]. - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised down by 8.5% over the last 30 days [1]. Sales Projections by Category - Net sales for Skin Care are projected to reach $1.87 billion, down 9.3% year over year [4]. - Makeup net sales are expected to be $1.07 billion, reflecting a 6% decrease from the prior year [4]. - Other net sales are estimated at -$38.46 million, indicating a drastic decline of 247.9% year over year [4]. - Hair Care net sales are forecasted at $134.79 million, down 5.7% from the previous year [5]. - Fragrance net sales are projected to be $574.19 million, showing a slight decrease of 0.1% [5]. - Net sales in The Americas are expected to reach $1.08 billion, down 3.1% year over year [5]. - Sales in Europe, the Middle East & Africa are estimated at $1.40 billion, reflecting a 15.1% decline [6]. - Asia/Pacific net sales are projected at $1.02 billion, indicating a 13.3% decrease [6]. Operating Income Projections - Operating income for Skin Care is expected to be $354.08 million, down from $468 million year over year [6]. - Operating income for Other is projected at -$220.82 million, compared to a positive $11 million last year [7]. - Makeup operating income is estimated at $53.44 million, down from $66 million [7]. - Fragrance operating income is expected to be $17.18 million, compared to $29 million in the previous year [8]. Stock Performance - Estee Lauder shares have decreased by 12.2% over the past month, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's decline of only 0.2% [8].

Core Insights - The report titled "Skin Care Path to Purchase: Engagement, Opportunity, Research" provides a comprehensive analysis of the skin care market, focusing on consumer behavior and purchasing trends [1][2][3] - It utilizes the Voice of the Consumer: Beauty Survey to gather insights on global beauty routines and skin care habits [2][3] Market Overview - The report outlines the size and dynamics of the Beauty and Personal Care market, identifying key trends, emerging markets, and significant industry challenges [3] - It highlights the competitive landscape, detailing leading companies and brands within the skin care sector [3][6] Consumer Insights - Insights from the Voice of the Consumer: Beauty Survey reveal current consumer preferences and behaviors in the skin care category [2][3] - The report emphasizes the importance of understanding consumer engagement and the purchase journey in the beauty sector [2][3] Strategic Analysis - The report provides strategic analysis of factors influencing the market, including product innovations, packaging advancements, and economic or lifestyle changes [3] - It discusses the differentiation between premium and mass/masstige segments, as well as the evolution of new beauty concepts [3][6] Forecast and Trends - Five-year forecasts are included to illustrate expected market developments and identify growth sectors [6] - The report covers various product categories within the beauty and personal care market, such as skin care, hair care, and men's grooming [6]