The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL) Short Interest Up 12.5% in October

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest in October. As of October 31st, there was short interest totalling 5,050,000 shares, a growth of 12.5% from the October 15th total of 4,490,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 4,830,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.0 days.

Insider Buying and Selling at Estée Lauder Companies

In other Estée Lauder Companies news, Director Charlene Barshefsky sold 3,437 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $91.93, for a total value of $315,963.41. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 49,800 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,578,114. This trade represents a 6.46 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Fabrizio Freda sold 10,969 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.76, for a total transaction of $743,259.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 295,838 shares in the company, valued at $20,045,982.88. This trade represents a 3.58 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 18,296 shares of company stock valued at $1,423,366. Corporate insiders own 12.78% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Estée Lauder Companies

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Rothschild Investment LLC bought a new stake in Estée Lauder Companies during the second quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC bought a new stake in Estée Lauder Companies during the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. PARK CIRCLE Co bought a new stake in Estée Lauder Companies during the second quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Kimelman & Baird LLC bought a new stake in Estée Lauder Companies during the second quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, Crewe Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Estée Lauder Companies during the first quarter valued at approximately $35,000. 55.15% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Estée Lauder Companies Price Performance

Shares of EL stock traded up $1.35 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $65.10. The stock had a trading volume of 1,102,354 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,451,528. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $84.66 and its 200 day simple moving average is $100.34. The company has a current ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.44. Estée Lauder Companies has a 12 month low of $62.29 and a 12 month high of $159.75. The firm has a market capitalization of $23.37 billion, a PE ratio of 113.84, a PEG ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 1.05.

Estée Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 31st. The company reported $0.14 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.09 by $0.05. Estée Lauder Companies had a net margin of 1.31% and a return on equity of 17.31%. The company had revenue of $3.36 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.37 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.11 earnings per share. Estée Lauder Companies’s revenue was down 4.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Estée Lauder Companies will post 1.59 EPS for the current year.

Estée Lauder Companies Cuts Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 29th will be given a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 29th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.15%. Estée Lauder Companies’s payout ratio is presently 250.00%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

EL has been the subject of several analyst reports. DA Davidson reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $130.00 target price on shares of Estée Lauder Companies in a report on Tuesday, October 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on shares of Estée Lauder Companies from $100.00 to $75.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, November 1st. HSBC downgraded shares of Estée Lauder Companies from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $100.00 target price for the company. in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded shares of Estée Lauder Companies from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $105.00 to $72.00 in a report on Thursday, October 31st. Finally, Bank of America decreased their price objective on shares of Estée Lauder Companies from $100.00 to $75.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, November 1st. Nineteen research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $100.90.

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.