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Insider Trading

Estee Lauder Companies Insider Sold Shares Worth $373,046, According to a Recent SEC Filing

Charlene Barshefsky, Director, on September 09, 2026, sold 3,775 shares in Estee Lauder Companies (EL) for $373,046. Following the Form 4 filing with the SEC, Barshefsky has control over a total of 80,971 Class A common shares of the company, with 80,971 controlled indirectly.SEC Filing:https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1001250/000114576626000006/xslF345X05/wk-form4_1789072956.xml

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Layoffs Reach Lowest August Tally Since 2022, Challenger Report Shows
US Markets

Layoffs Reach Lowest August Tally Since 2022, Challenger Report Shows

US job cut announcements in August hit the lowest total for the month in four years, Challenger, Gray & Christmas said Thursday, ahead of the official jobs report due Friday.Employers announced 52,881 layoffs last month, down 38% from a year earlier and representing the lowest August level since 2022, according to the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray. Sequentially, job cuts increased 58% in August. Employers announced plans to hire 12,325 workers last month, down 23% month on month, but up 725% from a year earlier and marking the highest August total since 2022, the report showed."This is the quietest August since 2022, but is generally on average for the month since the mid-2010s," Andy Challenger, the firm's chief revenue officer, said in a statement. "What we'd like to see with low layoffs is an increase in hiring activity."Official data are likely to show Friday that the US economy added 55,000 nonfarm jobs in August, compared with a loss of 23,000 reported for the previous month, according to a Bloomberg poll. The unemployment rate seen holding at 4.1%.Consumer product companies announced 10,057 job cuts in August, its heaviest month for 2026, led by Procter & Gamble (PG) and Estee Lauder (EL), the Challenger report showed Thursday. Technology companies announced 6,103 cuts, its lowest monthly total for the year."While companies are making plans to hire more workers than last year, according to our numbers, it doesn't appear those positions are being filled quickly," Andy Challenger said.Separately, government data showed Thursday that initial jobless claims rose by 2,000 to 206,000 in the week through Aug. 29 from the previous week's average that was adjusted upwards by 1,000. The consensus was for a 205,000 print in a Bloomberg poll. Seasonally adjusted continuing claims reached about 1.78 million for the week ended Aug. 22, in line with Wall Street's projections."The data leaves intact our view that the labor market is broadly in balance, with both the demand and supply of workers relatively soft, while layoffs remain low," Oxford Economics Associate US Economist Sara Godfrey said in remarks e-mailed to. "The subdued pace of jobless claims aligns with other data on job cut announcements by Challenger, Gray & Christmas."On Wednesday, ADP (ADP) data showed US private sector employment grew at its slowest pace in seven months in August.Last week, Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh described the labor market as "quite stable," citing a 4.1% unemployment rate that he said remains low by historical standards.Price: $147.86, Change: $+0.22, Percent Change: +0.15%

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Insider Trading

Estee Lauder Companies Insider Sold Shares Worth $802,383, According to a Recent SEC Filing

Rashida La Lande, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, on August 27, 2026, sold 7,766 shares in Estee Lauder Companies (EL) for $802,383.SEC Filing:https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1001250/000162828026059580/xslF345X05/wk-form4_1788206846.xml

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Research

CICC Upgrades Estee Lauder Companies to Outperform From Neutral, Adjusts PT to $122 From $65

Estee Lauder Companies (EL) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $108.44, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

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Wire

Argus Raises Estee Lauder Price Target to $125 From $100

Estee Lauder (EL) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $107.90, according to analysts polled by FactSet.Price: $105.95, Change: $+0.88, Percent Change: +0.84%

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Bath & Body Works Upgrades Earnings Outlook Following Second-Quarter Beat; Shares Rise
US Markets

Bath & Body Works Upgrades Earnings Outlook Following Second-Quarter Beat; Shares Rise

Bath & Body Works (BBWI) shares jumped Wednesday as the company raised its full-year earnings outlook following a fiscal second-quarter beat amid tariff refund tailwinds.The personal care and home fragrance retailer now expects 2026 adjusted earnings between $2.60 and $2.80 a share, up from its prior outlook range of $2.40 to $2.65. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expect $2.64. Bath & Body Works now projects full-year net sales to decline 4% to 2.5%, compared with its previous forecast calling for a 4.5% to 2.5% to drop.For the quarter through Aug. 1, adjusted EPS jumped to $0.62 from $0.37 a year earlier, topping Wall Street's views for $0.24. Net sales declined 2.3% to $1.51 billion, while the market expected $1.5 billion.Second-quarter adjusted EPS included the benefit from about $80 million of tariff refunds, Chief Executive Daniel Heaf said on an earnings conference call, according to a FactSet transcript. Excluding the benefit, the metric would have been $0.31, $0.06 above the high end of the company's outlook range, according to Heaf.Bath & Body Works shares were up 6.3% in afternoon trade. The stock has lost 6.2% in value so far in 2026."While the underlying business remains pressured and our performance is not yet where we want it to be, we are where we expected to be and our teams are moving at pace to execute our strategy," Heaf told analysts. "Our priority in the back half is to continue to strengthen the underlying drivers of sustainable growth, while closely tracking leading indicators to validate our actions are working ahead of our goal of revenue growth in 2027."Bath & Body Works will exit its home care category, which includes laundry and kitchen products, as the business "creates disproportionate product and operating complexity without generating the productivity or incremental demand required to justify the cost," Heaf said.For the ongoing quarter, the company expects adjusted EPS between $0.07 and $0.12, compared with the Street's expectations of $0.25. The retailer projects third-quarter net sales to fall between 5% and 2.5%."We have been clear since introducing the consumer first formula nine months ago that returning Bath & Body Works to sustainable growth is a multiyear transformation," Heaf told analysts. "2026 remains an investment year."Last week, cosmetics maker Estee Lauder (EL) bumped up its fiscal 2027 operating margin outlook and set sales guidance in line with its preliminary views. Beauty retailer Ulta Beauty (ULTA) is scheduled to report results Thursday.Price: $18.86, Change: $+1.28, Percent Change: +7.25%

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Ulta Beauty Second-Quarter Same-Store Sales Poised for Beat, Deutsche Bank Says
US Markets

Ulta Beauty Second-Quarter Same-Store Sales Poised for Beat, Deutsche Bank Says

Ulta Beauty's (ULTA) fiscal second-quarter same-store sales growth is expected to top market estimates amid "solid underlying execution," potentially paving the way for an upgraded full-year earnings outlook, Deutsche Bank said Tuesday.The brokerage expects the beauty retailer to post second-quarter same-store sales growth of 2.8% when it reports results Thursday. Wall Street is looking for a gain of 2.4%, according to Deutsche Bank."We expect Ulta's (second-quarter) results to demonstrate solid underlying execution over the past several months, pointing to a sequential acceleration in the (two-year) stack," Deutsche Bank analyst Krisztina Katai said in a note to clients.The upcoming print can offer further proof of Ulta's ability to control expenses, with selling, general, and administrative expense growth expected to moderate to high-single digits in the second quarter and further to 3% or less in the second half of the year from mid-teens in the first quarter, according to the note."Combined with continued sales momentum, this supports our expectation for a ($0.20) increase to (full-year earnings-per-share) guidance," Katai said.While the second quarter is Ulta's "most difficult compare," the debate likely has moved beyond whether the beauty retailer can "comp the comp" toward the quality and sustainability of its top-line momentum amid a more competitive beauty landscape, Katai said. The company's investors are "increasingly concerned" that it could need greater promotional intensity and pressure margins in order to maintain growth, according to the note.Ulta's shares were down 1.3% in Tuesday afternoon trade, bringing its year-to-losses to 12%.Last week, cosmetics maker Estee Lauder (EL) bumped up its fiscal 2027 operating margin outlook and set sales guidance in line with its preliminary views.With the upcoming results, Ulta's management can also reinforce confidence that the company's growth continues to be "fundamentally healthy and sustainable," Katai said Tuesday."Product innovation across major partner brands appears to be improving, the exit of the [Target (TGT)] partnership creates an opportunity for sales recapture, and we expect increased contribution as newer growth avenues scale, including Wellness, TikTok Shop, Marketplace, UB Media, and international expansion," the analyst wrote.Previously, Ulta and retailer Target said they mutually agreed not to renew their shop-in-shop partnership when the current deal concludes in August."We remain constructive on Ulta," Katai said Tuesday. "Beyond (the second quarter), we see a strong setup for 2027 as SG&A growth normalizes and higher-margin profit streams, particularly UB Media and Marketplace, become larger contributors to growth."Last week, Oppenheimer said Ulta will likely meet second-quarter market expectations, though ongoing uncertainty and increasing US competition will prompt management to keep full-year forecasts unchanged.Price: $531.23, Change: $-7.53, Percent Change: -1.40%

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Wire

Estee Lauder's Fiscal 2027 Outlook Has a Degree of Conservatism, UBS Says

Estee Lauder's (EL) fiscal 2027 outlook has a degree of conservatism and flexibility, considering its stronger organic growth trajectory, UBS analysts said in a Wednesday note.Analysts said that the company's fiscal Q4 results provide evidence of an increasingly broad-based recovery, with growth across most major geographies and improving category trends.UBS said that while Estee Lauder benefited from tariff refunds, shipment timing in the Americas, and a gift card liability reversal in fiscal Q4, the results still reinforce confidence in the company's underlying trajectory."We expect the debate on long-term growth and earnings power to continue and will likely influence what multiple investors are willing to pay from here," analysts said.UBS retained a neutral rating on the stock, but increased its price target to $106 from $86.Price: $97.95, Change: $-0.07, Percent Change: -0.07%

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Wire

Estee Lauder's Fiscal 2027 Guidance Achievable as Turnaround Continues, RBC Says

Estee Lauder's (EL) turnaround continues to progress and its fiscal 2027 guidance is achievable, RBC Capital Market said in a Thursday note.The company's fiscal Q4 results showed that its income statement is improving, with revenue and profit margins widening, RBC analysts said. They also noted that operating leverage, gross margin expansion, a streamlined fixed cost base, and profit recovery and growth plan benefits are all enhancing profitability.Sales in the Americas segment grew from a year ago on an organic basis, which is the first positive print in several quarters, pointing to the impact of Estee Lauder's reinvestment into its brands, innovation, and improving channel mix, the analysts said.On the negative side, the Middle East war unfavorably affected the company's fiscal Q4 consolidated growth and sales growth in its Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and Emerging Markets division, resulting in a $0.05 impact to adjusted diluted EPS for the quarter, according to the note.RBC reiterated the company's stock at outperform and increased the price target to $120 from $111.Price: $97.74, Change: $-0.27, Percent Change: -0.28%

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Wire

Estee Lauder's Turnaround Progressing on Organic Sales Growth Momentum, Morgan Stanley Says

Estee Lauder's (EL) turnaround is progressing, with building organic sales growth momentum and higher savings from its Profit Recovery and Growth Plan, Morgan Stanley analysts said in a Thursday note.Analysts said the company recorded a large Q4 beat in a light seasonal quarter, provided better-than-expected fiscal 2027 guidance, and struck a positive tone on the conference call.Morgan Stanley said that on its earnings call, the company emphasized that its growth drivers are broadening and expressed confidence that organic sales growth in the first half of fiscal 2027 will be stronger than in the second half of fiscal 2027.Analysts increased their fiscal 2027 and fiscal 2028 EPS estimates for Estee Lauder by 2% and 1%, respectively, and noted consensus estimates are expected to rise even further.Morgan Stanley maintained an equal-weight rating on the stock, but increased its price target to $102 from $90.Price: $97.61, Change: $-0.41, Percent Change: -0.41%

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Sectors

Sector Update: Consumer Stocks Rise Late Afternoon

Consumer stocks were higher late Wednesday afternoon, with the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) increasing 1.2% and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) adding 1.9%.In corporate news, Target (TGT) lifted its full-year outlook on Wednesday as tariff refunds helped double the retailer's fiscal Q2 earnings year over year. Its shares gained 5%.Estee Lauder (EL) shares rallied 18% after the cosmetics maker bumped up its fiscal 2027 operating margin outlook and set sales guidance in line with its preliminary views.TJX (TJX) issued a fiscal Q3 comparable store sales forecast that fell short of market expectations on Wednesday, but raised its full-year earnings outlook. TJX shares fell 4%.Lululemon Athletica's (LULU) Chief Communications Officer Bill Chandler is leaving the company, Bloomberg reported, citing an internal memo. Chandler's last day at the company will be Sept. 4, according to the report. Lululemon shares were up 1%.

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Wire

Goldman Sachs Raises Estee Lauder Price Target to $112 From $100

Estee Lauder (EL) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $94.88, according to analysts polled by FactSet.Price: $98.72, Change: $+14.45, Percent Change: +17.14%

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Estee Lauder Shares Rally as Cosmetics Maker Upgrades Margin Guidance
US Markets

Estee Lauder Shares Rally as Cosmetics Maker Upgrades Margin Guidance

Estee Lauder (EL) shares rallied Wednesday after the cosmetics maker bumped up its fiscal 2027 operating margin outlook and set sales guidance in line with its preliminary views.The company now expects adjusted operating margin between 12.7% and 13.5%, up from a 12.5% to 13% range provided in May. Estee Lauder doesn't forecast a material impact from the Middle East conflict in fiscal 2027.The owner of beauty brands such as MAC expects full-year net sales to grow 3% to 5%, in line with its preliminary outlook. Estee Lauder expects adjusted earnings between $3.10 and $3.35 per share. The current consensus on FactSet is for 3.4% year-over-year revenue growth and non-GAAP EPS of $3.19.The stock soared 17% in Wednesday trade, reducing its year-to-date loss to 5.6%."We expect organic net sales growth in the first half of the year to be stronger than in the second half, reflecting a slate of innovation earlier in the year and stronger travel retail shipments, given improved retail trends and a lower base of shipments in the prior year," Chief Financial Officer Akhil Shrivastava said during an earnings call, according to a FactSet transcript.RBC Capital Markets expected Estee Lauder to provide full-year guidance in line with its preliminary expectations."Depending on the timing and magnitude of tariff refunds, (Estee Lauder) may see a one-time margin bump, but we would expect EL to reinvest back into the business to further bolster the top-line," the brokerage said in a note on Monday.For the fiscal fourth quarter ended in June, Estee Lauder's adjusted EPS jumped to $0.39 from $0.09 a year ago, exceeding Wall Street's estimate of $0.32. Sales improved 6% to $3.63 billion, ahead of the Street's view for $3.55 billion.Revenue in the skin care business rose 9% to $1.85 billion, while fragrance climbed 10%. Makeup sales increased 3% to $1.01 billion.Estee Lauder said it will eliminate about 10,000 positions, reflecting the high end of its prior expectation under a program aimed at strengthening operating margin and supporting reinvestment in consumer-facing areas.Earlier in the month, cosmetics company Elf Beauty (ELF) raised its full-year guidance. Beauty retailer Ulta Beauty (ULTA) is scheduled to release its latest quarterly results on Aug. 27.Price: $98.28, Change: $+14.01, Percent Change: +16.63%

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Wire

Update: Estee Lauder Shares Rise as Fiscal Q4 Adjusted Earnings, Revenue Increase; Fiscal 2027 Outlook Initiated

(Updates to include Estee Lauder's stock move in the headline and first paragraph.)Estee Lauder (EL) shares gained more than 16% in early Wednesday trading after the company posted higher fiscal Q4 results that also exceeded analysts' expectations.The cosmetics company reported fiscal Q4 adjusted earnings of $0.39 per diluted share, up from $0.09 a year earlier.Analysts polled by FactSet expected $0.32.Revenue for the quarter ended June 30 was $3.63 billion, up from $3.41 billion a year earlier.Analysts expected $3.55 billion.For fiscal 2027, the company expects non-GAAP constant currency EPS of $3.06 to $3.31 and revenue growth of 3% to 5%. Analysts expect non-GAAP EPS of $3.19.Price: $99.51, Change: $+15.24, Percent Change: +18.08%

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Commodities

Exchange-Traded Funds Higher, Equity Futures Mixed Pre-Bell Wednesday Ahead of Fed Meeting Minutes' Release

The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was up 0.4%, and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) was 0.4% higher in Wednesday's premarket activity as investors await the Fed's minutes for clues on interest rates.US stock futures were mixed, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.03%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advancing 0.1%, and Nasdaq futures retreating 0.2% before the start of regular trading.Mortgage applications fell by 0.4% in the week ended Aug. 14, with an increase in refinancing activity offset by a decline in home purchase applications, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data released Wednesday.Weekly petroleum stocks data are due to be released at 10:30 am ET.The minutes from the most recent Federal Open Market Committee meeting will be released at 2 pm ET.In premarket action, bitcoin was down by 0.3%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 0.1% lower, Ether ETF (EETH) retreated 0.3%, and Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was flat.Power Play:Health CareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) advanced 1.5%, the Vanguard Health Care Index Fund (VHT) was up 0.1%, while the iShares US Healthcare ETF (IYH) gained 0.03%. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was 3.2% higher.Moderna (MRNA) shares were up more than 92%, and Merck (MRK) was up 8% after the companies said that a late-stage trial of intismeran autogene in combination with Keytruda met its primary endpoint of recurrence-free survival as well as a key secondary endpoint of distant metastasis-free survival in patients with completely resected stage IIB-IV melanoma.Winners and Losers:TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) advanced 0.6%, the iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) was 0.1% higher, and the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) was up 0.04%. Among semiconductor ETFs, the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) gained 0.9%, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 1.5%.WhiteFiber (WYFI) shares were 23% lower after the company said it priced an upsized $270 million convertible senior notes offering.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) was up 0.5%, the Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares (VDC) was flat, and the iShares US Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) was down 1%. The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) gained 0.1%. The VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) was inactive, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) was 0.2% lower.Estee Lauder (EL) shares were up more than 12% pre-bell after the company reported higher fiscal Q4 adjusted earnings and revenue.IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) advanced 0.5%, the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) was up 0.2%, and the iShares US Industrials ETF (IYJ) was inactive.ZIM Integrated Shipping Services (ZIM) stock was down more than 3% before the opening bell after the company reported lower-than-expected Q2 revenue.EnergyThe iShares US Energy ETF (IYE) gained 0.1%, while the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) was up by 0.4%.Energy Fuels' (UUUU) stock was up more than 1% after the company said that terbium oxide produced at the White Mesa Mill in Utah has been qualified for commercial use by one of Japan's largest rare earth permanent magnet manufacturers.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) advanced 0.5%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) was up 1.7%, while its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), was 1.8% lower.BlackRock (BLK) shares were down 1% after the Financial Times reported that the company's private credit division HPS Investment Partners and Oaktree Capital are among the creditors that seized control of production equipment supplier MBS Group last week, after the latter defaulted on its debt.CommoditiesFront-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil retreated by 0.1% to $84.87 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas was up 2.8% at $2.85 per 1 million British Thermal Units. The United States Oil Fund (USO) increased 0.1%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) was 1.6% higher.Gold futures for November were up by 1.2% at $4,473.70 an ounce on the Comex. Silver futures gained 1.5% to $64.97 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) advanced by 2.2%, and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was 2.1% higher.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$BETH$BITO$BLK$EEM$EETH$EL$EXI$FAS$FAZ$GLD$IBB$IGM$IGV$IPK$IVV$IWM$IYE$IYH$IYJ$IYK$IYW$MRNA$PMR$QQQ$RTH$SLV$SOXX$SPY$UNG$USO$UUUU$VDC$VHT$VIS$WYFI$XLE$XLF$XLI$XLK$XLP$XLV$XLY$XRT$XSD$ZIM
Stocks Mixed Pre-Bell Ahead of Fed Meeting Minutes
US Markets

Stocks Mixed Pre-Bell Ahead of Fed Meeting Minutes

The main US stock measures were mixed in Wednesday's premarket activity as traders await minutes of the Federal Reserve's last policy meeting.The S&P 500 was flat and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.1% before the opening bell, while the Nasdaq edged down 0.2%. The indexes finished Tuesday trading lower for the third consecutive session.The Fed is scheduled to post minutes of its last policy meeting at 2 pm ET, which will be assessed for fresh insight on the central bank's monetary policy. At the meeting last month, policymakers left interest rates unchanged in a divided decision, with three regional presidents calling for policy tightening.Markets are currently pricing in a 67% probability that the Fed will keep its benchmark rate steady in September, with the remaining odds in favor of a 25-basis-point hike, according to the CME FedWatch tool.Treasury yields were down before the open, with the two-year rate retreating 1.7 basis points to 4.16% and the 10-year rate off 0.8 basis points to 4.7%.In a social media post on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said the US is not in negotiations with Iran, after a 60-day ceasefire between the two countries expired earlier this week. Trump also said the naval blockade against Tehran remains in "full force," while the Strait of Hormuz is "open and operating."Iran is considering targeting US military assets in Europe if the war escalates, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, citing sources.West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 1.1% to $85.88 a barrel in premarket action, while Brent gained 1% to $91.95.In a separate Tuesday post on Truth Social, Trump said he paused the implementation of 50% tariffs on certain Canadian imports, shortly before the duties were to come into effect on Wednesday, as the two countries "have a deal," subject to the finalization of documents.Last month, Trump signed three proclamations to impose 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods.Shares of Lowe's (LOW) were down 2.6% pre-bell after the home-improvement retailer said it now expects its full-year results to be at the low end of its previously issued guidance range. Keysight Technologies (KEYS) increased 2.2% as the company issued an upbeat fiscal fourth-quarter earnings outlook.Analog Devices (ADI), TJX (TJX), Target (TGT) and Estee Lauder (EL) also report their latest financial results before the bell, among others. Nordson (NDSN) and Coty (COTY) post earnings after the markets close.Wednesday's economic calendar also has the weekly mortgage applications bulletin and the weekly EIA domestic petroleum inventories report.Gold nudged higher at $4,422 per troy ounce, while bitcoin decreased 0.5% to $64,320.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$ADI$COTY$EL$KEYS$LOW$NDSN$TGT$TJX
Ulta Beauty to Meet Second Quarter Street Views, Maintain Full-Year Forecasts, Oppenheimer Says
US Markets

Ulta Beauty to Meet Second Quarter Street Views, Maintain Full-Year Forecasts, Oppenheimer Says

Ulta Beauty (ULTA) will likely meet second-quarter market expectations, though ongoing uncertainty and increasing US competition will prompt management to keep full-year forecasts unchanged even with a potential earnings beat, Oppenheimer said Tuesday.The brokerage said Wall Street's estimates for earnings per share of $6.18 and comparable store sales growth of 2.3% in the second quarter are "achievable.""We expect the chain to benefit from a still attractive beauty backdrop, ongoing newness, and traction with key company initiatives," Oppenheimer analysts said.Management will likely maintain its conservative outlook and confirm full-year performance targets despite an earnings beat due to ongoing broader economic headwinds, shifting consumer demand, and heightened market competition, according to the note."We would continue to take advantage of any potential dips in a likely volatile trade as (Ulta Beauty) is still up against difficult comp comparisons until (second quarter of 2027)," Oppenheimer added. "Based on our review of historical valuations and free cash generation, we see a bottom in the mid-$400s."The investment firm said the current risk-reward profile for Ulta Beauty shares was attractive and reiterated an outperform rating on stock with a 12-18 month price target of $650.Ulta Beauty was up by nearly 6% in Tuesday trade, reducing the year-to-date loss to about 13.8%.Ulta Beauty is scheduled to release its latest quarterly results on Aug. 27.Elsewhere in the beauty sector, Estee Lauder (EL) will report fiscal fourth quarter and full-year results before the market opens on Wednesday. The cosmetics company will likely provide full-year guidance in line with its preliminary expectations, as most factors underpinning the outlook remain intact, RBC Capital Markets said in a Monday client note.Price: $520.92, Change: $+27.59, Percent Change: +5.59%

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Wire

Estee Lauder Seen Continuing Recovery Amid Volatile Environment, RBC Says

Estee Lauder (EL) is set to continue its recovery even amid a volatile macro environment, RBC Capital Markets said in a Monday note.The company, which is slated to report fiscal Q4 financial results on Wednesday, is expected to deliver results within the guidance range and issue fiscal 2027 guidance in line with its preliminary outlook, RBC analysts said.Estee Lauder's assumptions for its preliminary 2027 expectations, which included reported and organic net sales growth of 3% to 5% and adjusted operating margin of 12.5% to 13.0%, are still mostly intact except for the extended US-Iran conflict and some additional margin pressure on the consumer, the analysts said. They added that the company could see a one-time margin bump, but they expect it to be reinvested back into the business to boost revenue.Data from market research firms Circana and Numerator show that Estee Lauder is doing well in the categories where it competes in, with the brands that have the most investment driving the growth, according to the note. Recent performance from the beauty, luxury, and retails sectors are mixed, but lean slightly positive for the company, the analysts said.RBC maintained the company's stock rating at outperform and price target at $111.Price: $85.33, Change: $-0.77, Percent Change: -0.89%

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Estee Lauder Likely to Issue Fiscal 2027 Guidance In Line With Preliminary Outlook, RBC Says
US Markets

Estee Lauder Likely to Issue Fiscal 2027 Guidance In Line With Preliminary Outlook, RBC Says

Estee Lauder (EL) is likely to provide full-year guidance in line with its preliminary expectations, as most factors underpinning the outlook remain intact, RBC Capital Markets said in a Monday client note.In May, the cosmetics company said its preliminary forecast for fiscal 2027 was for sales to grow between 3% and 5% and its operating margin to be in a range of 12.5% and 13%.At the time, the guidance reflected growth acceleration in Estee Lauder's global prestige beauty segment, no business disruptions from the US-Iran war, no tariff-related impacts and no deterioration in the geopolitical situation and consumer sentiment, according to RBC. The brokerage believes Estee Lauder's outlook will fall within the original range as the initial assumptions remain "largely intact.""Depending on the timing and magnitude of tariff refunds, (Estee Lauder) may see a one-time margin bump, but we would expect EL to reinvest back into the business to further bolster the top-line," RBC's co-head of global consumer and retail research, Nik Modi, said in the note.Estee Lauder is scheduled to release its latest quarterly and full-year results this week.RBC estimates the cosmetics company to deliver fourth-quarter per-share adjusted earnings of $0.30 and revenue of $3.49 billion, compared with the Street's view for $0.32 and $3.55 billion, respectively.Companies across the beauty, luxury and retail industries have seen mixed quarterly results, but "lean slightly positive" for Estee Lauder, according to the brokerage. Hard luxury companies such as Richemont and Swatch and beauty giants like L'Oreal, e.l.f. Beauty (ELF) and Ulta Beauty (ULTA) recorded robust growth, while premium beauty in core Europe was mixed and the Middle East war remained a headwind, RBC added.The brokerage believes Estee Lauder remains actively engaged in merger and acquisition opportunities, with the execution of its profit recovery and growth plan potentially giving the company greater capacity to pursue larger transformational deals that fit its portfolio.In May, Estee Lauder and Spanish beauty company Puig said they ended discussions over a potential business combination. Estee Lauder at the time said it would continue to evaluate potential acquisitions and divestitures.RBC maintained its outperform rating on Estee Lauder's stock with a price target of $111."We believe that (Estee Lauder) shares are undervalued when considering cost-cutting initiatives, recovering top-line, and the current turnaround momentum," the brokerage said.

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Wire

Estee Lauder to Launch New Fragrance, Glimmer, in August

Estee Lauder (EL) said Tuesday it is launching a new fragrance, Glimmer, for a new generation of consumers in August.The company said actress and singer Hailee Steinfeld will star as the face of Glimmer campaign.Price: $84.63, Change: $+1.43, Percent Change: +1.71%

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