The Estée Lauder Companies
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The Estée Lauder Companies (EL) investor relations material

The Estée Lauder Companies Q2 2026 earnings summary

Complete event summary combining all related documents: earnings call transcript, report, and slide presentation.
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Q2 2026 earnings summary5 Feb, 2026

Executive summary

  • Achieved strong Q2 and first half results with 4% organic sales growth, 6% net sales growth to $4.23 billion, and 43% EPS growth, driven by operational transformation, Beauty Reimagined strategy, and strong performance in Mainland China and EUKEM regions.

  • Operating income rebounded to $401 million for the quarter, reflecting higher sales, improved gross margin, and lower non-consumer-facing expenses.

  • Net earnings reached $162 million for the quarter, with diluted EPS of $0.44, a significant turnaround from prior-year losses.

  • Expanded consumer coverage across online and brick-and-mortar, overhauled innovation processes, and increased consumer-facing investments, supported by PRGP savings.

  • Raised full-year fiscal 2026 outlook, expecting restored organic sales growth and margin expansion for the first time in four years.

Financial highlights

  • Q2 net sales rose 6% year-over-year to $4.2 billion; organic net sales up 4%.

  • Gross margin expanded 40 bps to 76.5%; adjusted operating margin up 290 bps to 14.4%.

  • Adjusted diluted EPS increased 43% to $0.89; reported diluted EPS at $0.44, up from a loss.

  • Net cash from operations for the first half was $785 million, up from $387 million; free cash flow reached $581 million.

  • Capital expenditures decreased to $204 million, reflecting a focus on consumer-facing investments.

Outlook and guidance

  • Fiscal 2026 organic net sales growth expected between 1% and 3%, led by mid-single-digit growth in Mainland China.

  • Adjusted operating margin forecasted at 9.8%–10.2%; adjusted EPS expected to grow 35%–49% year-over-year.

  • Net cash from operations projected at $1.1–$1.2 billion, with capex at ~4% of sales.

  • Tariff-related headwinds expected to impact profitability by ~$100 million, mostly in the second half.

  • Committed to delivering at the top end of guidance for both top and bottom line.

PRGP's role in funding growth and margin expansion
Drivers for Americas' flat outlook vs. China growth
Tariff mitigation effectiveness and future plans
Detail PRGP's FY27 financial impact
What specific actions drive Makeup margin recovery?
How will new TR retailer transitions impact growth?
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Frequently asked questions

A diverse portfolio cosmetics company

Estée Lauder employs over 60,000 people and is one of the global leaders in prestige beauty, next to its French rival L’Oréal. They have a diverse portfolio of brands within four main product categories; prestige makeup, skincare, fragrance, and hair care products.

Estée Lauder’s products are sold in roughly 150 countries and territories worldwide. 

Female entrepreneurship in mid-century times

Estée Lauder founded the company that bears her name in 1946. With four skin care products and a simple premise that every woman can be beautiful. She pushed the boundaries, changed the cosmetics industry's face, and was the perfect saleswoman and marketer ahead of her time in understanding the needs and wants of the target group—simply because she was a part of it. 

Throughout the 1960s, things really started to gain traction. Estée Lauder expanded by constructing three new manufacturing facilities, expanded overseas, and launched two major brands: Aramis—the men's fragrance brand, and Clinique—one of the most successful cosmetic brands in history.

Estée Lauder continued its innovations, and Mrs. Lauder was in 1989 added to the Wall Street Journal’s list of the most important business influencers of the century—among pioneers like Rockefeller, Ford, and Disney.

The Lauder family is still in the business

The Lauder family is, without a doubt, a business-experienced family. Today, seventy years since Estée planted the seeds of this remarkable business, the second and third-generation members of the Lauder family are still an integral part of leading the company.

The Estée Lauder Finances

Estée Lauder has increased its revenue and EBIT in the last two decades by more than 270 percent and 830 percent, respectively. And the average ROIC for the past ten years has been just above 20 percent. 

Further reading: Estée Lauder: The Beauty of Strategic Acquisitions

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