Port Capital LLC Grows Stock Holdings in The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL)

Port Capital LLC raised its position in The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL) by 10.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,594 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 625 shares during the period. Port Capital LLC’s holdings in Estée Lauder Companies were worth $494,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Mufg Securities Americas Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Estée Lauder Companies in the fourth quarter worth $258,000. NorthRock Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Estée Lauder Companies in the 4th quarter valued at about $314,000. Occudo Quantitative Strategies LP acquired a new position in shares of Estée Lauder Companies in the 4th quarter valued at about $263,000. OMERS ADMINISTRATION Corp boosted its stake in shares of Estée Lauder Companies by 20.2% in the fourth quarter. OMERS ADMINISTRATION Corp now owns 9,695 shares of the company’s stock worth $727,000 after buying an additional 1,626 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Michelson Medical Research Foundation Inc. acquired a new stake in Estée Lauder Companies during the fourth quarter worth about $5,998,000. 55.15% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Estée Lauder Companies Trading Down 2.2%

Shares of EL stock opened at $64.03 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75. The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. has a twelve month low of $48.37 and a twelve month high of $139.34. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $60.89 and its 200-day moving average price is $69.30. The stock has a market cap of $22.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -32.84, a PEG ratio of 6.09 and a beta of 1.12.

Estée Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 1st. The company reported $0.65 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.36. Estée Lauder Companies had a negative net margin of 4.61% and a positive return on equity of 16.82%. The company had revenue of $2.66 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.51 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.97 earnings per share. Estée Lauder Companies’s quarterly revenue was down 9.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. will post 1.36 earnings per share for the current year.

Estée Lauder Companies Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 16th. Investors of record on Friday, May 30th will be given a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 30th. This represents a $1.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.19%. Estée Lauder Companies’s payout ratio is -57.85%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Canaccord Genuity Group lowered their price target on shares of Estée Lauder Companies from $70.00 to $62.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 29th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Estée Lauder Companies from $100.00 to $90.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 2nd. Citigroup cut their price target on Estée Lauder Companies from $77.00 to $55.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 14th. Barclays lowered their price target on Estée Lauder Companies from $71.00 to $64.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, DA Davidson reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $81.00 target price on shares of Estée Lauder Companies in a research note on Tuesday, February 25th. Nineteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $75.20.

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.