EarningsQ4 2026 Earnings Report
MX:EL Q4 2026 EPS Results
Actual EPS$7.08
Consensus EPS$5.79
Beat/MissBeat by +$1.29
One Year Ago EPS$1.63
MX:EL Q4 2026 Revenue Results
Actual Revenue$66.09B
Expected Revenue$64.38B
Beat/MissBeat by +$1.70B
YoY Revenue Growth+6.81%
Earnings Announcement Details
QuarterQ4 2026
Date08/19/2026
TimeBefore Open
Conference CallWednesday, August 19, 2026
MX:EL Upcoming Earnings
The Estée Lauder Companies's next earnings date is estimated for November 2, 2026, based on past reporting schedules.
Q4 2026 Earnings Call Audio
MX:EL Q4 2026 Earnings Call
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Q4 2026 Earnings Slide Deck
Q4 2026 Earnings Call Summary
Earnings Call Sentiment|Positive
The call conveyed clear operational and financial improvement: the company returned to organic growth, delivered strong margin expansion, materially higher EPS, robust cash generation, and meaningful brand and channel momentum (online, Fragrance, China). At the same time, the company incurred substantial restructuring charges ($823M) and acknowledged remaining category and regional weaknesses (Hair Care, some geographic disruptions) and near-term cash flow headwinds from restructuring payments. Management signaled confidence with raised fiscal '27 margin targets and a concrete plan to further diversify growth, positioning the company for continued improvement while recognizing transitional costs and pockets of underperformance.Company Guidance
Return to Organic Growth
Organic net sales rose 3% in fiscal 2026 (reported sales +5%), marking a return to growth with positive sales performance every quarter and sequential improvement across most brands and regions.
Significant Margin Expansion and EPS Growth
Gross margin expanded 150 basis points for the full year (Q4 gross margin expansion 360 bps to 75.5%), operating margin expanded 320 basis points to 11.2% for the year (Q4 expansion ~330 bps), and diluted EPS grew 66% to $2.51 (Q4 EPS $0.39 vs $0.09 prior year).
Strong Cash Generation and Balance Sheet
Net cash flows from operations were $1.8 billion (up from $1.3 billion prior year). CapEx disciplined at $457 million (down from $602 million), and cash on hand ended the year at $3.5 billion.
Portfolio Milestones and Brand Momentum
Jo Malone London and TOM FORD each joined the company's billion-dollar brand club (joining Clinique, Estée Lauder, La Mer and M·A·C). The Ordinary delivered another year of double-digit organic growth and is rapidly ascending toward billion-dollar scale.
Category Strength — Fragrance and Skin Care
Fragrance delivered standout performance with organic sales growth of 10%. Skin Care grew 4% organically, with strength across price tiers (The Ordinary in entry, Estée Lauder in prestige, La Mer in luxury).
Channel and Innovation Achievements
Online sales rose double digits and reached 34% of reported sales (up 3 percentage points year-over-year), an all-time record. Innovation drove 23% of sales in fiscal '26, and the company plans to increase innovation as a % of sales by 200–250 basis points in fiscal '27.
Regional Performance — China and Travel Retail Recovery
Mainland China led regional growth with broad-based 9% organic sales growth. Travel retail returned to growth and represented ~15% of reported sales, with notable momentum in Hainan, Korea and other APAC markets.
Operational Transformation and PRGP Progress
Beauty Reimagined and the Profit Recovery and Growth Plan (PRGP) delivered faster-than-expected benefits, enabling organizational simplification (fewer layers, greater accountability), accelerated digital initiatives (Shopify rollout for M·A·C U.S. brand.com), and transitions of ~80% of enterprise business services roles by September.
Raised Fiscal 2027 Profitability Outlook
Fiscal 2027 preliminary outlook increased: organic net sales guide 3%–5%, operating margin expected 12.7%–13.5%, and diluted EPS forecast $3.10–$3.35, reflecting confidence in continued operating leverage and PRGP savings.
MX:EL Earnings History
The table shows recent earnings report dates and whether the forecast was beat or missed. See the change in forecast and EPS from the previous year.
Beat
Missed