EVA Dimensions, LLC upgraded EL from ‘Sell’ to ‘Underweight’, despite neutral technical indicators for the stock and S&P’s neutral 3 stars (out of 5) hold ranking.
UBS upgraded Estee Lauder from ‘Neutral’ to a ‘Buy’ rating while increasing their price target from $74 to $100. UBS believes that investors favor consumer staples companies that have reported results of 10%+ in organic earnings per share growth in the past ten years and expects EL to enter this group with estimated 19% EPS growth through 2013 and 12-13% between 2011 and 2020.
EL reported net sales of $2.09 billion, which is a 14% increase from FY2011 Q1 as well as net earnings of $191.1 million, which is a 36% increase from the same period last year.
During EL's fiscal Q1 2010, ended Sept. 30, 2009, profit more than doubled as the beauty products showed some improvement after a sharp dip during the recession.EL posted a profit of $140.7 million, or 71 cents a share, up from $51.1 million, or 26 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding $42.3 million in restructuring charges, the latest quarter's earnings were 85 cents.
EL won an interim injunction in the case against Gufic Biosciences in the Delhi High Court. The court ruling stated that Gufic Biosciences should not use the term "Cliniq" or any other term similar to Clinique, the Estee Lauder skin care brand.
In Q1 2009 (ended Sept. 30, 2008), EL saw its net earnings rise 31% to $51.1 million compared to the prior-year quarter and net sales rise 11%. However, profits were bolstered by strong sales performance in emerging markets, which will be hurt as the dollar rises in value and as global economic conditions continue to deteriorate.
Stock moves from 41.33 to 47.50 as the company reported $1.99 billion in net sales for its second quarter ended December 31, 2006, a 12% increase over the $1.78 billion reported in the prior-year quarter.
