Argus Downgrades Estee Lauder Amid 'Weaker Outlook'
Argus analyst John Staszak has downgraded Estee Lauder Companies Inc (NYSE: EL) shares from Buy to Hold. The analyst thinks the company faces slow growth prospects for revenue and margin. Therefore, there is little room for any meaningful multiple expansion, at least in the short-term.
The brokerage pointed out that the company has already achieved most of the expected key metrics like revenue, margins and market share growth reflecting its heavy investments in the recent past. Therefore, the analyst believes shares are fairly valued based on its revised EPS estimate for the year 2017.
Argus reduced its EPS estimate from $3.70 to $3.56 for the year 2017 to reflect the company's downbeat outlook. For the year 2018, the analyst established an EPS estimate of $4.05. Staszak thinks there is no change in Estee Lauder's earnings growth pace of 14 percent in the long term.
Related Link: Estee Lauder Adjusting To A Tougher Environment
"We also believe that further market share gains will be difficult to achieve given challenging economic conditions, increased competition, and slower growth in the premium beauty products segment," the analyst told clients in a research note.
The brokerage would be ready to revisit the rating of the shares if the company could reaccelerate its earnings.
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Latest Ratings for EL
Sep 2016 | Argus Research | Downgrades | Buy | Hold |
Sep 2016 | Berenberg | Initiates Coverage on | Buy | |
Aug 2016 | Piper Jaffray | Maintains | Overweight |
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