NEW YORK—Paul J. Fribourg, a director at Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL), recently acquired shares worth approximately $9.86 million in a series of transactions. According to the latest SEC filing, Fribourg purchased a total of 153,000 shares of Estee Lauder's Class A Common Stock over several transactions on November 15 and November 18.
The shares were bought at prices ranging from $64.00 to $65.57 per share. Following these transactions, Fribourg's indirect ownership, held through Continental Grain Company, increased to 310,000 shares. This acquisition represents a significant investment in the cosmetics giant, highlighting continued confidence in the company's prospects.
Fribourg, who serves as Chairman and CEO of Continental Grain Company, is linked to the shares through his leadership role and family trusts associated with the company. The transactions were conducted on the open market, as indicated by the Form 4 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
In other recent news, Estée Lauder Companies Inc. has seen notable developments. The company reported a 5% decline in organic sales in the first quarter of fiscal 2025, primarily due to downturns in mainland China, global travel retail, and Hong Kong SAR. Despite these challenges, Estée Lauder achieved a 1% global sales growth when excluding these regions, with strong performances in Japan and the EMEA markets. The company's adjusted earnings per share reached $0.14, surpassing the previous year's $0.11. However, Estée Lauder withdrew its full-year outlook for fiscal year 2025 and reduced its quarterly dividend from $0.66 to $0.35 per share.
In response to these financial results, analyst firms B.Riley, TD Cowen, and Telsey Advisory Group reduced their price targets, while JPMorgan downgraded the stock from Overweight to Neutral. These changes reflect concerns about Estée Lauder's performance, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
In addition, Estée Lauder has made significant changes to its Share Incentive Plan, increasing the number of shares available for issuance by 12 million and extending the plan's term until November 8, 2034. The company also announced the reelection of its Board of Directors and the ratification of its independent auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
In terms of leadership, Estée Lauder has appointed Stéphane de La Faverie as the new President and CEO, effective January 1, 2025, and Akhil Shrivastava has taken over as CFO. These recent developments reflect the company's ongoing efforts to navigate the competitive beauty industry landscape.
InvestingPro Insights
Paul J. Fribourg's substantial investment in Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL) comes at a time when the stock appears to be trading near its 52-week low, according to InvestingPro data. This insider purchase aligns with several key metrics that may indicate potential value for investors.
InvestingPro Tips reveal that Estee Lauder has maintained dividend payments for 29 consecutive years, demonstrating a commitment to shareholder returns even in challenging times. Additionally, the company boasts impressive gross profit margins, which stood at 72.36% for the last twelve months as of Q1 2025, reflecting strong pricing power in the competitive cosmetics industry.
However, investors should note that Estee Lauder's stock has experienced significant pressure recently, with a 28.29% decline in the past month and a 51.47% drop over the last six months. This context makes Fribourg's $9.86 million investment particularly noteworthy, as it may signal insider confidence in the company's long-term prospects despite short-term headwinds.
The company's current P/E ratio of 112.92 suggests a high earnings multiple, which could be a point of concern for value-oriented investors. Nevertheless, analysts predict that Estee Lauder will remain profitable this year, which may provide some reassurance to shareholders.
For those interested in a deeper analysis, InvestingPro offers 12 additional tips on Estee Lauder, providing a more comprehensive view of the company's financial health and market position. These insights could be valuable for investors considering following Fribourg's lead or evaluating their current positions in the stock.
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