Ieq Capital LLC, a global investment company, recently released its latest SEC filing announcing an increase in its holdings of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. by 17.1% during the fourth quarter of last year. The firm now owns over 12,600 shares of the popular beauty brand’s stock worth approximately $3,134,000 as of the most recent filing.
This news comes shortly after Estée Lauder announced its quarterly dividend payment, which yielded a solid annual payout of $2.64 with a current yield of 1.04%. However, this figure may shift after receiving recommendations from several brokerages regarding the EL stock.
Societe Generale raised Estée Lauder Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a target price for the stock at $294.00. Citigroup issued a “buy” rating and announced that their target price for the company is at $295.00 a share. Barclays has also voiced their opinion on EL stock and lowered their price objective to $287.00 per share while still remaining bullish on Estée Lauder’s potential growth. On contrast to previous mentioned brokerages, TheStreet cut EL’s rating from “B-” to “C+.”
Lastly, Raymond James rated Estée Lauder as “strong-buy” and upped their target price from $245.00 to $315.00 per share highlighting strong market optimism.
Despite varied opinions from financial experts, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.com , analysts have given Esteé Lauder Companies an average rating of “Moderate Buy” with the consensus price target standing at around$279.46 per share.
It is pertinent that investors keep track of such subtle fluctuations in quarterly reports and ratings since they can help guide decisions about buying or selling stocks for maximum profit.
In conclusion, though opinions differ among brokerages relating to the Eldorado Resorts Inc stock, it has showcased its potential for growth and received favorable ratings from the market experts. Each rating serves as a reputable source of advice for both well-informed investors or even those looking to venture into the stock market.
Estée Lauder Companies Sees Changes in Ownership and Management, But Remains Strong Financially
Estée Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL) has recently seen a number of changes in its financial and management structure, with various institutional investors either increasing or decreasing their stakes in the company, and a number of corporate insiders selling large amounts of shares. Despite this, the company continues to remain strong in terms of profitability and dividends.
Institutional investors such as United Bank, Cibc World Market Inc., and Prudential PLC have all increased their holdings in Estée Lauder Companies, while others like Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC have decreased theirs. In total, hedge funds and other institutional investors now own 55.74% of the company’s stock.
Additionally, CEO Fabrizio Freda sold over 6,800 shares of the company’s stock in February for a total transaction value of $1.9 million. Executive Vice President Carl P. Haney also sold over 9,700 shares for a total transaction value of $2.4 million, with insiders collectively selling nearly 22,000 shares worth over $5.7 million over the past three months.
However, despite these changes in ownership and management at Estée Lauder Companies, the business remains robust financially. The company announced a quarterly dividend on March 15th that pays out an annualized amount of $2.64 per share and yields 1.04%. Furthermore, with an earnings-per-share estimate of 4.96 projected for this year alone by equity research analysts, it is clear that Estée Lauder Companies is profitable enough to withstand these recent changes without undue negative impact.
It is interesting to note that although these fluctuations may seem significant on paper – particularly when considering some institutional investors’ large position sizes – they are entirely within the normal range for companies traded publicly on major exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Investors should remember that despite these dramatic-sounding events happening around them every day on Wall Street, the longevity of well-established businesses ultimately rests on more fundamental factors such as profitability, management acumen, and strategic direction. Any purchases or sales of company stock should always take these factors into account.
