e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE:ELF) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.52 EPS

e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE:ELF) released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported $1.24 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.72 by $0.52, Briefing.com reports. e.l.f. Beauty had a return on equity of 13.77% and a net margin of 5.90%.The company had revenue of $489.51 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $461.78 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.74 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 37.8% compared to the same quarter last year. e.l.f. Beauty updated its FY 2026 guidance to 3.050-3.100 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from e.l.f. Beauty’s conference call:

• Q3 results and upgraded guidance: Net sales grew 38% and adjusted EBITDA grew 79% in Q3, management raised FY26 net sales guidance to ~22%–23% and now expects Rhode to contribute ~$260M–$265M for the year.
• Weak organic growth outside of Rhode: Excluding Rhode, Q3 net sales rose only ~2% and management expects organic net sales of ~2% for the year, with softness in the U.K. and Germany and unit volumes roughly flat.
• Near-term margin pressure from increased investments: Marketing and SG&A investments (marketing ~27% of net sales in H2, a Super Bowl/streaming commercial, space and team buildouts) drive an implied H2 adjusted EBITDA margin of ~19% (down ~300 bps YoY) despite a stronger full-year EBITDA outlook.
• Strong brand momentum and international runway: e.l.f. Cosmetics consumption grew 8% in the U.S. (e.l.f. Skin +16%), the company continues market-share gains (130 bps in Q3) and is scaling high-growth brands like Rhode with record Sephora launches and further global rollouts planned.
• Healthy balance sheet and capital returns: Cash rose to $197M, the company repurchased ~$50M of stock in the quarter with ~$400M remaining authorization, and net debt is under 2x adjusted EBITDA.

e.l.f. Beauty Price Performance

NYSE:ELF traded down $7.74 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $76.89. 5,546,014 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,073,968. The company has a current ratio of 2.70, a quick ratio of 1.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. The firm has a market cap of $4.59 billion, a PE ratio of 54.15, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 7.94 and a beta of 1.71. e.l.f. Beauty has a twelve month low of $49.40 and a twelve month high of $150.99. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $82.14 and its 200-day moving average is $105.64.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on ELF shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of e.l.f. Beauty from $103.00 to $105.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday. Citigroup increased their price objective on e.l.f. Beauty from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. Canaccord Genuity Group cut their price target on shares of e.l.f. Beauty from $165.00 to $136.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 6th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of e.l.f. Beauty in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on e.l.f. Beauty from $100.00 to $85.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $119.75.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ELF. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its holdings in shares of e.l.f. Beauty by 58.5% during the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 317 shares of the company’s stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 117 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in e.l.f. Beauty by 97.0% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 260 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 128 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio raised its holdings in e.l.f. Beauty by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 17,246 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,285,000 after acquiring an additional 144 shares during the last quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System lifted its stake in e.l.f. Beauty by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 52,055 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,478,000 after purchasing an additional 152 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV boosted its holdings in shares of e.l.f. Beauty by 5.9% during the 3rd quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 2,943 shares of the company’s stock worth $390,000 after purchasing an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. 92.44% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

e.l.f. Beauty News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting e.l.f. Beauty this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 results materially beat expectations — strong revenue performance (reported $489.5M) and an above?consensus adjusted EPS, showing meaningful year?over?year growth. e.l.f. Beauty (ELF) Q3 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Company raised FY26 guidance — management increased revenue and EPS outlook (including net?sales growth guidance ~22%–23% and elevated EPS guidance range), signaling confidence in continued demand for affordable cosmetics. Elf Beauty lifts annual forecasts as affordable products drive demand
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts reacted positively — Bank of America reiterated a Buy and set a $115 target, reflecting confidence in execution and the growth outlook. e.l.f. Beauty: Strong Execution, Conservative Guidance, and Robust Growth Outlook Support Buy Rating and $115 Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Full earnings materials and call transcript are available for investors who want detail on margins, rhode rollout progress, and SG&A investments. e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary highlights institutional accumulation and a potential technical base, which could support shares if execution continues. e.l.f. Beauty (ELF) coverage on MarketBeat
• Negative Sentiment: Some investors sold into the rally because the guidance raise was viewed as modest versus heightened expectations, triggering a pullback despite the beat — a primary driver of today’s downside. Elf Beauty shares slip as guidance lift falls short of expectations
• Negative Sentiment: At least one major analyst (UBS) kept a Hold rating, citing valuation and growth?durability concerns — signaling some skepticism that could limit upside until sustained execution is proven. e.l.f. Beauty: Strong Q3 and Raised Outlook Tempered by Valuation and Growth Durability Concerns

About e.l.f. Beauty

e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF) is an American cosmetics company known for offering an extensive range of affordable, trend-driven makeup and skincare products. The company’s portfolio spans foundations, lipsticks, mascaras, brushes, serums, masks and other beauty essentials, all positioned at accessible price points. e.l.f. Beauty maintains a direct-to-consumer platform through its e-commerce site and engages in widespread retail partnerships with major chains such as Target, Walmart, Ulta Beauty and Amazon.

Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Oakland, California, e.l.f.