Earnings Call
Aug 19, 2026
Q2 FY2026
EPS Estimate
0.32
EPS Actual
0.39
Post-Earnings Close
$98.01
Earnings Reaction
+16.3%
Estée Lauder's fiscal second quarter delivered a meaningful step forward in its Beauty Reimagined turnaround, with organic net sales growing 4% year-on-year, operating margin expanding 290 basis points to 14.4%, and diluted EPS rising 43% to $0.89, results that management described as beating internal expectations despite ongoing disruption in Asia travel retail. Skincare and fragrance each grew 6% organically, with fragrance emerging as the company's best-performing category at 10% organic growth for the first half. The quarter's strength was broad enough to prompt a meaningful guidance raise: full-year organic sales growth was narrowed toward the high end of the prior range (now 1, 3%), operating margin guidance was lifted to 9.8, 10.2% (up from 9.4, 9.9%), and EPS guidance was raised to $2.15, $2.25 from $1.90, $2.10, implying 36, 49% year-on-year growth.
Report generated on Aug 20, 2026
AI-generated earnings analysis. Not investment advice.
Chief Executive Officer
The quarter's results reflected a combination of company-specific execution and broader sector dynamics, with management addressing several of the key debates that analysts had flagged heading into the print. Guidance commentary pointed to continued momentum in the core segments, while questions on margins and capital allocation drew more nuanced responses from the leadership team over the course of the call.
The quarter's results reflected a combination of company-specific execution and broader sector dynamics, with management addressing several of the key debates that analysts had flagged heading into the print. Guidance commentary pointed to continued momentum in the core segments, while questions on margins and capital allocation drew more nuanced responses from the leadership team over the course of the call.
The quarter's results reflected a combination of company-specific execution and broader sector dynamics, with management addressing several of the key debates that analysts had flagged heading into the print. Guidance commentary pointed to continued momentum in the core segments, while questions on margins and capital allocation drew more nuanced responses from the leadership team over the course of the call.
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