Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) vs The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | ELF | 28.3% revenue growth vs PG's 0.3% |
| Value | PG | Lower P/E (24.0x vs 29.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | PG | 19.3% net margin vs ELF's 6.8% |
| Stability / Safety | PG | Beta 0.12 vs ELF's 1.66 |
| Dividends | PG | 2.4% yield; 36-year raise streak; ELF pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | ELF | +31.0% vs PG's -1.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PG | 12.9% ROA vs ELF's 4.5%, ROIC 20.1% vs 13.5% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
e.l.f. Beauty is a cosmetics and skincare company offering affordable, high-quality beauty products under brands like e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. Skin, Well People, and Keys Soulcare. It generates revenue primarily through wholesale distribution to major retailers — accounting for most sales — complemented by direct-to-consumer e-commerce channels. The company's competitive advantage lies in its "accessible luxury" positioning — delivering premium-quality products at drugstore prices through efficient supply chains and strong social media marketing that resonates with younger consumers.
Procter & Gamble is a global consumer goods giant that sells everyday household products across beauty, grooming, health, fabric care, and baby care categories. It generates revenue primarily through product sales across its five main segments — Fabric & Home Care (~35% of sales), Baby & Family Care (~25%), Health Care (~15%), Beauty (~15%), and Grooming (~10%). Its competitive moat lies in its massive portfolio of iconic, trusted brands — like Tide, Pampers, and Gillette — that enjoy deep consumer loyalty and dominate retail shelf space worldwide.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
PG leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Valuation Metrics and Profitability & Efficiency. 2 categories are tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
PG is the larger business by revenue, generating $85.3B annually — 56.1x ELF's $1.5B. PG is the more profitable business, keeping 19.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to ELF's 6.8%. On growth, ELF holds the edge at +37.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… | PGThe Procter & Gam… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.5B | $85.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $235M | $22.5B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $104M | $16.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $215M | $14.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +70.3% | +50.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +11.1% | +23.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +6.8% | +19.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +14.1% | +17.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +37.8% | +1.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +116.7% | -5.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 25.7x trailing earnings, PG trades at a 46% valuation discount to ELF's 47.9x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), ELF offers better value at 1.18x vs PG's 4.59x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… | PGThe Procter & Gam… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.1B | $388.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $5.3B | $414.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 47.94x | 25.68x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 29.66x | 24.01x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 1.18x | 4.59x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 26.19x | 17.79x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.91x | 4.61x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 7.06x | 7.85x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 44.48x | 27.66x |
Profitability & Efficiency
PG delivers a 30.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $31 in annual profit, vs $9 for ELF. ELF carries lower financial leverage with a 0.41x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to PG's 0.68x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ELF scores 7/9 vs PG's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… | PGThe Procter & Gam… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +8.9% | +30.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +4.5% | +12.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +13.5% | +20.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +16.6% | +23.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.41x | 0.68x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $164M | $25.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $149M | $9.6B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $313M | $35.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 6.48x | 52.82x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ELF five years ago would be worth $33,842 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $14,991 for PG. Over the past 12 months, ELF leads with a +31.0% total return vs PG's -1.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PG at 9.2% vs ELF's 7.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… | PGThe Procter & Gam… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +18.3% | +18.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +31.0% | -1.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +23.1% | +30.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +238.4% | +49.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +247.4% | +150.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +7.2% | +9.2% |
Risk & Volatility
PG is the less volatile stock with a 0.12 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ELF's 1.66 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. PG currently trades 92.9% from its 52-week high vs ELF's 61.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… | PGThe Procter & Gam… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.66x | 0.12x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $150.99 | $179.99 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $49.40 | $137.62 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +61.0% | +92.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 60.6 | 66.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.7M | 9.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ELF as "Buy" and PG as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 22.6% upside for ELF (target: $113) vs 0.3% for PG (target: $168). PG is the only dividend payer here at 2.41% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… | PGThe Procter & Gam… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $112.86 | $167.67 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 27 | 51 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +2.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 36 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $4.02 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.3% | +1.7% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Apr 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | 100 | 919.42 | +819.4% |
| The Procter & Gambl… (PG) | 92.52 | 129.64 | +40.1% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) returned +238% over 5 years vs The Procter & Gambl… (PG)'s +50%. A $10,000 investment in ELF 5 years ago would be worth $33,842 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | $191M | $1.3B | +586.2% |
| The Procter & Gambl… (PG) | $65.3B | $84.3B | +29.1% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.'s revenue grew from $191M (2016) to $1.3B (2025) — a 23.9% CAGR. The Procter & Gamble Company's revenue grew from $65.3B (2016) to $84.3B (2025) — a 2.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | 2.3% | 8.5% | +274.9% |
| The Procter & Gambl… (PG) | 16.1% | 19.0% | +17.8% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.'s net margin went from 2% (2016) to 9% (2025). The Procter & Gamble Company's net margin went from 16% (2016) to 19% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | 202.8 | 39.6 | -80.5% |
| The Procter & Gambl… (PG) | 16.4 | 22 | +34.1% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. has traded in a 13x–277x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~48x. The Procter & Gamble Company has traded in a 16x–87x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~26x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | -1.14 | 1.92 | +268.4% |
| The Procter & Gambl… (PG) | 3.69 | 6.51 | +76.4% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.14 (2016) to $1.92 (2025). The Procter & Gamble Company's EPS grew from $3.69 (2016) to $6.51 (2025) — a 7% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. generated $115M FCF in 2025 (+401% vs 2021). The Procter & Gamble Company generated $14B FCF in 2025 (-10% vs 2021).
ELF vs PG: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ELF or PG a better buy right now?
The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) offers the better valuation at 25.7x trailing P/E (24.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) a "Buy" — based on 27 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — ELF or PG?
On trailing P/E, The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) is the cheapest at 25.7x versus e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. at 47.9x. On forward P/E, The Procter & Gamble Company is actually cheaper at 24.0x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. wins at 0.73x versus The Procter & Gamble Company's 4.30x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ELF or PG?
Over the past 5 years, e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) delivered a total return of +238.4%, compared to +49.9% for The Procter & Gamble Company (PG). A $10,000 investment in ELF five years ago would be worth approximately $34K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ELF returned +247.4% versus PG's +150.1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — ELF or PG?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) is the lower-risk stock at 0.12β versus e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.'s 1.66β — meaning ELF is approximately 1296% more volatile than PG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 41% versus 68% for The Procter & Gamble Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — ELF or PG?
The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) is the more profitable company, earning 19.0% net margin versus 8.5% for e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. — meaning it keeps 19.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PG leads at 24.3% versus 12.0% for ELF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ELF leads at 71.2%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is ELF or PG more undervalued right now?
The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.73x versus The Procter & Gamble Company's 4.30x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) trades at 24.0x forward P/E versus 29.7x for e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. — 5.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ELF: 22.6% to $112.86.
07Which pays a better dividend — ELF or PG?
In this comparison, PG (2.4% yield) pays a dividend. ELF does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is ELF or PG better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.12), 2.4% yield, +150.1% 10Y return). e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) carries a higher beta of 1.66 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (PG: +150.1%, ELF: +247.4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between ELF and PG?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Defensive sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. PG pays a dividend while ELF does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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