Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN) vs Unilever PLC (UL) 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 | SLSN | 40.4% revenue growth vs UL's 1.9% |
| Value | SLSN | Lower P/E (18.3x vs 19.6x) |
| Quality / Margins | UL | 10.2% net margin vs SLSN's 1.7% |
| Stability / Safety | UL | Beta 0.03 vs SLSN's 1.25 |
| Dividends | UL | 2.8% yield; SLSN pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | UL | +35.3% vs SLSN's -54.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | UL | 16.0% ROA vs SLSN's 2.0%, ROIC 15.3% vs 15.3% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Solésence is a developer and manufacturer of mineral-based skincare and makeup products that provide environmental protection. It generates revenue primarily through contract manufacturing and technology licensing for global and indie beauty brands — leveraging its proprietary Active Stress Defense™ technology platform. The company's competitive advantage lies in its patented mineral-based formulations that offer clean, inclusive sun protection and anti-pollution benefits.
Unilever is a global consumer goods giant selling everyday household and personal care products through a vast portfolio of trusted brands. It generates revenue primarily from three segments: Beauty & Personal Care (~40% of sales), Foods & Refreshment (~35%), and Home Care (~25%), with strong emerging markets exposure. Its competitive moat lies in its massive scale, extensive distribution network, and portfolio of iconic brands that command consumer loyalty across price points.
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
UL leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). SLSN leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
UL is the larger business by revenue, generating $120.1B annually — 1931.9x SLSN's $62M. UL is the more profitable business, keeping 10.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SLSN's 1.7%. On growth, UL holds the edge at -3.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ULUnilever PLC |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $62M | $120.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $2M | $21.7B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1M | $12.2B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$11M | $14.5B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +24.8% | +71.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +1.9% | +15.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +1.7% | +10.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -18.0% | +12.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -13.5% | -3.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -150.0% | -3.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 18.3x trailing earnings, SLSN trades at a 33% valuation discount to UL's 27.3x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, UL's 14.4x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than SLSN's 17.2x.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ULUnilever PLC |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $90M | $161.1B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $104M | $190.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.29x | 27.30x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 19.61x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 20.02x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.19x | 14.44x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.72x | 2.25x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 5.57x | 6.95x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 17.56x |
Profitability & Efficiency
UL delivers a 61.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $61 in annual profit, vs $6 for SLSN. SLSN carries lower financial leverage with a 1.02x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to UL's 1.36x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SLSN scores 6/9 vs UL's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ULUnilever PLC |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.2% | +61.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.0% | +16.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +15.3% | +15.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +24.7% | +17.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.02x | 1.36x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $14M | $24.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1M | $6.1B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $15M | $30.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 3.37x | 20.96x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in UL five years ago would be worth $16,056 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $14,222 for SLSN. Over the past 12 months, UL leads with a +35.3% total return vs SLSN's -54.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors UL at 17.1% vs SLSN's -3.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ULUnilever PLC |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -14.7% | +14.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -54.8% | +35.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -10.5% | +60.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +42.2% | +60.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +204.8% | +120.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -3.6% | +17.1% |
Risk & Volatility
UL is the less volatile stock with a 0.03 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SLSN's 1.25 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. UL currently trades 98.4% from its 52-week high vs SLSN's 7.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ULUnilever PLC |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.25x | 0.03x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $16.56 | $74.98 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.15 | $56.20 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +7.7% | +98.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 45.2 | 61.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 28K | 2.7M |
Analyst Outlook
UL is the only dividend payer here at 2.76% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ULUnilever PLC |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $65.55 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 35 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +2.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.72 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +1.1% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN) | 100 | 548.15 | +448.1% |
| Unilever PLC (UL) | 100 | 123.18 | +23.2% |
Unilever PLC (UL) returned +61% over 5 years vs Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN)'s +42%. A $10,000 investment in UL 5 years ago would be worth $16,056 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN) | $29M | $52M | +77.6% |
| Unilever PLC (UL) | $53.3B | $60.8B | +14.1% |
Unilever PLC's revenue grew from $53.3B (2015) to $60.8B (2024) — a 1.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN) | 7.9% | 8.1% | +2.8% |
| Unilever PLC (UL) | 9.2% | 9.5% | +2.6% |
Unilever PLC's net margin went from 9% (2015) to 9% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unilever PLC (UL) | 25.9 | 24.8 | -4.2% |
Unilever PLC has traded in a 15x–29x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~27x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN) | 0.05 | 0.07 | +40.0% |
| Unilever PLC (UL) | 1.72 | 2.29 | +33.1% |
Unilever PLC's EPS grew from $1.72 (2015) to $2.29 (2024) — a 3% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Solesence, Inc. Common Stock generated $-3M FCF in 2024 (-679% vs 2021). Unilever PLC generated $8B FCF in 2024 (+13% vs 2021).
SLSN vs UL: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SLSN or UL a better buy right now?
Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN) offers the better valuation at 18.3x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Unilever PLC (UL) a "Hold" — based on 35 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 — SLSN or UL?
On trailing P/E, Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN) is the cheapest at 18.3x versus Unilever PLC at 27.3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SLSN or UL?
Over the past 5 years, Unilever PLC (UL) delivered a total return of +60.6%, compared to +42.2% for Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN). A $10,000 investment in UL five years ago would be worth approximately $16K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SLSN returned +204.8% versus UL's +120.1%. 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 — SLSN or UL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Unilever PLC (UL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.03β versus Solesence, Inc. Common Stock's 1.25β — meaning SLSN is approximately 3986% more volatile than UL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 102% versus 136% for Unilever PLC — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — SLSN or UL?
Unilever PLC (UL) is the more profitable company, earning 9.5% net margin versus 8.1% for Solesence, Inc. Common Stock — meaning it keeps 9.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: UL leads at 15.5% versus 9.8% for SLSN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UL leads at 100.0%, 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.
06Which pays a better dividend — SLSN or UL?
In this comparison, UL (2.8% yield) pays a dividend. SLSN does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is SLSN or UL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Unilever PLC (UL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.03), 2.8% yield, +120.1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (UL: +120.1%, SLSN: +204.8%), 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.
08What are the main differences between SLSN and UL?
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. UL pays a dividend while SLSN 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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