Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) vs Apple Inc. (AAPL) 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 | AAPL | 6.4% revenue growth vs EL's -8.5% |
| Value | AAPL | Lower P/E (31.1x vs 49.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | AAPL | 27.0% net margin vs EL's -1.2% |
| Stability / Safety | AAPL | Beta 1.28 vs EL's 1.51, lower leverage |
| Dividends | EL | 1.6% yield, vs AAPL's 0.4% |
| Momentum (1Y) | EL | +54.7% vs AAPL's +9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs EL's -0.9%, ROIC 64.5% vs 6.5% |
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
Estée Lauder Companies is a global prestige beauty conglomerate that develops, manufactures, and markets luxury skincare, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products. It generates revenue primarily through product sales across its portfolio of over 25 prestige brands—with skincare representing its largest segment at roughly 60% of sales—through department stores, specialty retailers, e-commerce, and freestanding stores. The company's competitive advantage lies in its powerful portfolio of iconic prestige brands, global distribution reach in high-end retail channels, and deep expertise in luxury beauty marketing.
Apple is a technology giant that designs and sells premium consumer electronics — most famously the iPhone — along with related software and services. It generates revenue primarily from hardware sales (roughly 80% of total) and a fast-growing services segment (around 20%) that includes the App Store, subscriptions, and licensing. Its key competitive advantage is a powerful ecosystem that locks users into its hardware, software, and services through seamless integration and high switching costs.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
AAPL leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). EL leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL is the larger business by revenue, generating $435.6B annually — 29.7x EL's $14.7B. AAPL is the more profitable business, keeping 27.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to EL's -1.2%. On growth, AAPL holds the edge at +15.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ELThe Estée Lauder … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $14.7B | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.9B | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$178M | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.1B | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +74.4% | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +7.3% | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.2% | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +7.7% | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +5.8% | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +126.8% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, EL's 10.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than AAPL's 27.5x.
| Metric | ELThe Estée Lauder … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $12.5B | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $19.1B | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -34.75x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 49.10x | 31.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 10.66x | 27.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.88x | 9.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 10.20x | 53.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 18.71x | 39.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AAPL delivers a 133.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $134 in annual profit, vs $-4 for EL. AAPL carries lower financial leverage with a 1.67x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to EL's 2.44x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AAPL scores 7/9 vs EL's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ELThe Estée Lauder … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -4.4% | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.9% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +6.5% | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +6.3% | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.44x | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $6.5B | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $2.9B | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $9.4B | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.96x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth $21,049 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,093 for EL. Over the past 12 months, EL leads with a +54.7% total return vs AAPL's +9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AAPL at 21.9% vs EL's -22.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ELThe Estée Lauder … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +2.9% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +54.7% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -52.5% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -59.1% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +40.2% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -22.0% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
AAPL is the less volatile stock with a 1.28 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than EL's 1.51 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | ELThe Estée Lauder … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.51x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $121.64 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $48.37 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +90.0% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.8 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 3.3M | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates EL as "Hold" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 14.7% upside for AAPL (target: $303) vs 1.4% for EL (target: $111). For income investors, EL offers the higher dividend yield at 1.57% vs AAPL's 0.39%.
| Metric | ELThe Estée Lauder … | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $111.00 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 46 | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +1.6% | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.72 | $1.03 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.3% | +2.3% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | 100 | 61.43 | -38.6% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 361.46 | +261.5% |
Apple Inc. (AAPL) returned +110% over 5 years vs The Estée Lauder Co… (EL)'s -59%. A $10,000 investment in AAPL 5 years ago would be worth $21,049 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | $11.3B | $14.3B | +26.9% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.'s revenue grew from $11.3B (2016) to $14.3B (2025) — a 2.7% CAGR. Apple Inc.'s revenue grew from $215.6B (2016) to $416.2B (2025) — a 7.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | 9.9% | -7.9% | -180.1% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 21.2% | 26.9% | +27.0% |
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.'s net margin went from 10% (2016) to -8% (2025). Apple Inc.'s net margin went from 21% (2016) to 27% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | 38 | 69.4 | +82.6% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 18.4 | 36.4 | +97.8% |
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. has traded in a 38x–143x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~-35x. Apple Inc. has traded in a 13x–41x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~35x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | 2.96 | -3.15 | -206.4% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.96 (2016) to $-3.15 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR. Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. generated $670M FCF in 2025 (-78% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
EL vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EL or AAPL a better buy right now?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) offers the better valuation at 35.4x trailing P/E (31.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Apple Inc. (AAPL) a "Buy" — based on 109 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 — EL or AAPL?
On forward P/E, Apple Inc. is actually cheaper at 31.1x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — EL or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Apple Inc. (AAPL) delivered a total return of +110.5%, compared to -59.1% for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL). A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth approximately $21K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAPL returned +1027% versus EL's +40.2%. 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 — EL or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the lower-risk stock at 1.28β versus The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.'s 1.51β — meaning EL is approximately 18% more volatile than AAPL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Apple Inc. (AAPL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 167% versus 2% for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — EL or AAPL?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more profitable company, earning 26.9% net margin versus -7.9% for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. — meaning it keeps 26.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AAPL leads at 32.0% versus 6.7% for EL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EL leads at 73.9%, 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 EL or AAPL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Apple Inc. (AAPL) trades at 31.1x forward P/E versus 49.1x for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. — 18.0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AAPL: 14.7% to $303.11.
07Which pays a better dividend — EL or AAPL?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) offers the highest yield at 1.6%, versus 0.4% for Apple Inc. (AAPL).
08Is EL or AAPL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.28), +1027% 10Y return). The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) carries a higher beta of 1.51 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (AAPL: +1027%, EL: +40.2%), 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 EL and AAPL?
These companies operate in different sectors (EL (Consumer Defensive) and AAPL (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. EL pays a dividend while AAPL 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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