Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) vs Coty Inc. (COTY) 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 COTY's -3.7% |
| Value | COTY | Lower P/E (8.4x vs 29.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | ELF | 6.8% net margin vs COTY's -9.2% |
| Stability / Safety | COTY | Beta 1.09 vs ELF's 1.66 |
| Dividends | COTY | 0.6% yield; 1-year raise streak; ELF pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | ELF | +31.0% vs COTY's -55.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ELF | 4.5% ROA vs COTY's -4.8%, ROIC 13.5% vs 2.3% |
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
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.
Coty is a global beauty company that manufactures and sells prestige fragrances, cosmetics, and skincare products. It generates revenue through two main segments: prestige beauty (approximately 60% of sales) sold through department stores and specialty retailers, and consumer beauty (around 40%) sold through mass-market channels like drugstores and supermarkets. The company's key advantage lies in its extensive portfolio of licensed prestige brands — including Gucci, Burberry, and Calvin Klein — which provides strong brand recognition and distribution leverage.
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
ELF leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). COTY leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
COTY is the larger business by revenue, generating $5.8B annually — 3.8x ELF's $1.5B. ELF is the more profitable business, keeping 6.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to COTY's -9.2%. On growth, ELF holds the edge at +37.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… | COTYCoty Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.5B | $5.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $235M | $373M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $104M | -$534M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $215M | $394M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +70.3% | +63.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +11.1% | +1.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +6.8% | -9.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +14.1% | +6.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +37.8% | +0.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +116.7% | -7.0% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, COTY's 9.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than ELF's 26.2x.
| Metric | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… | COTYCoty Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.1B | $2.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $5.3B | $6.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 47.94x | -5.70x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 29.66x | 8.44x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 1.18x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 26.19x | 9.34x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.91x | 0.37x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 7.06x | 0.55x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 44.48x | 7.89x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ELF delivers a 8.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $9 in annual profit, vs $-14 for COTY. ELF carries lower financial leverage with a 0.41x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to COTY's 1.07x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ELF scores 7/9 vs COTY's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… | COTYCoty Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +8.9% | -14.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +4.5% | -4.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +13.5% | +2.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +16.6% | +2.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.41x | 1.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $164M | $4.0B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $149M | $257M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $313M | $4.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 6.48x | -1.24x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ELF five years ago would be worth $33,842 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,110 for COTY. Over the past 12 months, ELF leads with a +31.0% total return vs COTY's -55.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ELF at 7.2% vs COTY's -39.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… | COTYCoty Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +18.3% | -19.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +31.0% | -55.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +23.1% | -77.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +238.4% | -68.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +247.4% | -84.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +7.2% | -39.4% |
Risk & Volatility
COTY is the less volatile stock with a 1.09 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. ELF currently trades 61.0% from its 52-week high vs COTY's 40.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… | COTYCoty Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.66x | 1.09x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $150.99 | $6.13 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $49.40 | $2.44 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +61.0% | +40.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 60.6 | 40.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.7M | 7.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ELF as "Buy" and COTY as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 62.2% upside for COTY (target: $4) vs 22.6% for ELF (target: $113). COTY is the only dividend payer here at 0.61% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… | COTYCoty Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $112.86 | $4.07 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 27 | 33 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.6% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $0.02 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.3% | 0.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | 100 | 521.8 | +421.8% |
| Coty Inc. (COTY) | 100 | 34.84 | -65.2% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) returned +238% over 5 years vs Coty Inc. (COTY)'s -69%. 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% |
| Coty Inc. (COTY) | $4.3B | $5.9B | +35.5% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.'s revenue grew from $191M (2016) to $1.3B (2025) — a 23.9% CAGR. Coty Inc.'s revenue grew from $4.3B (2016) to $5.9B (2025) — a 3.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | 2.3% | 8.5% | +274.9% |
| Coty Inc. (COTY) | 3.6% | -6.2% | -273.1% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.'s net margin went from 2% (2016) to 9% (2025). Coty Inc.'s net margin went from 4% (2016) to -6% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | 202.8 | 39.6 | -80.5% |
| Coty Inc. (COTY) | 27.6 | 80.6 | +192.0% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. has traded in a 13x–277x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~48x. Coty Inc. has traded in a 22x–81x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~-6x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | -1.14 | 1.92 | +268.4% |
| Coty Inc. (COTY) | 0.44 | -0.44 | -200.0% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.14 (2016) to $1.92 (2025). Coty Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.44 (2016) to $-0.44 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. generated $115M FCF in 2025 (+401% vs 2021). Coty Inc. generated $278M FCF in 2025 (+92% vs 2021).
ELF vs COTY: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ELF or COTY a better buy right now?
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) offers the better valuation at 47.9x trailing P/E (29.7x 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 COTY?
On forward P/E, Coty Inc. is actually cheaper at 8.4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ELF or COTY?
Over the past 5 years, e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) delivered a total return of +238.4%, compared to -68.9% for Coty Inc. (COTY). 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 COTY's -84.1%. 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 COTY?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Coty Inc. (COTY) is the lower-risk stock at 1.09β versus e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.'s 1.66β — meaning ELF is approximately 51% more volatile than COTY 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 107% for Coty Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — ELF or COTY?
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) is the more profitable company, earning 8.5% net margin versus -6.2% for Coty Inc. — meaning it keeps 8.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ELF leads at 12.0% versus 4.1% for COTY. 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 COTY more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Coty Inc. (COTY) trades at 8.4x forward P/E versus 29.7x for e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. — 21.2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for COTY: 62.2% to $4.07.
07Which pays a better dividend — ELF or COTY?
In this comparison, COTY (0.6% yield) pays a dividend. ELF does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is ELF or COTY better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Coty Inc. (COTY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.09), 0.6% yield). 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 (COTY: -84.1%, 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 COTY?
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. COTY 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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