Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN) vs The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) 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 EL's -8.5% |
| Value | SLSN | Lower P/E (18.3x vs 49.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | SLSN | 1.7% net margin vs EL's -1.2% |
| Stability / Safety | SLSN | Beta 1.25 vs EL's 1.51, lower leverage |
| Dividends | EL | 1.6% yield; SLSN pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | EL | +54.7% vs SLSN's -54.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | SLSN | 2.0% ROA vs EL's -0.9%, ROIC 15.3% 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
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.
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.
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
EL leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). SLSN leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
EL is the larger business by revenue, generating $14.7B annually — 236.1x SLSN's $62M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 1.7% (SLSN) to -1.2% (EL). On growth, EL holds the edge at +5.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ELThe Estée Lauder … |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $62M | $14.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $2M | $1.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1M | -$178M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$11M | $1.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +24.8% | +74.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +1.9% | +7.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +1.7% | -1.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -18.0% | +7.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -13.5% | +5.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -150.0% | +126.8% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, EL's 10.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than SLSN's 17.2x.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ELThe Estée Lauder … |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $90M | $12.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $104M | $19.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.29x | -34.75x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 49.10x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.19x | 10.66x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.72x | 0.88x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 5.57x | 10.20x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 18.71x |
Profitability & Efficiency
SLSN delivers a 6.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $6 in annual profit, vs $-4 for EL. SLSN carries lower financial leverage with a 1.02x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to EL's 2.44x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SLSN scores 6/9 vs EL's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ELThe Estée Lauder … |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.2% | -4.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.0% | -0.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +15.3% | +6.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +24.7% | +6.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.02x | 2.44x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $14M | $6.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1M | $2.9B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $15M | $9.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 3.37x | 1.96x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in SLSN five years ago would be worth $14,222 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,093 for EL. Over the past 12 months, EL leads with a +54.7% total return vs SLSN's -54.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SLSN at -3.6% vs EL's -22.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ELThe Estée Lauder … |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -14.7% | +2.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -54.8% | +54.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -10.5% | -52.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +42.2% | -59.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +204.8% | +40.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -3.6% | -22.0% |
Risk & Volatility
SLSN is the less volatile stock with a 1.25 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. EL currently trades 90.0% 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… | ELThe Estée Lauder … |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.25x | 1.51x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $16.56 | $121.64 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.15 | $48.37 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +7.7% | +90.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 45.2 | 51.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 28K | 3.3M |
Analyst Outlook
EL is the only dividend payer here at 1.57% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ELThe Estée Lauder … |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $111.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 46 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +1.6% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.72 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.3% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN) | 100 | 548.15 | +448.1% |
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | 100 | 61.43 | -38.6% |
Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN) returned +42% over 5 years vs The Estée Lauder Co… (EL)'s -59%. A $10,000 investment in SLSN 5 years ago would be worth $14,222 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN) | $29M | $52M | +77.6% |
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | $11.3B | $14.3B | +26.9% |
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.'s revenue grew from $11.3B (2016) to $14.3B (2025) — a 2.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN) | 7.9% | 8.1% | +2.8% |
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | 9.9% | -7.9% | -180.1% |
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.'s net margin went from 10% (2016) to -8% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | 38 | 69.4 | +82.6% |
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. has traded in a 38x–143x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~-35x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN) | 0.05 | 0.07 | +40.0% |
| The Estée Lauder Co… (EL) | 2.96 | -3.15 | -206.4% |
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.96 (2016) to $-3.15 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Solesence, Inc. Common Stock generated $-3M FCF in 2024 (-679% vs 2021). The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. generated $670M FCF in 2025 (-78% vs 2021).
SLSN vs EL: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SLSN or EL 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 The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) a "Hold" — based on 46 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 is the better long-term investment — SLSN or EL?
Over the past 5 years, Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN) delivered a total return of +42.2%, compared to -59.1% for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL). A $10,000 investment in SLSN five years ago would be worth approximately $14K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SLSN returned +204.8% 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.
03Which is safer — SLSN or EL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN) is the lower-risk stock at 1.25β versus The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.'s 1.51β — meaning EL is approximately 21% more volatile than SLSN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 102% versus 2% for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — SLSN or EL?
Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN) is the more profitable company, earning 8.1% net margin versus -7.9% for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. — meaning it keeps 8.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SLSN leads at 9.8% 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — SLSN or EL?
In this comparison, EL (1.6% yield) pays a dividend. SLSN does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
06Is SLSN or EL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (1.6% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EL: +40.2%, 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.
07What are the main differences between SLSN and EL?
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. EL 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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