Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN) vs e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) 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 ELF's 28.3% |
| Value | SLSN | Lower P/E (18.3x vs 29.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | ELF | 6.8% net margin vs SLSN's 1.7% |
| Stability / Safety | SLSN | Beta 1.25 vs ELF's 1.66 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | ELF | +31.0% vs SLSN's -54.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ELF | 4.5% ROA vs SLSN's 2.0%, ROIC 13.5% 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.
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.
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). SLSN leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ELF is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.5B annually — 24.5x SLSN's $62M. ELF is the more profitable business, keeping 6.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SLSN's 1.7%. On growth, ELF holds the edge at +37.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $62M | $1.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $2M | $235M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1M | $104M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$11M | $215M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +24.8% | +70.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +1.9% | +11.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +1.7% | +6.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -18.0% | +14.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -13.5% | +37.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -150.0% | +116.7% |
Valuation Metrics
At 18.3x trailing earnings, SLSN trades at a 62% valuation discount to ELF's 47.9x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, SLSN's 17.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than ELF's 26.2x.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $90M | $5.1B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $104M | $5.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.29x | 47.94x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 29.66x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.18x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.19x | 26.19x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.72x | 3.91x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 5.57x | 7.06x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 44.48x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ELF delivers a 8.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $9 in annual profit, vs $6 for SLSN. ELF carries lower financial leverage with a 0.41x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to SLSN's 1.02x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ELF scores 7/9 vs SLSN's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.2% | +8.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.0% | +4.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +15.3% | +13.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +24.7% | +16.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.02x | 0.41x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $14M | $164M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1M | $149M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $15M | $313M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 3.37x | 6.48x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ELF five years ago would be worth $33,842 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $14,222 for SLSN. Over the past 12 months, ELF leads with a +31.0% total return vs SLSN's -54.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ELF at 7.2% vs SLSN's -3.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -14.7% | +18.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -54.8% | +31.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -10.5% | +23.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +42.2% | +238.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +204.8% | +247.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -3.6% | +7.2% |
Risk & Volatility
SLSN is the less volatile stock with a 1.25 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 SLSN's 7.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.25x | 1.66x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $16.56 | $150.99 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.15 | $49.40 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +7.7% | +61.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 45.2 | 60.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 28K | 1.7M |
Analyst Outlook
| Metric | SLSNSolesence, Inc. C… | ELFe.l.f. Beauty, In… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $112.86 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 27 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +1.3% |
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% |
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | 100 | 521.8 | +421.8% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) returned +238% over 5 years vs Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN)'s +42%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN) | $29M | $52M | +77.6% |
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | $191M | $1.3B | +586.2% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.'s revenue grew from $191M (2016) to $1.3B (2025) — a 23.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN) | 7.9% | 8.1% | +2.8% |
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | 2.3% | 8.5% | +274.9% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.'s net margin went from 2% (2016) to 9% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | 202.8 | 39.6 | -80.5% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. has traded in a 13x–277x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~48x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solesence, Inc. Com… (SLSN) | 0.05 | 0.07 | +40.0% |
| e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) | -1.14 | 1.92 | +268.4% |
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.14 (2016) to $1.92 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Solesence, Inc. Common Stock generated $-3M FCF in 2024 (-679% vs 2021). e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. generated $115M FCF in 2025 (+401% vs 2021).
SLSN vs ELF: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SLSN or ELF 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 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 — SLSN or ELF?
On trailing P/E, Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN) is the cheapest at 18.3x versus e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. at 47.9x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SLSN or ELF?
Over the past 5 years, e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) delivered a total return of +238.4%, compared to +42.2% for Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN). 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 SLSN's +204.8%. 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 ELF?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN) is the lower-risk stock at 1.25β versus e.l.f. Beauty, Inc.'s 1.66β — meaning ELF is approximately 32% more volatile than SLSN 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 102% for Solesence, Inc. Common Stock — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — SLSN or ELF?
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) is the more profitable company, earning 8.5% net margin versus 8.1% for Solesence, Inc. Common Stock — 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 9.8% for SLSN. 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.
06Which pays a better dividend — SLSN or ELF?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
07Is SLSN or ELF better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Solesence, Inc. Common Stock (SLSN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.25), +204.8% 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 (SLSN: +204.8%, 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.
08What are the main differences between SLSN and ELF?
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. 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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