Consumer Beauty Sales Down 8%: Can Coty Revive Color Cosmetics?

Coty Inc.’s (COTY) Consumer Beauty segment ended fiscal 2025 on a downbeat note, with sales falling 8% year over year and operating profits slipping sharply as it contended with continued weakness in mass color cosmetics. The division posted a $127 million operating loss in fiscal 2025, reversing a profit of the year earlier. The adjusted EBITDA margin narrowed 160 basis points to 9.5%, reflecting lower sell-through and heightened promotional activity.

In the fiscal fourth quarter, Consumer Beauty revenues decreased 12%, reflecting a high-single-digit decline in sell-out even as the overall market showed only slight growth. The softness was concentrated in color cosmetics and body care, partially offset by resilience in mass fragrances and skincare. Management attributed the pressure to rapid channel shifts, intense competitive activity and the reallocation of media investments away from lower-return areas.

Coty is now refocusing the segment’s strategy on profitability rather than scale. Leadership plans to “step-change” the economics of its mass cosmetics platform by tightening spending and prioritizing innovation in higher-margin subcategories. Recent launches such as CoverGirl Yummy Blur lipstick and Rimmel TruBlend Skin Enhancer Balms, both earning strong consumer ratings, are designed to capture momentum in lip and multi-tasking beauty formats.

Still, with more consumers shifting their focus toward fragrances and simpler beauty routines, Coty may find it challenging to boost interest in makeup. The company’s next phase will depend on whether focused innovation and careful execution can make color cosmetics a stronger and more profitable part of its Consumer Beauty business.

Coty’s Zacks Rank & Share Price Performance

Shares of this Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) company have gained 4.1% in the past month against the broader Consumer Staples sector’s 2.6% decline. COTY has also outperformed the industry and the S&P 500 index’s growth of 3.6% and 0.4%, respectively, during the same period.

COTY Stock's Past Month Performance

Is COTY a Value Play Stock?

Coty currently trades at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 9.74, which is down from the industry average of 28.67 and below the sector average of 16.33. This valuation positions the stock at a modest discount relative to both its direct peers and the broader consumer staples sector.

COTY P/E Ratio (Forward 12 Months)

COTY’s Consensus Estimates Showing Downtrend

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings per share has seen downward revisions. Over the past 30 days, the consensus estimate has decreased a cent each to 43 cents for the current fiscal year and 47 cents for the next fiscal year.

Stocks to Consider

Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (SBH) operates as a specialty retailer and distributor of professional beauty supplies. It delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 8.3%. Sally Beauty currently sports a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Sally Beauty’s current fiscal-year earnings indicates growth of 8.9%, from the year-ago actuals.

Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) operates as a specialty beauty retailer in the United States. It currently holds a Zacks Rank #2. ULTA delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 16.3%, on average.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ulta Beauty’s current fiscal-year sales indicates growth of 6.8% from the year-ago reported number.

Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc. (OLLI), a leading off-price retailer of brand-name household products, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. OLLI has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.2%, on average.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ollie's Bargain's current fiscal-year sales and earnings calls for growth of 16.4% and 16.5%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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