Estée Lauder Companies (NYSE:EL) shares are up during Thursday's premarket session as the company is expanding its partnership with Forest Essentials, a prominent Indian beauty brand.
This move comes as broader markets experienced mixed performance, with the Dow Jones down 0.12% and the Nasdaq slightly up by 0.04% on the previous trading day.
Deal Details
The Estée Lauder Companies announced an agreement to acquire the remaining interests in Forest Essentials, building on an 18-year partnership.
The transaction is expected to close in the second half of calendar year 2026, reflecting the company's confidence in Forest Essentials' brand equity and sustainability ethos.
The deal builds on Estée Lauder's earlier minority investment in Forest Essentials, first made in 2008 and increased to 49% in 2020.
Forest Essentials Vision
Forest Essentials, founded in 2000, has established itself as a leader in luxury Ayurveda products, with forecasts indicating low double-digit growth in net sales.
Partnering with The Estée Lauder Companies, Forest Essentials will utilize global branding, premium distribution, and operational expertise to support sustainable growth while retaining its Luxurious Ayurvedic identity and Indian heritage.
The brand will continue to operate from its headquarters in New Delhi, maintaining its commitment to local sourcing and manufacturing while leveraging Estée Lauder's global distribution capabilities.
Estée Lauder Technical Analysis
The broader market saw gains on the previous trading day, with the Technology sector rising 0.38%. Estée Lauder's movement aligns with this positive trend, suggesting that the stock is benefiting from favorable market conditions.
The stock is currently trading 9.8% below its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) and 4.1% below its 100-day SMA, indicating some short-term weakness. Over the past 12 months, shares have increased, and they are currently positioned closer to their 52-week highs than lows.
The RSI is at 44.45, which is considered neutral territory. Meanwhile, MACD is at 0.15, below its signal line at 0.22, indicating bearish pressure on the stock.
The combination of neutral RSI and bearish MACD suggests mixed momentum.
- Key Resistance: $110.00
- Key Support: $95.00
Earnings & Analyst Outlook
EL is slated to provide its next financial update on Apr. 30, 2026.
- EPS Estimate: 66 cents (Up from 65 cents)
- Revenue Estimate: $3.70 Billion (Up from $3.55 Billion)
Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy Rating with an average price target of $110.22. Recent analyst moves include:
- TD Cowen: Hold (Lowers Target to $115.00) (Feb. 9)
- Barclays: Equal-Weight (Lowers Target to $94.00) (Feb. 9)
- JP Morgan: Overweight (Lowers Target to $121.00) (Feb. 6)
EL Price Action: Estée Lauder Cos shares were up 0.10% at $99.31 during premarket trading on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Photo via Shutterstock
