e.l.f. Beauty (ELF) vs Unilever (UL)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Unilever (UL) has outperformed e.l.f. Beauty (ELF) over the past year, losing 7.6% versus a loss of 25.3%. Over five years, ELF leads with a +260.7% price change compared with +2.2% for UL. Unilever is the larger company by market cap ($131.32 billion vs $6.20 billion), about 21.2 times the size.
On valuation, Unilever trades at a lower forward P/E (15.9x vs 27.2x for e.l.f. Beauty). Unilever pays a dividend yielding 3.09%, while e.l.f. Beauty does not currently pay one.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | ELF | UL |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $105.03 | $60.98 |
| Market cap | $6.20B | $131.32B |
| 1-day change | +2.18% | +0.30% |
| YTD return | +38.12% | -6.76% |
| 1-year return | -25.30% | -7.61% |
| 5-year return | +260.68% | +2.25% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 107.17 | 12.32 |
| Forward P/E | 27.17 | 15.94 |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.98 | $4.95 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 3.09% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $1.89 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $1.64B | — |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +24.59% | — |
| Net income (latest FY) | $26.32M | — |
| Gross margin | 70.72% | — |
| Operating margin | 4.50% | — |
| Net margin | 1.61% | — |
| 52-week high | $147.00 | $74.98 |
| 52-week low | $48.82 | $54.75 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -28.55% | -18.67% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | -0.03% | +17.15% |
| Average volume | 1.93M | 3.92M |
| Shares outstanding | 59.01M | 2.15B |
| Employees | 849 | 93,731 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Package Goods/Cosmetics | Package Goods/Cosmetics |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Unilever is about 21.2 times larger than e.l.f. Beauty by market value ($131.32B vs $6.20B).
- UL has outperformed ELF by 17.7 percentage points over the past year.
- e.l.f. Beauty trades at a higher earnings multiple (107.2x vs 12.3x trailing P/E).
- Unilever offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.09% vs 0.00%).
About e.l.f. Beauty
ELF stock →e.l.f. Beauty, Inc., a beauty company, provides cosmetics and skin care products worldwide.
Consumer Discretionary · Package Goods/Cosmetics · 849 employees
About Unilever
UL stock →Unilever PLC operates as a fast-moving consumer goods company in the Asia Pacific, Africa, the Americas, and Europe. It operates through four segments: Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care, and Foods.
Consumer Discretionary · Package Goods/Cosmetics · 93,731 employees
ELF vs UL FAQ
Which is bigger, e.l.f. Beauty or Unilever?
Unilever (UL) is larger, with a market capitalization of $131.32B compared with $6.20B for e.l.f. Beauty (ELF).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ELF or UL?
UL returned -7.61% over the past 12 months, compared with -25.30% for ELF (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, ELF or UL?
UL has the lower trailing P/E at 12.3, versus 107.2 for ELF. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, e.l.f. Beauty or Unilever?
Unilever pays a dividend yielding 3.09%, while e.l.f. Beauty does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are e.l.f. Beauty and Unilever in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Package Goods/Cosmetics industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.