The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) vs The Hershey Company (HSY)
HSY leads on 13 of 15 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and The Hershey Company across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 20, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
EL
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
$84.81Consumer Defensive
HSY
The Hershey Company
$172.63Consumer Defensive
Total return — EL vs HSY
growth of $100 · last 30yEL +795.6%HSY +879.2%HSY compounded faster
EL HSY
EL vs HSY: by the numbers
- •HSY is the larger company ($35.02B vs $30.67B market cap).
- •HSY is profitable (9.12% net margin) while EL runs a net loss (-1.67%).
- •HSY grew revenue faster over the past five years (7.65% vs 0.17% CAGR).
- •HSY pays the higher dividend yield (3.27% vs 1.65%).
Which is better, EL or HSY?
Metric tally: EL 2 · HSY 13It depends on what you're optimizing for:
GrowthHSY(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeHSY(higher dividend yield)
QualityHSY(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | EL | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | — | 32.15 |
| Forward P/E | 26.63 | 17.28● |
| P/S ratio | 2.09● | 2.94 |
| P/B ratio | 7.76 | 7.45● |
| EV / EBITDA | 27.69 | 18.32● |
| FCF yield | 4.15% | 6.15%● |
Profitability
| Metric | EL | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 73.40%● | 34.76% |
| Operating margin | 7.56% | 14.08%● |
| Net margin | -1.67% | 9.12%● |
| ROE | -6.21% | 23.11%● |
| ROIC | 6.44% | 9.00%● |
Dividends
| Metric | EL | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.65% | 3.27%● |
| Payout ratio | — | 128.27% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | EL | HSY |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 0.17% | 7.65%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -25.98% | -6.42%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -12.95% | 10.95%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -20.94% | 2.76%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, EL or HSY?
- It depends on your goal. growth: HSY (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: HSY (higher dividend yield); quality: HSY (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, HSY leads 13 to 2.
- Which has grown faster, EL or HSY?
- Over the past five years, HSY grew revenue faster — EL at a 0.17% CAGR versus HSY at 7.65%.
- Does EL or HSY pay a bigger dividend?
- EL yields 1.65% and HSY yields 3.27% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is EL or HSY more profitable?
- HSY runs the higher net margin — EL at -1.67% versus HSY at 9.12%.
- Which has been the better investment, EL or HSY?
- Over the past 10-year, HSY delivered the higher annualized total return — EL at 0.47% versus HSY at 8.49%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Estée Lauder Companies P/E ratioHershey P/E ratioEstée Lauder Companies dividend yieldHershey dividend yieldEstée Lauder Companies ROEHershey ROEEstée Lauder Companies operating marginHershey operating marginEstée Lauder Companies revenue growthHershey revenue growthEstée Lauder Companies free cash flowHershey free cash flow
Estée Lauder Companies & Hershey appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 20, 2026.