Nu Skin Enterprises (NYSE:NUS – Get Free Report) and e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE:ELF – Get Free Report) are both consumer staples companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, dividends, institutional ownership, valuation, risk, analyst recommendations and earnings.
Valuation and Earnings
This table compares Nu Skin Enterprises and e.l.f. Beauty”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Nu Skin Enterprises | $1.32 billion | 0.14 | $160.20 million | ($4.83) | -0.81 |
| e.l.f. Beauty | $1.64 billion | 4.13 | $26.32 million | $1.45 | 78.84 |
Profitability
This table compares Nu Skin Enterprises and e.l.f. Beauty’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Nu Skin Enterprises | -17.72% | 5.35% | 2.88% |
| e.l.f. Beauty | 4.47% | 16.40% | 7.89% |
Volatility and Risk
Nu Skin Enterprises has a beta of 0.92, suggesting that its share price is 8% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, e.l.f. Beauty has a beta of 1.61, suggesting that its share price is 61% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Insider & Institutional Ownership
82.8% of Nu Skin Enterprises shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 92.4% of e.l.f. Beauty shares are held by institutional investors. 2.8% of Nu Skin Enterprises shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 3.5% of e.l.f. Beauty shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Nu Skin Enterprises and e.l.f. Beauty, as provided by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Nu Skin Enterprises | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.50 |
| e.l.f. Beauty | 1 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 2.78 |
e.l.f. Beauty has a consensus target price of $118.88, indicating a potential upside of 3.98%. Given e.l.f. Beauty’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe e.l.f. Beauty is more favorable than Nu Skin Enterprises.
Summary
e.l.f. Beauty beats Nu Skin Enterprises on 14 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Nu Skin Enterprises
Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. is a global beauty and wellness company that develops and sells skin care and personal care products, nutritional supplements, and beauty and wellness devices. Its product portfolio includes Nu Skin-branded products and Pharmanex nutritional supplements, with ageLOC products focused on skin care and wellness. The company primarily markets its products through a direct-selling model, supported by digital commerce and a network of independent brand affiliates. It serves customers in markets across the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
About e.l.f. Beauty
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. is a beauty company that develops, markets and sells cosmetics and skin-care products. Its portfolio includes e.l.f. Cosmetics and e.l.f. SKIN, as well as brands such as Naturium, Well People and Keys Soulcare. Products include makeup, skin-care treatments and related beauty items. Founded in 2004, the company sells through its own websites and retail partners, including mass-market and specialty beauty stores. Its products are available in the United States and international markets.
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