Gold prices cool after hitting over 2-week high on Fed independence fears
Investing.com - Jefferies downgraded Coty Inc . (NYSE:COTY) from Buy to Hold on Thursday, while reducing its price target to $4.00 from $6.00. The stock, which has declined over 30% year-to-date and is trading near its 52-week low, appears undervalued according to InvestingPro analysis.
The downgrade follows Coty’s indication that it plans to reduce investment in its mass cosmetics segment, which Jefferies believes could worsen the already underperforming division’s decline. Despite challenges, the company maintains impressive gross profit margins of 65%, according to InvestingPro data.
Jefferies noted that while Coty had shown sequential EMV (earned media value) improvement in the second quarter, the company’s strategic shift away from mass cosmetics investment raises concerns about future performance.
The research firm highlighted that Coty’s business portfolio is becoming increasingly dependent on fragrance products at a time when the company is losing market share in a moderating category.
Jefferies cited "lack of clear fundamental drivers and management credibility" as factors impairing its fiscal year outlook for the beauty company.
In other recent news, Coty Inc reported its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings, revealing a notable miss in earnings per share (EPS) expectations while surpassing revenue forecasts. The company posted an EPS of -$0.05, which fell short of the anticipated $0.02, resulting in a negative surprise of 350%. Despite this earnings miss, Coty’s revenue reached $1.25 billion, exceeding the forecasted $1.21 billion by 3.31%. These results highlight the company’s ability to generate higher-than-expected sales even as it faced challenges in meeting EPS projections. The earnings announcement has drawn attention from investors and analysts, with the financial performance marking a significant development for Coty. Additionally, the stock’s reaction to the earnings miss underscores the sensitivity of investors to profitability metrics. These developments are part of the recent news surrounding Coty Inc, reflecting the company’s financial standing in the market.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.