Leonard Lauder, Visionary Behind Estée Lauder's Global Expansion And Creator Of Clinique, Aramis, Dies At 92

Leonard Lauder, the longtime executive who transformed Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL) from a single-brand business into a global beauty powerhouse, died Saturday at the age of 92. 

What Happened: Lauder, son of company founders Estée and Joseph Lauder, joined the family business in 1958.

Over the next six decades, he played a pivotal role in expanding the company's footprint beyond U.S. department stores, launching iconic brands such as Aramis, Clinique and Lab Series.

He served in various leadership roles, eventually becoming chairman and later chairman emeritus of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

A private memorial service will be held for close friends and family, the company said.

See Also: Estée Lauder’s Beauty Gains Can’t Offset Global Headwinds, Says Analyst

Why It's Important: Last month, Estée Lauder reported mixed third-quarter results. While adjusted EPS of 65 cents beat expectations of 32 cents and sales of $3.55 billion topped estimates, revenue fell 10% year-over-year.

Organic net sales dropped 9%, with declines across all product categories — including an 11% drop in Skin Care, 7% in Makeup, 1% in Fragrance, and 10% in Hair Care — driven by weaker performance in travel retail and lower product launches.

Price Action: Estée Lauder shares edged up 0.13% to $67.40 in after-hours trading, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate a steady upward trend for EL in the short and medium term, though the stock shows a downward trajectory over the long term. Further performance insights are available here.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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