Nyse Order Imbalance 40491.0 Shares On Sell Side

What Happened?

Shares of wellness company Medifast jumped 3.6% in the afternoon session after reports highlighted a consensus analyst price target suggesting a potential upside of more than 51%. A survey of recent analyst ratings showed a consensus target price for Medifast at $16.50. This price level implied a potential gain of 51.31% for the stock from its trading price at the time of the report. The bullish outlook appeared to have resonated with investors.

After the initial pop the shares cooled down to $11.26, up 3.5% from previous close.

Is now the time to buy Medifast? Access our full analysis report here.

What Is The Market Telling Us

Medifast’s shares are somewhat volatile and have had 14 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.

The biggest move we wrote about over the last year was 6 months ago when the stock gained 5% on the news that the major indices rebounded (Nasdaq +1.5%, S&P 500 +1.0%) as reports pointed to easing tensions between Israel and Iran. The Wall Street Journal said senior Iranian officials had signaled a willingness to restart stalled nuclear talks, on the condition that Washington refrain from joining Israel's ongoing strikes. This development triggered a significant decline in oil prices, easing inflation concerns.Also, it is possible some investors were buying the dip following the sell-off at the end of the previous week.

Medifast is down 34.9% since the beginning of the year, and at $11.26 per share, it is trading 48.3% below its 52-week high of $21.76 from December 2024. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Medifast’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $54.51.

As the Q3 earnings season wraps, let’s dig into this quarter’s best and worst performers in the personal care industry, including Olaplex and its peers.

While personal care products products may seem more discretionary than food, consumers tend to maintain or even boost their spending on the category during tough times. This phenomenon is known as "the lipstick effect" by economists, which states that consumers still want some semblance of affordable luxuries like beauty and wellness when the economy is sputtering. Consumer tastes are constantly changing, and personal care companies are currently responding to the public’s increased desire for ethically produced goods by featuring natural ingredients in their products.

The 12 personal care stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q3. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 1.2% above.

While some personal care stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 1.4% since the latest earnings results.

Olaplex

Rising to fame on TikTok because of its “bond building" hair products, Olaplex offers products and treatments that repair the damage caused by traditional heat and chemical-based styling goods.

Olaplex reported revenues of $114.6 million, down 3.8% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 4.2%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS and EBITDA estimates.

Amanda Baldwin, OLAPLEX’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: "We are pleased with our third quarter results that reflect investments in sales and marketing, continued progress in our executional capabilities and the early results of our latest new product introductions. We are reaffirming our annual guidance and remain focused on our Bonds and Beyond strategy for sustainable, profitable long-term growth."

Interestingly, the stock is up 3.3% since reporting and currently trades at $1.10.

Is now the time to buy Olaplex? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Best Q3: Nature's Sunshine

Started on a kitchen table in Utah, Nature’s Sunshine manufactures and sells nutritional and personal care products.

Nature's Sunshine reported revenues of $128.3 million, up 12% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 6.7%. The business had a stunning quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and EBITDA estimates.

Nature's Sunshine pulled off the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 52.6% since reporting. It currently trades at $20.90.

Is now the time to buy Nature's Sunshine? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Weakest Q3: Edgewell Personal Care

Boasting brands such as Banana Boat, Schick, and Skintimate, Edgewell Personal Care sells personal care products in the skin and sun care, shave, and feminine care categories.

Edgewell Personal Care reported revenues of $537.2 million, up 3.8% year on year, exceeding analysts’ expectations by 0.6%. Still, it was a softer quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

As expected, the stock is down 7.7% since the results and currently trades at $17.46.

Read our full analysis of Edgewell Personal Care’s results here.

Medifast

Known for its Optavia program that combines portion-controlled meal replacements with coaching, Medifast has a broad product portfolio of bars, snacks, drinks, and desserts for those looking to lose weight or consume healthier foods.

Medifast reported revenues of $89.41 million, down 36.2% year on year. This result met analysts’ expectations. Overall, it was a very strong quarter as it also put up EPS guidance for next quarter exceeding analysts’ expectations and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Medifast had the slowest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is down 10.9% since reporting and currently trades at $10.58.

Read our full, actionable report on Medifast here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Coty

With a portfolio boasting many household brands, Coty is a beauty products powerhouse spanning cosmetics, fragrances, and skincare.

Coty reported revenues of $1.58 billion, down 5.6% year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations. More broadly, it was a slower quarter as it produced a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates and a slight miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.

The stock is down 15.6% since reporting and currently trades at $3.17.

Read our full, actionable report on Coty here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Earnings results often indicate what direction a company will take in the months ahead. With Q3 behind us, let’s have a look at Inter Parfums and its peers.

While personal care products products may seem more discretionary than food, consumers tend to maintain or even boost their spending on the category during tough times. This phenomenon is known as "the lipstick effect" by economists, which states that consumers still want some semblance of affordable luxuries like beauty and wellness when the economy is sputtering. Consumer tastes are constantly changing, and personal care companies are currently responding to the public’s increased desire for ethically produced goods by featuring natural ingredients in their products.

The 12 personal care stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q3. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 1.2% above.

While some personal care stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 1.4% since the latest earnings results.

Inter Parfums

With licenses to produce colognes and perfumes under brands such as Kate Spade, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Abercrombie & Fitch, Inter Parfums manufactures and distributes fragrances worldwide.

Inter Parfums reported revenues of $429.6 million, up 1.2% year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations, but overall, it was a mixed quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates but a significant miss of analysts’ gross margin estimates.

The stock is down 12.8% since reporting and currently trades at $79.57.

Is now the time to buy Inter Parfums? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Best Q3: Nature's Sunshine

Started on a kitchen table in Utah, Nature’s Sunshine manufactures and sells nutritional and personal care products.

Nature's Sunshine reported revenues of $128.3 million, up 12% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 6.7%. The business had a stunning quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and EBITDA estimates.

Nature's Sunshine achieved the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 52.6% since reporting. It currently trades at $20.90.

Is now the time to buy Nature's Sunshine? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Weakest Q3: Edgewell Personal Care

Boasting brands such as Banana Boat, Schick, and Skintimate, Edgewell Personal Care sells personal care products in the skin and sun care, shave, and feminine care categories.

Edgewell Personal Care reported revenues of $537.2 million, up 3.8% year on year, exceeding analysts’ expectations by 0.6%. Still, it was a softer quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

As expected, the stock is down 7.7% since the results and currently trades at $17.46.

Read our full analysis of Edgewell Personal Care’s results here.

Herbalife

With the first products sold out of the trunk of the founder’s car, Herbalife today offers a portfolio of shakes, supplements, personal care products, and weight management programs to help customers reach their nutritional and fitness goals.

Herbalife reported revenues of $1.27 billion, up 2.7% year on year. This result surpassed analysts’ expectations by 0.5%. Aside from that, it was a mixed quarter as it also recorded an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates but a significant miss of analysts’ gross margin estimates.

The stock is up 46.8% since reporting and currently trades at $12.10.

Read our full, actionable report on Herbalife here, it’s free for active Edge members.

Medifast

Known for its Optavia program that combines portion-controlled meal replacements with coaching, Medifast has a broad product portfolio of bars, snacks, drinks, and desserts for those looking to lose weight or consume healthier foods.

Medifast reported revenues of $89.41 million, down 36.2% year on year. This number was in line with analysts’ expectations. It was a very strong quarter as it also recorded EPS guidance for next quarter exceeding analysts’ expectations and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Medifast had the slowest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is down 10.9% since reporting and currently trades at $10.58.

Read our full, actionable report on Medifast here, it’s free for active Edge members.