12 Top Performing Consumer Staples Stocks in February

8. e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (NYSE:ELF)

e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (NYSE:ELF) is one of the best performing consumer staple stocks on this list.

TheFly reported on March 9 that Piper Sandler updated its prior research note on ELF after learning from SPINS that recent adjustments in brand tagging caused February’s reported figures to be lower than the actual trend. The firm highlighted that, through February 22, consumption of Elf products rose 6%, slightly lower than January’s pace by two points. Year-to-date Q4 performance is up about 7%, roughly matching Q3 results. Meanwhile, the U.S. mass cosmetics market remained stable in February, posting modest single-digit growth, with Q4 year-to-date showing a slight acceleration compared to Q3. Piper Sandler continues to maintain a Neutral stance on the company’s shares.

e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (NYSE:ELF) released its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 on February 4, 2026, covering the three and nine months ended December 31, 2025. During this period, the company recorded 130 basis points of market share gains for its e.l.f. Cosmetics brand and achieved a record launch of the Rhode line in Sephora U.K., marking continued category-leading growth over the past 28 quarters. Net sales for the three months rose 38% to $489.5 million, which was supported by expansion in both retailer and e-commerce channels domestically and internationally.

The business also reported that its gross margin declined by approximately 30 basis points to 71% due to higher tariff costs, partially offset by pricing and mix improvements. SG&A expenses increased $61.7 million to $280.0 million, with adjusted SG&A rising $56.3 million to $249.2 million.

Additionally, as of December 31, 2025, ELF has $196.8 million in cash and cash equivalents and $816.7 million in long-term debt. In its amended fiscal 2026 outlook, the company predicted net sales growth of 22–23% annually, which was higher than the previous estimate of 18–20%.

e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (NYSE:ELF) is a U.S.-based cosmetics brand offering affordable, cruelty-free makeup and skincare products. It sells primarily online and through retail partners, targeting value-conscious consumers with trendy, accessible beauty solutions.