DEO vs EL Stock Comparison
DEO currently leads EL in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 50 vs 46. The clearest difference is value, while EL has the stronger momentum profile.
What is the main difference between DEO and EL?
DEO leads the current stock comparison as Diageo plc, with the clearest separation coming from value and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Diageo plc vs The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
DEO leads
DEO leads by 4 AIQ points, primarily on Value and Quality, having only recently taken the lead back from EL.
Fragile: 4 of 6 evidence groups support DEO, the lead recently changed hands, and its signal state is cleanly positive.
Diageo plc
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors DEO over EL, 50 versus 46 as of Oct 31, 2026. DEO's advantage is driven primarily by stronger value and quality, while EL holds the stronger momentum profile. DEO also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor DEO today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 4 points. DEO lead: Reversed — EL led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; DEO now leads by 4.
Compare Diageo plc and The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare DEO and EL against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Value37 vs 25DEO +12
- Momentum73 vs 81EL +8
- Quality42 vs 35DEO +7
- Risk Resilience51 vs 50Even
4 of 6 evidence groups favor DEO. DEO’s edge is concentrated in value and quality; EL keeps a meaningful momentum edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-28, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-27.
Largest factor move: Momentum -7
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 4 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Risk Resilience +1, not enough on its own to move the overall score.
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 6 active signals are unchanged.
DEO's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ point in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — DEO and EL both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
DEO (Diageo plc): the stronger current systematic profile, led by value and quality.
EL (The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.): the counter-case, on momentum, technicals — but at materially higher volatility, 33.5% against 26.6%.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
DEODEO on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
DEODEO on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
DEODEO on the peer-relative Value factor, by 12 points.
Momentum
ELEL on the Momentum factor, by 8 points.
Lower downside
DEODEO carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility.
Analyst upside
DEODEO on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | DEO | EL | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +6% | -7.6% | DEO has more room |
| Target dispersion | 0% | +49.5% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 1 | 16 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Dividend growth
| Dividend metric | DEO | EL |
|---|---|---|
| 5Y dividend CAGR | 2.64% | -1.24% |
| 2020 regular DPS | $3.634 | $1.490 |
| 2025 regular DPS | $4.139 | $1.400 |
| Years increased | 3 | 3 |
| No cut in window | No (1) | No (2) |
| Cohort rank | not ranked | not ranked |
DEO grew its split-adjusted regular dividend faster over 2020–2025 — 2.64% a year against EL's -1.24%.
Yield and payout ratio shown elsewhere on this page are current values, not part of the study window.
Split-adjusted regular dividends per share, 2020–2025, excluding special dividends. Research as of Sep 19, 2026.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor DEO. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | DEO | 50 vs 46 |
| Fundamentals | DEOon balance | revenue growth -11.8% vs -2.5%; EPS growth -112.4% vs -232%; TTM ROE 15.5% vs 4.6%; gross margin 59.5% vs 75.5%; operating margin 28.4% vs 5.2% — DEO takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | DEO | Value 37 vs 25 |
| Technicals | EL | Price vs 50-day 4.2% vs 9.4%; vs 200-day 7.2% vs 18.7% |
| Risk Resilience | Even | Risk Resilience 51 vs 50 |
| Analyst expectations | DEO | Target upside 6% vs -7.6% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of DEO and EL and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 4 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader's signal state is cleanly positive. (supports the conclusion holding)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on DEO.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 29 – Oct 28DEO lead: Reversed — EL led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; DEO now leads by 4.
- Today
- DEO +4
- 50 vs 46
- 7 sessions ago
- DEO +6
- 52 vs 46
- 30 sessions ago
- EL +1
- 40 vs 41
- 90 sessions ago
- DEO +3
- 47 vs 44
The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Oct 8 when DEO moved ahead of EL.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
4 bullish / 0 bearish
No signal that the other name lacks.
5 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
Only EL
- Keltner Channel Breakout — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
Both carry 4 more signals that do not separate them: Golden Cross Active, EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish, Uptrend Structure Active, MACD Bullish Crossover.
EL is conflicted, so the timing case there is weaker than the score alone suggests.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +2.31%, AIQ -1 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.39%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1EL closes the Value gap — currently 12 points behind, the largest single contributor to DEO's edge.
- 2EL's RSI Overbought resolves — a bearish momentum rule currently active against it.
- 3DEO's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
DEO leads on balance| Metric | DEO | EL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | -11.8% | -2.5% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -112.4% | -232% |
| Gross margin | 59.5% | 75.5% |
| Operating margin | 28.4% | 5.2% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 15.5% | 4.6% |
| Debt to equity | 2.03 | 2.43 |
Performance
EL leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | DEO | EL |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -1% | 5.5% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 7.4% | 17.8% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 3.3% | 28.8% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 18.8% | 42.2% |
| Year to date | 6.6% | 4.4% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -4.4% | 7% |
Technicals
EL has the stronger structure| Metric | DEO | EL |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 62.8 | 78 |
| ADX (14) | 23.3 | 29.1 |
| Price vs 50-day | 4.2% | 9.4% |
| Price vs 200-day | 7.2% | 18.7% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 26.6% | 33.5% |
Risk
Split| Metric | DEO | EL |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.27 | 1.29 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.01 | 0.37 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.02 | 0.49 |
| Max drawdown | -29.1% | -43.8% |
| Current drawdown | -10% | -8.6% |
| Annualized volatility | 33.6% | 47.7% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.7% | -3.5% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, DEO or EL?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, DEO is the stronger of the two as of Oct 31, 2026, scoring 50 against EL's 46. The edge comes from value and quality. EL is not without a case — it holds the better momentum profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is DEO or EL the better buy right now?
DEO carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 31, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 4 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor DEO over EL?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. DEO leads Value by 12 points; EL leads Momentum by 8 points; DEO leads Quality by 7 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, DEO or EL?
Analyst price targets imply +6% upside for DEO and -7.6% for EL, so the Street currently favors DEO. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, DEO or EL?
DEO is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. DEO on the peer-relative Value factor, by 12 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, DEO or EL?
DEO on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, DEO or EL?
EL on the Momentum factor, by 8 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, DEO or EL?
DEO is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. DEO carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is DEO more profitable than EL?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 59.5% vs 75.5%; operating margin 28.4% vs 5.2%; ttm roe 15.5% vs 4.6%. DEO leads on two measures and EL on one measure, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is DEO's lead over EL getting stronger or weaker?
DEO lead: Reversed — EL led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; DEO now leads by 4. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-29 and 2026-10-28. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-10-08, when DEO moved ahead of EL.
What would change the DEO vs EL verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: EL closes the Value gap — currently 12 points behind, the largest single contributor to DEO's edge; EL's RSI Overbought resolves — a bearish momentum rule currently active against it; DEO's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about DEO and EL?
DEO: 4 bullish / 0 bearish. EL: 5 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on DEO is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On EL it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare DEO and EL with others
Continue your research
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How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.