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Side-by-side financial comparison of e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF) and MERCER INTERNATIONAL INC. (MERC). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($489.5M vs $449.5M, roughly 1.1× MERCER INTERNATIONAL INC.). e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. runs the higher net margin — 8.0% vs -68.7%, a 76.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (37.8% vs -8.0%). e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($52.8M vs $32.0M).

e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. is an American cosmetics brand based in Oakland, California. It was founded by Joseph Shamah and Scott Vincent Borba in 2004. The company sells items include bath and skin-care products, mineral-based makeup, professional tools, eyeliners, lipstick, glosses, blushes, bronzers, brushes and mascara. Its products are sold in 18 countries and in several stores including Target, Kmart, Dollar General and Walmart. Over half the company's sales come from its website, which is als...

Mercer is an American consulting firm founded in 1945. It is one of the four operating subsidiaries of global professional services firm Marsh McLennan. Mercer is headquartered in New York City with offices in 43 countries and operations in 130 countries. The company primarily provides human resources and financial services consulting services to its clients.

ELF vs MERC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ELF
ELF
1.1× larger
ELF
$489.5M
$449.5M
MERC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ELF
ELF
+45.7% gap
ELF
37.8%
-8.0%
MERC
Higher net margin
ELF
ELF
76.7% more per $
ELF
8.0%
-68.7%
MERC
More free cash flow
ELF
ELF
$20.8M more FCF
ELF
$52.8M
$32.0M
MERC

Income Statement — Q3 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Revenue
$489.5M
$449.5M
Net Profit
$39.4M
$-308.7M
Gross Margin
71.0%
Operating Margin
13.8%
-62.0%
Net Margin
8.0%
-68.7%
Revenue YoY
37.8%
-8.0%
Net Profit YoY
128.1%
-1947.7%
EPS (diluted)
$0.65
$-4.61

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$489.5M
$449.5M
Q3 25
$343.9M
$458.1M
Q2 25
$353.7M
$453.5M
Q1 25
$507.0M
Q4 24
$488.4M
Q3 24
$502.1M
Q2 24
$499.4M
Q1 24
$553.4M
Net Profit
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$39.4M
$-308.7M
Q3 25
$3.0M
$-80.8M
Q2 25
$33.3M
$-86.1M
Q1 25
$-22.3M
Q4 24
$16.7M
Q3 24
$-17.6M
Q2 24
$-67.6M
Q1 24
$-16.7M
Gross Margin
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
71.0%
Q3 25
69.4%
Q2 25
69.1%
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24
Operating Margin
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
13.8%
-62.0%
Q3 25
2.2%
-14.8%
Q2 25
13.8%
-12.9%
Q1 25
1.3%
Q4 24
10.3%
Q3 24
1.8%
Q2 24
-8.8%
Q1 24
-0.1%
Net Margin
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
8.0%
-68.7%
Q3 25
0.9%
-17.6%
Q2 25
9.4%
-19.0%
Q1 25
-4.4%
Q4 24
3.4%
Q3 24
-3.5%
Q2 24
-13.5%
Q1 24
-3.0%
EPS (diluted)
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$0.65
$-4.61
Q3 25
$0.05
$-1.21
Q2 25
$0.58
$-1.29
Q1 25
$-0.33
Q4 24
$0.25
Q3 24
$-0.26
Q2 24
$-1.01
Q1 24
$-0.25

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$196.8M
$186.8M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$816.7M
$1.6B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.2B
$68.1M
Total Assets
$2.3B
$2.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.70×
23.58×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$196.8M
$186.8M
Q3 25
$194.4M
$98.1M
Q2 25
$170.0M
$146.5M
Q1 25
$181.5M
Q4 24
$184.9M
Q3 24
$239.0M
Q2 24
$263.2M
Q1 24
$274.3M
Total Debt
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$816.7M
$1.6B
Q3 25
$831.6M
$1.5B
Q2 25
$256.7M
$1.5B
Q1 25
$1.5B
Q4 24
$1.5B
Q3 24
$1.6B
Q2 24
$1.6B
Q1 24
$1.6B
Stockholders' Equity
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$1.2B
$68.1M
Q3 25
$1.1B
$359.5M
Q2 25
$804.9M
$446.5M
Q1 25
$437.4M
Q4 24
$429.8M
Q3 24
$516.8M
Q2 24
$487.7M
Q1 24
$573.6M
Total Assets
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$2.3B
$2.0B
Q3 25
$2.3B
$2.3B
Q2 25
$1.3B
$2.4B
Q1 25
$2.3B
Q4 24
$2.3B
Q3 24
$2.5B
Q2 24
$2.5B
Q1 24
$2.6B
Debt / Equity
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
0.70×
23.58×
Q3 25
0.73×
4.30×
Q2 25
0.32×
3.42×
Q1 25
3.44×
Q4 24
3.43×
Q3 24
3.09×
Q2 24
3.22×
Q1 24
2.82×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$59.4M
$46.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$52.8M
$32.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
10.8%
7.1%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.4%
3.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.51×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-80.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$59.4M
$46.2M
Q3 25
$23.4M
$-30.1M
Q2 25
$27.2M
$-4.5M
Q1 25
$-3.0M
Q4 24
$71.2M
Q3 24
$-13.9M
Q2 24
$62.2M
Q1 24
$-29.2M
Free Cash Flow
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
$52.8M
$32.0M
Q3 25
$16.6M
$-60.1M
Q2 25
$20.1M
$-28.9M
Q1 25
$-23.1M
Q4 24
$50.4M
Q3 24
$-41.2M
Q2 24
$44.3M
Q1 24
$-47.7M
FCF Margin
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
10.8%
7.1%
Q3 25
4.8%
-13.1%
Q2 25
5.7%
-6.4%
Q1 25
-4.6%
Q4 24
10.3%
Q3 24
-8.2%
Q2 24
8.9%
Q1 24
-8.6%
Capex Intensity
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
1.4%
3.1%
Q3 25
2.0%
6.6%
Q2 25
2.0%
5.4%
Q1 25
4.0%
Q4 24
4.2%
Q3 24
5.4%
Q2 24
3.6%
Q1 24
3.3%
Cash Conversion
ELF
ELF
MERC
MERC
Q4 25
1.51×
Q3 25
7.82×
Q2 25
0.82×
Q1 25
Q4 24
4.26×
Q3 24
Q2 24
Q1 24

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ELF
ELF

Segment breakdown not available.

MERC
MERC

Other$215.3M48%
Solid Wood$110.2M25%
Lumber$54.9M12%
Pallets$23.7M5%
Energyandchemicals$18.7M4%
Manufactured Products$14.1M3%
Biofuels$10.0M2%
Wood Residuals$2.6M1%

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