Last Update 08 Dec 25
OLPX: Stable Margins Will Support Future Share Recovery Despite Competitive Headwinds
Analysts have trimmed their price target on Olaplex Holdings to $1.40 from $1.75, citing a more cautious outlook on the company despite relatively stable long term growth and profitability assumptions.
Analyst Commentary
Analysts are reassessing Olaplex Holdings in light of the reduced price target, weighing the company’s long term growth prospects against execution risks and a still challenging competitive backdrop.
Bullish Takeaways
- Bullish analysts note that an Equal Weight rating implies the current valuation already reflects much of the recent operational challenges, which they believe limits further downside in the base case.
- There is recognition that core brand awareness and a differentiated product portfolio continue to support a long duration revenue stream, which can underpin stable, if modest, growth.
- Some see incremental upside if management can stabilize salon and retail channel trends, and they argue that even small improvements in volume or pricing could have a leveraged impact on earnings.
- Bullish analysts highlight that disciplined cost control and margin preservation efforts give the company flexibility to navigate a slower demand environment without a dramatic hit to profitability.
Bearish Takeaways
- Bearish analysts view the lowered price target as evidence that execution risk remains elevated, particularly around reaccelerating top line growth in a crowded haircare category.
- Concerns persist that competitive pressures and shifting consumer preferences could cap market share gains, which may limit the multiple investors are willing to pay for future earnings.
- Some remain skeptical that management can quickly restore prior growth trajectories, and they suggest that consensus expectations may still be too optimistic relative to current sell through trends.
- Bearish analysts argue that, without clear evidence of sustainable reacceleration, the stock may struggle to re rate meaningfully, which could keep valuation closer to a no growth scenario for now.
Valuation Changes
- Fair value estimate remained unchanged at $1.89 per share, indicating no shift in the intrinsic value assessment despite the lower target price.
- The discount rate decreased slightly from 8.43 percent to about 8.34 percent, reflecting a modest reduction in perceived risk or required return.
- Revenue growth was effectively unchanged at roughly 2.93 percent, signaling stable expectations for top-line expansion.
- The net profit margin was essentially flat at about 11.01 percent, suggesting no material revision to long-term profitability assumptions.
- The future P/E edged down marginally from about 32.36x to 32.28x, pointing to a slightly lower valuation multiple applied to forward earnings.
Key Takeaways
- Expanding product innovation and professional partnerships are enhancing market share, brand reputation, and customer loyalty across both retail and salon channels.
- Strengthened digital, international, and direct-to-consumer strategies are unlocking scalable growth, broadening global reach, and improving margins through efficient customer engagement.
- Structural retail weakness, margin pressure, early-stage transformation risks, changing consumer hair trends, and rising competition threaten Olaplex's growth, profitability, and market position.
Catalysts
About Olaplex Holdings- Through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and sells haircare products in the United States and internationally.
- Olaplex's accelerated new product development-launching three innovations including entry into the fast-growing scalp health segment-positions the company to increase repeat purchases, capture incremental market share, and support revenue growth and margin expansion through proprietary, science-backed offerings.
- The revitalized global brand campaign, updated digital storytelling, and strengthened direct-to-consumer capabilities (e.g., revamped website, focused promotional cadence, and enhanced data/AI tools) are unlocking scalable e-commerce opportunities and lowering customer acquisition costs, supporting topline growth and operating margin improvement.
- Strategic investment in international expansion-including a new office in London, tailored market approaches, and systematic distributor rationalization-is expected to drive increased global penetration and geographic diversification, stabilizing and growing revenues over the long term.
- Heightened professional channel engagement via educational programs, Pro ambassador events, and salon-exclusive service launches is reinforcing Olaplex's reputation with stylists, leveraging influential endorsements to drive both professional and retail sales, positively impacting revenue and repeat business.
- Olaplex's alignment with rising consumer preferences for wellness, premiumization, and scientifically proven beauty solutions (as evidenced by strong social media engagement and campaign metrics) reinforces brand relevance and pricing power, supporting sustained growth and healthy net margins.
Olaplex Holdings Future Earnings and Revenue Growth
Assumptions
How have these above catalysts been quantified?- Analysts are assuming Olaplex Holdings's revenue will grow by 1.6% annually over the next 3 years.
- Analysts assume that profit margins will increase from -0.3% today to 2.7% in 3 years time.
- Analysts expect earnings to reach $11.9 million (and earnings per share of $0.02) by about September 2028, up from $-1.3 million today.
- In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 149.8x on those 2028 earnings, up from -755.7x today. This future PE is greater than the current PE for the US Personal Products industry at 22.8x.
- Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to grow by 0.63% per year for the next 3 years.
- To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 8.53%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.
Olaplex Holdings Future Earnings Per Share Growth
Risks
What could happen that would invalidate this narrative?- Specialty retail sales continue to decline (down 16.7% year-over-year in the quarter and 3% year-to-date), indicating ongoing structural weakness or shifting consumer preferences away from brick-and-mortar, which could pressure overall revenues and hamper future sales recovery.
- Margin erosion is evident, with EBITDA margins dropping from 33.3% year-to-date last year to 24.7%, driven by increased investments in marketing, innovation, and talent-suggesting that, unless revenue growth accelerates, profit and net margins could remain under pressure for a prolonged period.
- The company remains highly reliant on a transformation strategy that is still "mid-build" and in early execution phases, raising long-term risks related to execution, timing, and the uncertainty of whether these initiatives will yield consistent and sustainable revenue or earnings growth.
- Olaplex is exposed to shifts in hair care trends and consumer behaviors-such as the movement toward "lower maintenance" and "more natural hair color," which reduces salon visit frequency and directly impacts sales in its core professional channel, undermining top-line growth potential.
- Heightened competition in the prestige and "science-backed" hair-care sector, combined with a limited SKU/product portfolio, increases the risk that Olaplex could lose market share or pricing power to emerging or larger rivals, negatively affecting future revenues, gross margins, and earnings stability.
Valuation
How have all the factors above been brought together to estimate a fair value?- The analysts have a consensus price target of $2.057 for Olaplex Holdings based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of $4.0, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just $1.5.
- In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be $444.0 million, earnings will come to $11.9 million, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 149.8x, assuming you use a discount rate of 8.5%.
- Given the current share price of $1.45, the analyst price target of $2.06 is 29.5% higher.
- We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.
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Disclaimer
AnalystConsensusTarget is a tool utilizing a Large Language Model (LLM) that ingests data on consensus price targets, forecasted revenue and earnings figures, as well as the transcripts of earnings calls to produce qualitative analysis. The narratives produced by AnalystConsensusTarget are general in nature and are based solely on analyst data and publicly-available material published by the respective companies. These scenarios are not indicative of the company's future performance and are exploratory in nature. Simply Wall St has no position in the company(s) mentioned. Simply Wall St may provide the securities issuer or related entities with website advertising services for a fee, on an arm's length basis. These relationships have no impact on the way we conduct our business, the content we host, or how our content is served to users. The price targets and estimates used are consensus data, and do not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and they do not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Note that AnalystConsensusTarget's analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.



