Michael Burry, the hedge fund manager famously portrayed in The Big Short, has been anything but conventional in 2025. Last quarter, he liquidated nearly his entire portfolio, keeping just one stock: Estée Lauder Companies Inc.(NYSE: EL).
That conviction appears to be paying off. On Monday, Estée Lauder shares closed at $74.59, up $7.28 or 10.82% on the day, following the news of Leonard Lauder’s death at age 92, the son of founder Estée Lauder and longtime face of the company’s global expansion.
The sharp move caps off what has already been an active year for Estée Lauder insiders. More than 133,000 insider shares were purchased in February, signaling confidence from within the company well before the recent breakout. On the options side, call volume surged over 70% on Monday, with traders betting that momentum could continue in the short term.
According to the latest 13F filings, Burry holds 200,000 shares of EL, purchased at an average reported price of $66.00, making it 100% of his disclosed portfolio. At Monday’s close, that position is up approximately 13%, worth $13.2 million.
Estée Lauder stock price well below 52-week high
While Estée Lauder stock remains well below its 52-week high of $113.30, it has rebounded sharply from the 12-month low of $48.12. Burry’s concentrated play suggests he sees significant upside potential, whether through operational recovery, brand repositioning in global markets, or broader sector rotation into consumer staples and luxury names.
The real question now is whether Burry holds the position into Q3, or takes the gain and reloads elsewhere.
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