US cosmetics giant Estée Lauder has ended merger talks with Spanish rival Puig over a deal that would have created a fashion and beauty powerhouse worth nearly $40 billion (EUR 34.4 billion). Estée Lauder said 22 May 2026, that the parties have terminated discussions regarding a potential business combination. Puig also confirmed the talks had ended.

The merger would have brought together Estée Lauder s vast portfolio of high-end brands, including Clinique and Tom Ford Beauty, with Puig s Charlotte Tilbury and Jean Paul Gaultier under one roof, amid a shake-out in the wider beauty sector. Both companies are controlled by families. Puig traces its origins back more than a century, and Estée Lauder was founded in 1946.

The deal would have brought together the billionaire Puig and Lauder families, who remain the largest shareholders in the brands they founded. We are grateful for the conversations we have had with Puig, said Estée Lauder s chief executive, Stéphane de La Faverie. Today, we are reiterating our confidence in the power of our incredible brands, our talented teams and our strength as a stand-alone company.

Estée Lauder s shares jumped by 11.5% in post-market trading yesterday, as investors welcomed the end of the talks. When the FT first reported on the discussions with Puig in March, shares fell roughly 20%. Talks dragged because of questions over the balance of power between the two families and issues such as the allocation of board seats, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Estée Lauder and Puig did not previously disclose the terms of the potential transaction.