Ulta Beauty Inc. (NASDAQ:ULTA) Receives Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Shares of Ulta Beauty Inc. (NASDAQ:ULTA) have been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-seven research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, nineteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $626.5909.

A number of analysts recently commented on ULTA shares. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Ulta Beauty from $560.00 to $580.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, August 28th. Loop Capital reissued a “hold” rating and set a $550.00 target price on shares of Ulta Beauty in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Ulta Beauty in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on Ulta Beauty from $750.00 to $631.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, Bank of America cut their price target on Ulta Beauty from $685.00 to $650.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 28th.

Ulta Beauty Stock Performance

Shares of ULTA opened at $557.11 on Friday. Ulta Beauty has a fifty-two week low of $443.60 and a fifty-two week high of $714.97. The business has a 50-day moving average of $503.61 and a 200 day moving average of $529.93. The firm has a market cap of $23.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.85.

Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 27th. The specialty retailer reported $6.55 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.22 by $0.33. The business had revenue of $3.04 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.99 billion. Ulta Beauty had a net margin of 9.34% and a return on equity of 45.40%. The company’s revenue was up 8.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $5.78 earnings per share. Ulta Beauty has set its FY 2026 guidance at 28.700-29.000 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Ulta Beauty will post 28.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director George R. Mrkonic, Jr. sold 383 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $475.84, for a total transaction of $182,246.72. Following the sale, the director owned 2,404 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,143,919.36. This represents a 13.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ulta Beauty

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Optimize Financial Inc grew its stake in Ulta Beauty by 1.4% during the fourth quarter. Optimize Financial Inc now owns 1,176 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $711,000 after acquiring an additional 16 shares in the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Ulta Beauty by 12.1% in the 1st quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 167 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $87,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the period. Roberts Glore & Co. Inc. IL grew its position in shares of Ulta Beauty by 5.3% during the 4th quarter. Roberts Glore & Co. Inc. IL now owns 394 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $238,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP grew its position in shares of Ulta Beauty by 3.9% during the 4th quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 555 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $336,000 after purchasing an additional 21 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wedbush Securities Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Ulta Beauty by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Wedbush Securities Inc. now owns 6,455 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $3,905,000 after purchasing an additional 21 shares during the period. 90.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Ulta Beauty

Here are the key news stories impacting Ulta Beauty this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade supports the shares. Ulta Beauty gained attention after an analyst upgrade, adding to recent positive momentum and reinforcing confidence in the retailer’s earnings outlook. Ulta Beauty Trading Up After Analyst Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Recent earnings and guidance remain key catalysts. Ulta reported quarterly revenue of approximately $3.04 billion and adjusted earnings of $6.55 per share, exceeding consensus estimates. Sales increased 8.9% year over year, while the company raised fiscal 2026 earnings guidance to roughly $28.70–$29.00 per share. Continued growth in prestige hair care also supports the investment case. Ulta Beauty Earnings Beat Keeps Valuation In Focus
• Positive Sentiment: Loss-prevention efforts could help margins. Ulta is using Flock license-plate cameras at some stores, a move that may deter organized retail crime and reduce merchandise losses, although privacy and implementation considerations remain. Ulta Beauty Is Using Flock Cameras at Some Stores
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor conference participation may provide additional outlook commentary. Management’s upcoming conference appearance could offer updates on consumer demand, store growth and guidance, but no new financial information was announced. Ulta Beauty to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conference
• Neutral Sentiment: Promotional activity is intensifying. Ulta’s 21+ Days of Beauty and Labor Day promotions may drive traffic and sales, but heavier discounting could pressure margins. Ulta 21+ Days of Beauty Event
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and slowing comps remain risks. Analysts noted that the earnings beat was accompanied by moderating comparable-sales growth, while valuation screens suggest the stock may already reflect much of the improved guidance. Ulta Beauty’s Earnings Beat Was Stronger Than the Stock’s Reaction Ulta Beauty Stock Could Be Overvalued
• Negative Sentiment: Shoplifting and competition remain headwinds. A reported shoplifting incident highlights ongoing shrink risk, while Target’s planned beauty studios could increase competitive pressure in beauty retail. Lexington Police Work to Identify Alleged Ulta Beauty Shoplifter Target Beauty Studios Debuting

Ulta Beauty Company Profile

Ulta Beauty, Inc (NASDAQ: ULTA) is a U.S.-based specialty retailer and beauty services provider focused on cosmetics, fragrance, skin care, hair care, bath and body, and beauty tools. The company operates a dual-format business that combines brick-and-mortar retail stores with an e-commerce platform, offering a broad assortment of national, prestige and mass-market brands alongside its own private-label products. In many locations Ulta also provides full-service salon treatments, positioning the company as a one-stop destination for product discovery and in-store services.

The retailer’s product mix spans color cosmetics, haircare and styling products, skin and body care, fragrance, and accessories, catering to a wide range of consumer preferences and price points.