Brokerages Set Ulta Beauty Inc. (NASDAQ:ULTA) Price Target at $636.41

Shares of Ulta Beauty Inc. (NASDAQ:ULTA) have been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-seven analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, nineteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $626.5909.

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on ULTA. Piper Sandler dropped their price target on shares of Ulta Beauty from $725.00 to $600.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Ulta Beauty in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. Loop Capital reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $550.00 price target on shares of Ulta Beauty in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. B. Riley Financial lowered their price objective on Ulta Beauty from $600.00 to $500.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, Citigroup upped their price objective on Ulta Beauty from $560.00 to $580.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday.

Ulta Beauty News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results exceeded expectations. Ulta reported $6.55 in EPS versus the $6.20 consensus and revenue of approximately $3.04 billion, up 8.9% year over year and ahead of the $2.99 billion estimate. Comparable sales rose 3.8%, while digital sales, loyalty growth, new brands and stronger execution supported performance. Ulta Beauty Q2 Earnings Beat as Sales Rise, FY26 View Raised
• Positive Sentiment: Ulta raised its fiscal 2026 outlook and expanded capital returns. The company now expects EPS of $28.70–$29.00, up from $28.36–$28.80, and revenue of roughly $13.2–$13.3 billion. It also increased its planned share repurchases to $1.8 billion, which could provide support for per-share earnings. Ulta Beauty Targets Sales Growth and Buybacks
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain broadly constructive, but estimates are mixed. DA Davidson raised its price target to $625 and maintained a Buy rating, while Bank of America lowered its target to $650 but also kept a Buy rating. The conflicting revisions suggest confidence in Ulta’s long-term share gains, alongside caution about valuation and execution risks.
• Negative Sentiment: The market reaction reflects concerns about forward momentum. Management indicated that third-quarter comparable-sales comparisons may be weaker than fourth-quarter comparisons, increasing the risk of a temporary slowdown. Investors are also focused on Target’s rollout of its own Beauty Studio in more than 600 stores, including five former Ulta locations in South Carolina, potentially intensifying competition for prestige beauty customers. Ulta is responding by emphasizing exclusive products and brand differentiation. Ulta Leans Into Exclusivity Amid Target Competition

Ulta Beauty Price Performance

Shares of ULTA opened at $517.50 on Friday. Ulta Beauty has a fifty-two week low of $443.60 and a fifty-two week high of $714.97. The company’s fifty day moving average is $497.56 and its two-hundred day moving average is $533.60. The firm has a market cap of $22.25 billion, a PE ratio of 18.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.87.

Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 27th. The specialty retailer reported $6.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.22 by $0.33. Ulta Beauty had a net margin of 9.34% and a return on equity of 45.40%. The company had revenue of $3.04 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.99 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $5.78 earnings per share. Ulta Beauty’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.9% on a year-over-year basis. Ulta Beauty has set its FY 2026 guidance at 28.700-29.000 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Ulta Beauty will post 28.9 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Ulta Beauty

In other Ulta Beauty news, Director George R. Mrkonic, Jr. sold 383 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $475.84, for a total value of $182,246.72. Following the sale, the director directly owned 2,404 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,143,919.36. This trade represents a 13.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Ulta Beauty

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Fideuram Asset Management Ireland dac acquired a new stake in shares of Ulta Beauty in the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Ulta Beauty by 860.0% in the 1st quarter. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC now owns 48 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares during the last quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC raised its holdings in shares of Ulta Beauty by 4,200.0% in the 4th quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC now owns 43 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC bought a new stake in shares of Ulta Beauty in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, Ascentis Independent Advisors acquired a new stake in Ulta Beauty during the first quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Institutional investors own 90.39% of the company’s stock.

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.