Alyeska Investment Group L.P. Has $243.06 Million Stock Position in Ulta Beauty Inc. $ULTA

Key Points

• Alyeska Investment Group increased its Ulta Beauty stake by 14% in the second quarter, bringing its holdings to 538,961 shares worth approximately $243.1 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.39% of the company.
• Ulta exceeded quarterly expectations with earnings of $6.55 per share and revenue of $3.04 billion, up 8.9% year over year. The company raised its fiscal 2026 EPS outlook to $28.70–$29.00 and increased planned share repurchases to $1.8 billion.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, but risks persist. Ulta has a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and a $626.59 average price target, while concerns include potentially weaker third-quarter comparisons and increased competition from Target’s Beauty Studio expansion.

Alyeska Investment Group L.P. increased its holdings in shares of Ulta Beauty Inc. (NASDAQ:ULTA - Free Report) by 14.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 538,961 shares of the specialty retailer's stock after buying an additional 66,289 shares during the quarter. Ulta Beauty accounts for about 0.6% of Alyeska Investment Group L.P.'s holdings, making the stock its 26th biggest holding. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. owned approximately 1.25% of Ulta Beauty worth $243,061,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Fideuram Asset Management Ireland dac bought a new stake in shares of Ulta Beauty during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC boosted 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 valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares during the last quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC lifted its stake 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 valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the period. Clearstead Trust LLC acquired a new position in Ulta Beauty in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Ascentis Independent Advisors acquired a new stake in shares of Ulta Beauty in the 1st quarter valued at about $29,000. 90.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have issued reports on ULTA. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on Ulta Beauty from $475.00 to $450.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on shares of Ulta Beauty from $700.00 to $630.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. William Blair restated a "market perform" rating on shares of Ulta Beauty in a report on Friday, August 21st. Loop Capital reissued a "hold" rating and set a $550.00 target price on shares of Ulta Beauty in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on Ulta Beauty from $648.00 to $667.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have given a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Ulta Beauty has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $626.59.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director George R. Mrkonic, Jr. sold 383 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated 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. The trade was a 13.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.20% of the company's stock.

Ulta Beauty Stock Down 4.2%

ULTA opened at $517.50 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $22.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.86, a PEG ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 0.87. The company's 50-day moving average price is $497.56 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $534.74. Ulta Beauty Inc. has a twelve month low of $443.60 and a twelve month high of $714.97.

Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 27th. The specialty retailer reported $6.55 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.22 by $0.33. Ulta Beauty had a return on equity of 45.28% and a net margin of 9.34%.The business had revenue of $3.04 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.99 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $5.78 earnings per share. Ulta Beauty's revenue was up 8.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Ulta Beauty has set its FY 2026 guidance at 28.700-29.000 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Ulta Beauty Inc. will post 28.9 earnings per share for the current year.

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 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.

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