Merit Financial Group LLC Has $4.59 Million Stake in Ulta Beauty Inc. $ULTA

Key Points

• Merit Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in Ulta by 90.2% to 7,586 shares valued at about $4.59 million, and institutional investors own roughly 90.39% of the stock.
• Analysts have a consensus rating of Moderate Buy with an average price target of $674.23, though several firms recently trimmed targets (e.g., Morgan Stanley to $700, Piper Sandler to $725).
• Ulta slightly beat the quarter—EPS $8.01 vs. $7.93 and revenue $3.90B vs. $3.81B (revenue +11.8% YoY)—and set FY2026 guidance at 28.05–28.55 EPS.

Merit Financial Group LLC boosted its position in Ulta Beauty Inc. (NASDAQ:ULTA - Free Report) by 90.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,586 shares of the specialty retailer's stock after buying an additional 3,598 shares during the period. Merit Financial Group LLC's holdings in Ulta Beauty were worth $4,590,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. increased its position in shares of Ulta Beauty by 20.0% during the fourth quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 8,259 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $4,997,000 after acquiring an additional 1,376 shares in the last quarter. PDS Planning Inc purchased a new position in Ulta Beauty in the fourth quarter valued at about $203,000. Cornerstone Wealth Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Ulta Beauty by 35.0% during the 4th quarter. Cornerstone Wealth Group LLC now owns 544 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $329,000 after buying an additional 141 shares in the last quarter. Invariant Investment Management purchased a new stake in shares of Ulta Beauty during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,191,000. Finally, Sage Mountain Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ulta Beauty during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $225,000. 90.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ULTA has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of Ulta Beauty from $750.00 to $700.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 13th. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and set a $725.00 target price (down from $775.00) on shares of Ulta Beauty in a report on Friday, March 13th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Ulta Beauty in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. William Blair reissued a "market perform" rating on shares of Ulta Beauty in a research report on Monday, March 9th. Finally, Bank of America increased their price target on shares of Ulta Beauty from $610.00 to $685.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $674.23.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Ulta Beauty news, Director George R. Mrkonic, Jr. sold 452 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $539.29, for a total transaction of $243,759.08. Following the transaction, the director owned 2,383 shares in the company, valued at $1,285,128.07. The trade was a 15.94% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.39% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Ulta Beauty Stock Performance

Shares of ULTA opened at $553.36 on Monday. The company's fifty day moving average is $598.12 and its 200 day moving average is $587.92. Ulta Beauty Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $350.10 and a fifty-two week high of $714.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $24.20 billion, a PE ratio of 21.59, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.95.

Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 12th. The specialty retailer reported $8.01 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $7.93 by $0.08. Ulta Beauty had a net margin of 9.31% and a return on equity of 43.56%. The business had revenue of $3.90 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.81 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $8.46 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 11.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Ulta Beauty has set its FY 2026 guidance at 28.050-28.550 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Ulta Beauty Inc. will post 23.96 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Ulta Beauty News

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

• Positive Sentiment: DA Davidson issued a Buy rating on ULTA, a catalyst that can lift demand for the stock by reinforcing conviction among institutional investors. Ulta Beauty NASDAQ: ULTA Earns Buy Rating from DA Davidson
• Positive Sentiment: Ulta Beauty World in Orlando drew ~3,000 attendees and generated millions in local economic activity — robust foot traffic and sold‑out programming underline demand for live experiences and strengthen the brand/omnichannel engagement story. Ulta Beauty World draws 3,000 attendees to Orlando, generates millions in economic impact
• Positive Sentiment: Extensive media coverage and positive recaps (video tours, day‑1 writeups) amplify brand visibility and may support near‑term traffic and sales expectations. Ulta Beauty World Expo at Orange County Convention Center | Day 1 recap
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst pieces weighing the pros and cons of owning ULTA advise caution: the company’s long‑term thesis (strong loyalty, salon services, beauty +) remains intact, but some recommend waiting for clearer evidence on margin/traffic sustainability. The Pros And Cons Of Investing In Ulta Beauty Now
• Neutral Sentiment: Some finance commentary frames ULTA as a defensive consumer play in geopolitical uncertainty — useful context but not a direct operational driver. Looking to Protect Your Portfolio from the Strait of Hormuz? Why Ulta Beauty Stock Could Be an Unlikely Buy.
• Negative Sentiment: A published fair‑value estimate was trimmed by roughly $10.88 to ~$673.50 as analysts updated models — a signal that some firms see near‑term execution or valuation risk even if the long‑run story remains intact. How The Ulta Beauty (ULTA) Investment Story Is Shifting As Analysts Rework Targets
• Negative Sentiment: A small fire involving an Ulta show booth at the convention center drew local coverage — likely a limited operational/PR issue but worth monitoring for any fallout or costs. Ulta Beauty show booth catches fire ahead of event at Orange County Convention Center

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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