Punch & Associates Investment Management Inc. Takes $8.89 Million Position in Ulta Beauty Inc. $ULTA

Key Points

• Punch & Associates acquired 19,723 Ulta Beauty shares in the second quarter, worth approximately $8.89 million. Institutional investors collectively own 90.39% of the company.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $636.41, despite several firms recently lowering their targets.
• Ulta recently exceeded quarterly expectations with $7.74 EPS and $3.16 billion in revenue, while upcoming earnings will be watched for comparable-sales growth, margins and guidance. Competitive pressure from Target’s expanding prestige-beauty offering remains a longer-term risk.

Punch & Associates Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in Ulta Beauty Inc. (NASDAQ:ULTA - Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 19,723 shares of the specialty retailer's stock, valued at approximately $8,895,000.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of ULTA. Fideuram Asset Management Ireland dac bought a new position in Ulta Beauty in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC increased 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 buying an additional 43 shares during the period. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC raised its position in shares of Ulta Beauty by 4,200.0% during the fourth quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC now owns 43 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Clearstead Trust LLC bought a new stake in shares of Ulta Beauty during the second quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Ascentis Independent Advisors acquired a new position in shares of Ulta Beauty during the first quarter valued at $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.39% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently issued reports on ULTA. DA Davidson decreased their price target on Ulta Beauty from $650.00 to $585.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. William Blair restated a "market perform" rating on shares of Ulta Beauty in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on shares of Ulta Beauty from $692.00 to $695.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price target on shares of Ulta Beauty from $741.00 to $652.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, Loop Capital reissued a "hold" rating and set a $550.00 price target on shares of Ulta Beauty in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have assigned a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $636.41.

More Ulta Beauty News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Potential same-store sales beat: Deutsche Bank expects Ulta’s fiscal second-quarter comparable-sales growth to exceed market expectations. Strong traffic, demand for beauty products and resilient consumer spending could support revenue and earnings. Ulta Beauty Second-Quarter Same-Store Sales Poised for Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street remains broadly optimistic: Analysts continue to show a favorable outlook for ULTA despite its weaker performance versus the broader market over the past year. The upbeat target-price commentary may help support investor confidence ahead of results. What Are Wall Street Analysts' Target Price for Ulta Beauty Stock?
• Positive Sentiment: New brand partnership: Ulta is expanding its assortment through a nationwide U.S. agreement with Chinese beauty brand Proya, potentially adding product innovation and international growth to its sales mix. Proya Steps Up Overseas Expansion Through Agreement With Ulta Beauty
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings are the next major catalyst: Analysts are focused on comparable sales, margins, customer trends and updated guidance in Thursday’s fiscal second-quarter report. Ulta’s latest reported quarter already exceeded consensus EPS and revenue estimates, raising expectations for another solid performance. Ulta Beauty Q2 2026 Earnings Preview
• Negative Sentiment: Target is becoming a more direct competitor: Following its separation from Ulta, Target plans to introduce upscale beauty studios in stores and expand its selection to more than 90 prestige brands across over 600 locations. This could increase pressure on Ulta’s traffic, market share and brand exclusivity over time. Target Unveils New Beauty Spaces

Ulta Beauty Stock Up 1.1%

NASDAQ:ULTA opened at $543.19 on Thursday. Ulta Beauty Inc. has a 12-month low of $443.60 and a 12-month high of $714.97. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $494.65 and its 200-day simple moving average is $535.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $23.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.37, a P/E/G ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.87.

Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, June 2nd. The specialty retailer reported $7.74 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $6.89 by $0.85. Ulta Beauty had a return on equity of 44.77% and a net margin of 9.36%.The business had revenue of $3.16 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $6.70 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. Ulta Beauty has set its FY 2026 guidance at 28.360-28.800 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Ulta Beauty Inc. will post 28.76 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director George R. Mrkonic, Jr. sold 383 shares of the company'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 completion of the sale, the director directly owned 2,404 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,143,919.36. This represents a 13.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.20% 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.

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