Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Key Points

• Ulta Beauty issued FY 2026 guidance of EPS $28.05–$28.55 and revenue $13.1B–$13.3B, both well above consensus estimates of $26.77 EPS and $12.6B revenue.
• The stock traded down 4.3% to $624.70 on heavy volume after the update, even as analysts remain broadly positive with a "Moderate Buy" consensus and a $638.12 average price target following several recent target increases.
• Ulta recently beat quarterly expectations, reporting $8.01 EPS vs. $7.93 expected and $3.90B revenue vs. $3.81B, alongside strong profitability (ROE 46.33% and net margin 9.93%).

Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA - Get Free Report) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 28.050-28.550 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 26.770. The company issued revenue guidance of $13.1 billion-$13.3 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $12.6 billion.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Ulta Beauty from $600.00 to $606.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, December 1st. B. Riley Financial reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of Ulta Beauty in a report on Monday, December 8th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Ulta Beauty from $680.00 to $712.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on Ulta Beauty in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. They set a "hold" rating and a $700.00 target price for the company. Finally, Argus increased their price objective on shares of Ulta Beauty from $650.00 to $700.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, January 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have given a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $638.12.

Ulta Beauty Trading Down 4.3%

Shares of NASDAQ:ULTA traded down $27.95 during trading on Thursday, hitting $624.70. 1,103,195 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 536,101. The stock has a market cap of $27.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.95, a P/E/G ratio of 3.02 and a beta of 0.82. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $666.89 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $586.51. Ulta Beauty has a fifty-two week low of $309.01 and a fifty-two week high of $714.97.

Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 12th. The specialty retailer reported $8.01 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $7.93 by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $3.90 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.81 billion. Ulta Beauty had a return on equity of 46.33% and a net margin of 9.93%.Ulta Beauty has set its FY 2026 guidance at 28.050-28.550 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Ulta Beauty will post 23.96 EPS for the current year.

Ulta Beauty News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst bullishness and price-target increases from major shops signal upside potential; Telsey raised its target to $715 and Wells Fargo to $500, while Barclays and Canaccord also published favorable outlooks—these upgrades can support the stock if earnings or guidance show resilience. Article Title Read More. Read More. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Selena Gomez brand launch is a near-term sales catalyst—industry previews and retail commentary expect the partnership to boost Q4 sales and traffic, which could offset softer comps if conversion and ASPs hold. Article Title Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Promotional cadence (Ulta’s “21 Days of Beauty” sale) can lift near-term sales and traffic — a positive for Q4 revenue and margin leverage if higher-margin items sell well. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Several earnings previews outline consensus expectations (EPS ~$8.03; revenue ~$3.82B) and key metrics to watch (comp sales, margin, guidance). Actual results/guidance will determine direction. Article Title Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry/consumer macro notes (CPI, jobless claims) and market moves could influence sentiment around discretionary names like ULTA but aren’t Ulta-specific; monitor consumer spending data post-earnings. Article Title Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Adjacent retail/brand moves (Keracolor expansion) signal category competition and broader beauty retail dynamics but are unlikely to move ULTA materially on their own. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts revised forecasts lower ahead of the Q4 report and Benzinga flagged expectations for lower Q4 earnings; a miss on EPS, revenue, comps or weak guidance would weigh on the stock. Article Title

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ulta Beauty

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of ULTA. Sivia Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Ulta Beauty in the 2nd quarter valued at $466,000. XXI Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ulta Beauty in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $243,000. Jump Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Ulta Beauty during the fourth quarter valued at $223,000. Curi Capital LLC bought a new position in Ulta Beauty during the 2nd quarter worth $212,000. Finally, Hilltop Holdings Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Ulta Beauty in the third quarter worth approximately $208,000. 90.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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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