American Airlines Group Inc vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? American Airlines Group Inc trades at $14.99 (market cap $10.55B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $531.85 (market cap $23.27B). The key difference: Ulta Beauty Inc is far larger — about 2.2× American Airlines Group Inc's market cap, and American Airlines Group Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Ulta Beauty Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AAL | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $10.55B | $23.27B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $18.15 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $10.18 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $38.51B | $25.35B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
American Airlines (AAL) trades at $14.94, down 0.43% with a bearish technical signal. The company shows mixed fundamentals with strong revenue growth but negative net income margin (-0.56%) and elevated P/E of 43.73. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations with $0.15 EPS versus $0.03 expected, while Q4 2025 missed estimates. Cash flow remains positive with $154M net cash flow in 2025. Analyst consensus is mixed with 44.7% buy ratings and $19.63 price target, representing 31% upside.
AAL presents a turnaround opportunity with premium revenue growth and debt reduction, but faces significant headwinds from fuel costs and negative equity. The stock trades below analyst targets but requires sustained profitability improvement to justify current valuation multiples. Key risks include fuel price volatility and competitive pressure in the airline industry.
ULTA stock trades at $532.14, down 3.01% today, amid mixed technical signals with a bullish moving average trend but neutral oscillators. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $7.74, beating expectations, and maintains strong profitability with a 39.33% gross margin and 47.45% ROE. Recent news highlights Ulta's omnichannel growth strategy and the end of its Target partnership, viewed as a potential revenue opportunity by analysts.
Outlook is positive with a consensus price target of $618.29, representing 16% upside, supported by 56.53% analyst buy ratings. Risks include margin compression, with net income margin projected to drop to 9.35% in 2026, and volatile cash flows, as net cash flow turned negative in 2025. Investors should weigh strong fundamentals against competitive and execution risks in the retail sector.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
American Airlines is the world's largest airline by scheduled revenue passenger miles. The firm's major hubs are Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. After completing a major fleet renewal, the company has the youngest fleet of U.S. legacy carriers.
Read more on AAL →With more than 1,300 stores and a partnership with Target, Ulta Beauty is the largest specialized beauty retailer in the U.S. The firm offers makeup (43% of 2021 sales), fragrances, skin care, and hair care products (20% of 2021 sales), and bath and body items. Ulta offers private-label products and merchandise from more than 500 vendors. It also offers salon services, including hair, makeup, skin, and brow services, in all stores. Most Ulta stores are approximately 10,000 square feet and are in suburban strip centers. Ulta was founded in 1990 and is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
Read more on ULTA →