Archer-Daniels-Midland Co vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Archer-Daniels-Midland Co trades at $79.79 (market cap $38.78B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $537.69 (market cap $23.27B). The key difference: Archer-Daniels-Midland Co is the larger of the two by market cap, and Archer-Daniels-Midland Co pays a 2.59% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ADM | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $38.78B | $23.27B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $87.32 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $56.00 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $47.03B | $25.35B |
Dividend Yield | 2.59% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ADM trades at $79.41, down 1.34% today, with a bullish technical signal and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $1.84, exceeding expectations, and raised its full-year outlook, driven by biofuels and crushing margins. Valuation ratios like P/E of 21.98 and P/S of 0.48 suggest reasonable pricing relative to peers. Cash flow improved in 2025 with net cash flow of $1.58 billion.
The outlook is positive with analyst consensus price target of $88.00, implying upside. Key opportunities include growth in AgTech and biofuels, while risks involve execution challenges and volatile commodity markets. The stock offers a dividend yield supported by consistent payments, but investors should monitor margin pressures from input costs.
ULTA Beauty trades at $548.66, down 2.92% on the day, with strong technical momentum indicated by bullish moving averages and key support at $542. Fundamentally, the company maintains robust profitability with 39.33% gross margins and 47.45% ROE, though recent earnings showed mixed results with a Q4 miss. Revenue growth has been consistent, reaching $11.3B in 2025, while analyst sentiment remains positive with 56.53% buy ratings.
The outlook for ULTA remains favorable with a consensus price target of $618.29 offering 12.7% upside potential. Key opportunities include omnichannel expansion and digital growth initiatives, while risks involve margin pressure from rising costs and competitive retail landscape. Institutional ownership trends show continued confidence with recent position increases by major funds.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Archer-Daniels Midland is a major processor of oilseeds, corn, wheat, and other agricultural commodities. Additionally, the company owns an extensive network of logistical assets to store and transport crops around the globe. ADM also runs a nutrition business that focuses on both human and animal ingredients. The company is also a large producer of corn-based sweeteners, starches, and ethanol.
Read more on ADM →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 →