Archer-Daniels-Midland Co vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Archer-Daniels-Midland Co trades at $79.67 (market cap $38.78B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $531.85 (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 $79.72, down 0.96% on the day, with a bullish technical signal and strong recent earnings beats. The stock shows solid fundamentals with a P/E of 21.98 and P/S of 0.48, while revenue for 2025 was $80.27B. Recent news highlights growth in biofuels and crushing margins, with the company raising its 2026 earnings outlook after a strong Q2.
The outlook is positive, supported by raised guidance and operational strength, but risks include execution challenges and margin pressures. Analysts maintain a consensus price target of $88.00, indicating potential upside from current levels amid a predominantly hold rating sentiment.
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
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 →