ARK Fintech Innovation ETF vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? ARK Fintech Innovation ETF trades at $42.85, while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $531.85 (market cap $23.27B). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARKF | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Sector | Sector/Thematic | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $58.82 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $36.14 | $450.75 |
Market Cap | — | $23.27B |
Enterprise Value | — | $25.35B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ARKF trades at $42.70, down 0.93% today amid a broader fintech and crypto sector consolidation. The ETF's technical outlook is bullish based on moving averages, but oscillators are neutral with an overbought short-term RSI. Recent underperformance includes a 23% decline since July 2025, lagging the S&P 500 by 45 percentage points, with elevated volatility at 33.6%.
Outlook remains cautious due to high valuation multiples and sector headwinds. Risks include stretched P/E of 33x and PEG of 2.0x, signaling potential overvaluation. Investor sentiment is mixed, with a Hold rating reflecting fair valuation concerns amid ongoing consolidation pressures.
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
ARKF is an actively managed ETF that invests in companies leading the way in fintech innovation. Key themes include mobile payments, digital wallets, blockchain technology, and frictionless funding platforms.
Read more on ARKF →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 →