ASML Holding NV vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? ASML Holding NV trades at $1,738.01 (market cap $688.66B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $474.5 (market cap $20.17B). The key difference: ASML Holding NV is far larger — about 34.1× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and ASML Holding NV pays a 0.49% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ASML | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $688.66B | $20.17B |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $1.99K | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $689.63 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $682.20B | $22.25B |
Dividend Yield | 0.49% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ASML trades at $1,797.32, down 0.38% on the day, with technical indicators showing a bullish trend despite recent volatility. The company reported strong Q1 2026 earnings that beat expectations, with revenue reaching $32.67B in 2025 and net income margins of 29.71%. Analyst consensus remains strongly positive with 56.82% buy ratings and a $2,210 price target, though elevated valuation ratios (P/E 61.03) warrant caution.
ASML maintains a dominant position in advanced semiconductor equipment with robust profitability and growth prospects driven by AI infrastructure demand. Key risks include China export restrictions, competitive pressures, and high valuation multiples. The stock offers exposure to critical chip manufacturing technology but requires monitoring of earnings execution and geopolitical developments.
ULTA Beauty trades at $469.20, up 1.95% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamentals including a 9.36% net income margin and 47.45% ROE. Recent Q1 2026 earnings beat expectations at $7.74 EPS versus $6.89. The stock is near its pivot point of $457, with resistance at $470. Positive news highlights international expansion and a robust loyalty program driving 95% of sales.
The outlook is mixed: analyst consensus is bullish with a $623.73 price target, but technicals and recent net cash flow negativity pose risks. Investment opportunity lies in market share gains and AI-driven personalization, while headwinds include competitive pressures and margin compression from 11.42% in 2022 to 9.35% projected for 2026.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Founded in 1984 and based in the Netherlands, ASML is the leader in photolithography systems used in the manufacturing of semiconductors. Photolithography is the process in which a light source is used to expose circuit patterns from a photomask onto a semiconductor wafer. The latest technological advances in this segment allow chipmakers to continually increase the number of transistors on the same area of silicon, with lithography historically representing a meaningful portion of the cost of making cutting-edge chips. Chipmakers require next-generation EUV lithography tools from ASML to continue past the 5-nanometer process node. ASML's products are used at every major semiconductor manufacturer, including Intel, Samsung, and TSMC.
Read more on ASML →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 →