Gap Inc vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Gap Inc trades at $21 (market cap $7.74B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $542.13 (market cap $23.59B). The key difference: Ulta Beauty Inc is far larger — about 3× Gap Inc's market cap, and Gap Inc pays a 3.25% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| GAP | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.74B | $23.59B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $29.13 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $18.35 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $10.82B | $25.67B |
Dividend Yield | 3.25% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Gap trades at $20.47, down 0.24% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by strong momentum indicators. The stock shows attractive valuation metrics, including a P/E of 8.12 and P/S of 0.51, while recent earnings have generally beaten expectations. Operating cash flow remains robust at $1.49 billion for 2025, and the company continues its digital transformation with AI initiatives.
The outlook is positive with a consensus price target of $26.64, implying 30% upside. Risks include competitive pressures and ongoing investigations by Pomerantz Law Firm. Analyst sentiment is mixed but leans bullish, with 39.58% recommending buy. The stock presents a value opportunity if turnaround efforts sustain momentum.
ULTA stock trades at $565.15, up 4.89% in the last session, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and strong support at $547. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $7.74, beating estimates, but faces margin compression with net income margin declining to 10.63% in 2025. Recent news highlights the end of its Target partnership as a potential growth opportunity, per BofA analysis on July 29, 2026.
The stock offers upside to the consensus price target of $618.29, with 57% of analysts rating it a buy, but risks include competitive pressures and volatile cash flows, with net cash flow turning negative in 2025. Investors should weigh robust ROE of 47.45% against elevated P/B of 9.41 and RSI levels suggesting overbought conditions.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Gap retails apparel, accessories, and personal-care products under the Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta brands. Old Navy generates more than half of Gap's sales. The firm also operates e-commerce sites, outlet stores, and specialty stores under various Gap names. Gap operates nearly 3,000 stores in North America, Europe, and Asia and franchises about 600 stores in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and other regions. Gap was founded in 1969 and is based in San Francisco.
Read more on GAP →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 →