Global Payments Inc vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Global Payments Inc trades at $80.4 (market cap $21.40B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $478.45 (market cap $20.04B). The key difference: Global Payments Inc and Ulta Beauty Inc are close in size by market cap, and Global Payments Inc pays a 1.28% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| GPN | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $21.40B | $20.04B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $90.01 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $62.47 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $39.11B | $22.12B |
Dividend Yield | 1.28% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Global Payments (GPN) trades at $79.67, up 4.98% today, with a bullish technical outlook and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. The company shows robust operating cash flow of $2.66B in 2025 and benefits from strategic initiatives like the Worldpay integration and AI-powered POS expansions. However, net income margin turned negative at -7.97% for 2026, reflecting margin pressures amid rising costs and competitive fintech landscape.
GPN presents a mixed outlook: analyst consensus is bullish with a $81.56 price target (58% buy ratings), but investors face risks from debt growth (debt-to-asset ratio rising to 41.57% in 2025) and profitability challenges. Near-term catalysts include continued execution on commerce technology deals, while volatility may persist from macroeconomic headwinds.
ULTA Beauty trades at $478.30, up 1.96% today, with a neutral technical signal and strong fundamentals including a 47.45% ROE and 9.36% net margin. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q1 2026, but net cash flow turned negative in 2025. The stock is supported by a loyal customer base and international expansion initiatives, including a new CTO appointment to bolster digital capabilities.
The outlook is positive with a consensus price target of $623.73, implying 30% upside, though risks include competitive pressures and fluctuating cash flows. Analyst sentiment is bullish with 56.5% buy ratings, but investors should monitor margin sustainability and macroeconomic impacts on consumer spending.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Global Payments is a leading provider of payment processing and software solutions and focuses on serving small and midsize merchants. The company operates in 30 countries and generates about one fourth of its revenue from outside North America, primarily in Europe and Asia. In 2019, Global Payments merged with Total System Services in an all-stock deal that gave Total System Services shareholders 48% of the combined company's shares.
Read more on GPN →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 →