HCA Health Inc vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? HCA Health Inc trades at $373.29 (market cap $82.17B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $489.47 (market cap $20.98B). The key difference: HCA Health Inc is far larger — about 3.9× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and HCA Health Inc pays a 0.84% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HCA | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $82.17B | $20.98B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $545.13 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $334.32 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $131.08B | $23.06B |
Dividend Yield | 0.84% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
HCA Healthcare trades at $373.09, up 0.51% with bearish technical signals despite strong fundamentals. The company reported Q2 2026 preliminary revenue above expectations but cut full-year profit guidance, causing recent stock pressure. Analyst consensus remains bullish with a $469.40 price target, though multiple law firms are investigating potential securities law violations following the guidance revision.
Investment outlook balances strong operational performance against near-term headwinds. The stock offers value with a 12.76 P/E ratio and consistent earnings beats, but faces risks from rising expenses, payer mix challenges, and ongoing legal investigations. Institutional sentiment remains positive despite technical weakness and recent guidance concerns.
No Aura AI signal available yet.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
HCA Healthcare is a Nashville-based healthcare provider organization operating the largest collection of acute-care hospitals in the U.S. As of December 2021, the firm owned and operated 182 hospitals, 125 freestanding outpatient surgery centers, and a broad network of physician offices, urgent care clinics, and freestanding emergency rooms across nearly 20 states and a small foothold in England.
Read more on HCA →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 →