HCA Health Inc vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? HCA Health Inc trades at $443.69 (market cap $95.08B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $562.39 (market cap $23.32B). The key difference: HCA Health Inc is far larger — about 4.1× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and HCA Health Inc pays a 0.71% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold HCA Health Inc for 76 Days and Ulta Beauty Inc for 92 Days on average.
| HCA | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $95.08B | $23.32B |
Volume | 998,787 | 321,683 |
Sector | Health | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $545.13 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $361.32 | $450.75 |
Typical Hold Time | 76 Days | 92 Days |
Enterprise Value | $145.62B | $25.63B |
Dividend Yield | 0.71% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
HCA Healthcare (HCA) trades at $445.01, up 2.96% today, with a bullish technical signal and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. Revenue grew to $75.6B in 2025, with net income of $6.78B, and the stock trades at a P/E of 14.73. Analyst consensus is a Buy with a $461.12 price target, though ongoing legal investigations pose a headwind.
The outlook remains positive given solid demand and cost controls, but risks include payer-mix pressure and high debt levels. Upside potential exists if earnings growth continues, but investors should monitor legal developments and interest rate impacts on the leveraged balance sheet.
ULTA trades at $564.21, up 3.09% today, with a bullish technical outlook and strong analyst support. The stock has shown robust earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q1 and Q2 2026 exceeding expectations, and the company raised its 2026 guidance. Revenue growth is steady, though net margins have softened slightly from 12.17% in 2023 to 10.63% in 2025. Valuation ratios like a P/E of 19.86 and P/S of 1.86 appear reasonable relative to profitability metrics such as a 46.12% ROE.
The investment case hinges on execution of raised guidance and e-commerce momentum, but risks include margin pressure and flat store traffic. With a consensus price target of $624.93 implying ~11% upside and no sell ratings from analysts, the stock presents a growth opportunity tempered by near-term consumer and competitive challenges.
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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 →