Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc trades at $329.05 (market cap $12.92B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $534.29 (market cap $23.27B). The key difference: Ulta Beauty Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc pays a 1.68% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HII | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $12.92B | $23.27B |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $453.73 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $265.40 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $15.84B | $25.35B |
Dividend Yield | 1.68% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
HII trades at $328.43, down 0.72% today, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The company reported strong Q2 2026 results, beating EPS estimates with $5.27 versus $3.79 expected, and revenue growth of 10.9%. Recent news includes a $2.2 billion contract award for surveillance and intelligence capabilities, enhancing its defense portfolio. Valuation ratios show a P/E of 19.53 and P/S of 0.98, indicating reasonable pricing relative to earnings and sales.
Outlook is positive due to contract wins and operational improvements, but risks include political headwinds and execution challenges. Analyst consensus price target is $359.67, suggesting 9.5% upside. Investment opportunity lies in margin expansion from submarine contracts, while monitoring defense budget volatility is key.
Ulta Beauty (ULTA) trades at $537.69, down 2.0% today, with a bullish technical outlook from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $618.29. Recent earnings show mixed quarterly beats, with Q1 2026 EPS of $7.74 exceeding expectations, while revenue growth remains steady at $11.3B for 2025. The company maintains strong profitability with a net margin of 9.36% and ROE of 47.45%, supported by an omnichannel strategy highlighted in recent news.
The stock presents a buy opportunity with Wall Street optimism (56.53% buy ratings) and solid fundamentals, but risks include margin compression from rising costs and competitive pressures. Near-term catalysts include the Q2 2026 earnings report, with expected EPS of $6.17, and the transition from the Target partnership, viewed as a growth opportunity by analysts.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Huntington Ingalls is the largest military shipbuilder in the U.S. and a provider of professional services to government and industry partners, specializing in nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers.
Read more on HII →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 →