HSBC Holdings plc vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? HSBC Holdings plc trades at $104.04 (market cap $353.82B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $535 (market cap $23.27B). The key difference: HSBC Holdings plc is far larger — about 15.2× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and HSBC Holdings plc pays a 3.63% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HSBC | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $353.82B | $23.27B |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $107.86 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $63.84 | $450.75 |
Dividend Yield | 3.63% | — |
Enterprise Value | — | $25.35B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
HSBC's stock trades at $103.88, up 0.54% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and support near $103. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations with a 7% revenue rise to $19 billion (Defense World, 2026-08-06), and the company announced a $1 billion buyback (WSJ, 2026-08-04). Valuation metrics include a P/E of 14.74 and ROE of 12.44%, reflecting solid profitability.
The outlook is positive due to strong earnings momentum and shareholder returns, but risks include a recent analyst downgrade (Citi to 'neutral' on August 5, 2026) and exposure to Asian market volatility. With 38.1% of analysts rating it a buy, the stock offers growth potential tempered by competitive and regulatory headwinds.
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
HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organizations. It serves customers worldwide through four global businesses: Retail, Commercial, Global Banking, and Private Banking.
Read more on HSBC →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 →