International Business Machines Corp vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? International Business Machines Corp trades at $211.44 (market cap $200.20B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $492.8 (market cap $20.98B). The key difference: International Business Machines Corp is far larger — about 9.5× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and International Business Machines Corp pays a 3.17% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| IBM | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $200.20B | $20.98B |
Volume | 4,481,527 | — |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $329.23 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $211.20 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $258.21B | $23.06B |
Dividend Yield | 3.17% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
IBM stock trades at $213.81, down 25% following disappointing Q2 2026 preliminary results that missed revenue and EPS estimates. The company maintains strong profitability with 58.4% gross margins and 15.6% net income margin, but faces execution challenges as customers shift spending toward AI infrastructure. Technical indicators show bearish momentum with support at $210 and resistance at $216, while analyst consensus remains positive with a $287.85 price target despite recent downgrades.
IBM's long-term fundamentals remain solid with consistent earnings beats and strong cash flow generation, but near-term headwinds from AI spending shifts create uncertainty. The stock offers value at current levels with attractive valuation multiples, though investors face execution risk and competitive pressure in the evolving AI landscape.
ULTA Beauty trades at $488.01, up 1.76% with a bullish technical signal despite mixed moving averages. The company maintains strong profitability with 39.33% gross margins and 47.45% ROE, though revenue growth has slowed to 0.9% in 2025. Recent leadership appointments and international expansion initiatives signal strategic positioning for future growth.
ULTA presents a compelling value opportunity with a 17.97 P/E ratio below historical averages, supported by 56.5% analyst buy ratings and a $618.29 consensus target. However, margin compression risks and competitive pressures require monitoring as the company navigates evolving consumer trends and expansion challenges.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides computer solutions. The Company offers application, technology consulting and support, process design and operations, cloud, digital workplace, and network services, as well as business resiliency, strategy, and design solutions. IBM serves clients worldwide.
Read more on IBM →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 →