Johnson Controls International PLC vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Johnson Controls International PLC trades at $155.05 (market cap $93.74B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $531.85 (market cap $23.27B). The key difference: Johnson Controls International PLC is far larger — about 4× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and Johnson Controls International PLC pays a 1.03% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| JCI | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $93.74B | $23.27B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $154.76 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $103.52 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $102.58B | $25.35B |
Dividend Yield | 1.03% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
JCI trades at $153.59, up 1.92% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook and strong institutional support. Recent Q3 2026 earnings beat expectations with $1.42 EPS versus $1.30 expected, driven by double-digit organic growth in data-center thermal systems. The company raised FY26 guidance, reflecting robust demand and operational momentum. Valuation ratios remain elevated, with a P/E of 43.59 and P/S of 3.82, indicating premium pricing relative to historical norms.
The outlook is positive, supported by earnings momentum and AI-driven demand for cooling solutions, but risks include high valuation sensitivity and debt levels. Analyst consensus price target is $168.25, suggesting ~9.5% upside, with no sell ratings among 45 analysts. Investors should monitor execution on guidance and macroeconomic impacts on construction and HVAC markets.
ULTA stock trades at $532.14, down 3.01% today, amid mixed technical signals with a bullish moving average trend but neutral oscillators. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $7.74, beating expectations, and maintains strong profitability with a 39.33% gross margin and 47.45% ROE. Recent news highlights Ulta's omnichannel growth strategy and the end of its Target partnership, viewed as a potential revenue opportunity by analysts.
Outlook is positive with a consensus price target of $618.29, representing 16% upside, supported by 56.53% analyst buy ratings. Risks include margin compression, with net income margin projected to drop to 9.35% in 2026, and volatile cash flows, as net cash flow turned negative in 2025. Investors should weigh strong fundamentals against competitive and execution risks in the retail sector.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Johnson Controls manufactures, installs, and services HVAC systems, building management systems and controls, industrial refrigeration systems, and fire and security solutions. Commercial HVAC accounts for about 40% of sales, fire and security also represents 40% of sales, and residential HVAC, industrial refrigeration, and other solutions account for the remaining 20% of revenue. In fiscal 2021, Johnson Controls generated over $23.5 billion in revenue.
Read more on JCI →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 →