Lululemon Athletica Inc vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Lululemon Athletica Inc trades at $121.41 (market cap $14.26B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $531.85 (market cap $23.27B). The key difference: Ulta Beauty Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Ulta Beauty Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Lululemon Athletica Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LULU | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.26B | $23.27B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $215.88 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $105.43 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $14.89B | $25.35B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Lululemon stock trades at $120.88, down 5.41% amid broader market weakness in the premium apparel sector. The company maintains strong fundamentals with a P/E of 10.17, net income margin of 13.03%, and consistent earnings beats. Technical indicators show a bullish moving average trend despite overbought RSI readings, with key resistance near $129.
Investment outlook remains positive given undervaluation metrics and international growth potential, though risks include U.S. demand softness and competitive pressures. Analyst consensus targets $129.29 with 41% buy ratings, suggesting moderate upside from current levels.
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
Latest headlines on both assets
Lululemon Athletica Inc. designs, distributes, and markets athletic apparel, footwear, and accessories for women, men, and girls. Lululemon offers pants, shorts, tops, and jackets for both leisure and athletic activities such as yoga and running. The company also sells fitness accessories, such as bags, yoga mats, and equipment. Lululemon sells its products through more than 600 company-owned stores in 18 countries, e-commerce, outlets, and wholesale accounts. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.
Read more on LULU →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 →