McDonald's Corp vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? McDonald's Corp trades at $273.92 (market cap $193.70B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $542.13 (market cap $23.59B). The key difference: McDonald's Corp is far larger — about 8.2× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and McDonald's Corp pays a 2.72% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MCD | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $193.70B | $23.59B |
Volume | 2,230,036 | — |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $341.06 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $262.80 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $247.47B | $25.67B |
Dividend Yield | 2.72% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
McDonald's (MCD) trades at $274.15, down slightly by 0.12% on the day, with technical indicators showing a neutral overall signal. The company demonstrates strong fundamentals with consistent revenue growth, reaching $26.89 billion in 2025, and robust profitability with a 31.72% net income margin. Recent earnings have consistently beaten expectations, and the company has announced a new global growth strategy focused on automation and menu innovation to drive future performance.
The outlook for MCD is positive, supported by strong analyst consensus with a $322.45 price target implying significant upside. Key opportunities include the successful execution of its new growth plan and its defensive qualities in a challenging economy. Primary risks involve inflationary pressures on franchisee margins and intense competition in the quick-service restaurant sector.
ULTA stock trades at $565.15, up 4.89% in the last session, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and strong support at $547. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $7.74, beating estimates, but faces margin compression with net income margin declining to 10.63% in 2025. Recent news highlights the end of its Target partnership as a potential growth opportunity, per BofA analysis on July 29, 2026.
The stock offers upside to the consensus price target of $618.29, with 57% of analysts rating it a buy, but risks include competitive pressures and volatile cash flows, with net cash flow turning negative in 2025. Investors should weigh robust ROE of 47.45% against elevated P/B of 9.41 and RSI levels suggesting overbought conditions.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
McDonald's Corporation franchises and operates fast-food restaurants in the global restaurant industry. The Company's restaurants serves a variety of value-priced menu products in countries around the world.
Read more on MCD →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 →