Compare McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC) vs Ulta Beauty Inc (ULTA) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
McCormick & Company, Incorporated vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? McCormick & Company, Incorporated trades at $52.01 (market cap $14.04B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $489.47 (market cap $20.98B). The key difference: Ulta Beauty Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and McCormick & Company, Incorporated pays a 3.68% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MKC | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.04B | $20.98B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $72.81 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $45.60 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $18.65B | $23.06B |
Dividend Yield | 3.68% | — |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
MKC trades at $52.35, up 1.26% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and neutral oscillators. The stock shows strong profitability with a 21.91% net margin and 25.7% ROE, supported by recent Q2 2026 earnings beating estimates. Valuation appears attractive with a P/E of 8.69 and P/S of 1.9. The pending Unilever Foods deal, highlighted in recent news (The Motley Fool, 2026-07-07), could transform the business, though organic growth remains modest.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic with 36.7% of analysts rating it Buy and a consensus price target of $59.67 (13.9% upside). Key risks include soft consumer volumes and execution challenges from the Unilever integration. Positive cash flow projections for 2026 and a sustainable dividend enhance appeal, but investors should monitor volume trends and deal progress closely.
ULTA Beauty trades at $489.47, up 2.06% with a bullish technical signal despite mixed moving averages. The company maintains strong profitability with 39.33% gross margins and 47.45% ROE, though net margins have declined from 12.17% in 2023 to 10.63% in 2025. Recent Q1 2026 earnings beat expectations at $7.74 EPS versus $6.89 expected, while Q4 2025 missed. Analyst consensus remains strongly positive with 26 buy ratings and a $618.29 price target, representing 26% upside potential.
ULTA presents a compelling growth story with international expansion and digital engagement driving long-term potential. However, investors face risks from margin compression, competitive pressures in beauty retail, and volatile cash flow patterns. The stock's current valuation at 18.29x P/E appears reasonable given growth prospects, but requires monitoring of consumer spending trends and execution on strategic initiatives.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
About McCormick & Company, Incorporated
In its 130-year history, McCormick has grown to become the leading global manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of spices, herbs, extracts, seasonings, and other flavorings. Beyond end consumers, McCormick's customer base also includes top quick-service restaurants, retail grocery chains, and other packaged food and beverage manufacturers, with about 30% of sales generated beyond its home turf to include 150 other countries and territories. In addition to its namesake brand, the firm's portfolio includes Old Bay, Zatarain's, Thai Kitchen, Frank's RedHot, French's, and the recently acquired Cholula brand.
Read more on MKC →About Ulta Beauty Inc
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 →
