McCormick & Company, Incorporated vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? McCormick & Company, Incorporated trades at $51.5 (market cap $13.96B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $542.26 (market cap $24.12B). The key difference: Ulta Beauty Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and McCormick & Company, Incorporated pays a 3.7% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MKC | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.96B | $24.12B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $71.65 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $45.60 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $18.57B | $26.43B |
Dividend Yield | 3.7% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
McCormick & Company (MKC) trades at $51.90, down 0.35% with a bearish technical signal. The stock shows strong fundamentals with a P/E of 8.64, net income margin of 21.91%, and consistent dividend growth. Recent Q1 2026 earnings beat expectations, while analyst consensus remains mixed with 11 buy, 17 hold, and 2 sell ratings. The pending $65 billion Unilever Foods merger and London listing plans represent significant corporate developments.
MKC presents a compelling value opportunity with attractive valuation metrics and stable profitability. The Unilever merger offers substantial growth potential but carries integration risks. Current technical weakness near support at $50-$51 creates a potential entry point for long-term investors seeking dividend income and merger upside.
ULTA Beauty trades at $549.23, down 2.64% today, amid mixed signals. The stock shows a bullish technical trend with strong moving averages, while fundamentals reveal steady revenue growth to $11.30B in 2025, though net income margin has softened to 9.34%. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations, and the company raised full-year guidance, yet some segments like cosmetics showed flat performance.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic, with a consensus price target of $653.14 implying significant upside. Key opportunities include digital growth and AI integration potential, but risks involve competitive pressures and reliance on discretionary consumer spending. Analyst sentiment remains predominantly bullish, supporting a favorable risk-reward profile for long-term investors.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →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 →