3M Company vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? 3M Company trades at $170.3 (market cap $82.99B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $489.47 (market cap $20.98B). The key difference: 3M Company is far larger — about 4× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and 3M Company pays a 1.96% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MMM | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $82.99B | $20.98B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $174.61 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $141.10 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $91.39B | $23.06B |
Dividend Yield | 1.96% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
3M (MMM) surged 6.83% to $170.76 following strong Q2 2026 earnings that beat expectations, with the company raising full-year guidance. Technical indicators show a bullish trend with support at $158 and resistance at $161. Fundamentally, the company demonstrates robust profitability with 39.71% gross margins and 72.14% ROE, though revenue has declined from 2022 peaks. Recent news highlights operational improvements and growth in Safety & Industrial and Transport & Electronics segments.
The outlook is positive with earnings momentum and raised guidance, but risks include litigation liabilities and macroeconomic headwinds. Analyst consensus is mixed with 48% buy ratings but a $149.75 price target below current levels, suggesting limited near-term upside despite strong operational performance.
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.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
3M Company conducts operations in electronics, telecommunications, industrial, consumer and office, health care, safety, and other markets. The Company businesses share technologies, manufacturing operations, marketing channels, and other resources. 3M serves customers worldwide.
Read more on MMM →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 →