3M Company vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? 3M Company trades at $164.59 (market cap $86.39B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $542.26 (market cap $24.12B). The key difference: 3M Company is far larger — about 3.6× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and 3M Company pays a 1.86% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MMM | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $86.39B | $24.12B |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $183.79 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $141.10 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $95.61B | $26.43B |
Dividend Yield | 1.86% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
3M (MMM) trades at $167.52, down 0.62% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong recent earnings beats. The company shows solid profitability with an 11.9% net income margin and 82.77% ROE, though revenue has declined from 2022 peaks. Positive news highlights strength in transportation, electronics, and safety segments, while consumer demand remains soft.
The stock offers a balanced outlook: analyst consensus is a Buy with a $173 price target, but high debt and cost pressures pose risks. Earnings momentum from industrial growth supports upside, yet valuation multiples like a 29.75 P/E suggest limited margin for error. Investors should weigh robust fundamentals against macroeconomic and segment-specific headwinds.
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
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 →