Marathon Petroleum Corp vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Marathon Petroleum Corp trades at $460.5 (market cap $124.20B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $562.39 (market cap $23.32B). The key difference: Marathon Petroleum Corp is far larger — about 5.3× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and Marathon Petroleum Corp pays a 0.9% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Marathon Petroleum Corp for 54 Days and Ulta Beauty Inc for 92 Days on average.
| MPC | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $124.20B | $23.32B |
Volume | 1,923,373 | 321,683 |
Sector | Energy | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $463.34 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $162.63 | $450.75 |
Typical Hold Time | 54 Days | 92 Days |
Enterprise Value | $150.72B | $25.63B |
Dividend Yield | 0.9% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Marathon Petroleum (MPC) trades at $463.34, up 7.17% over 24 hours and near its 52-week high. The stock exhibits strong bullish momentum with consistent earnings beats and robust profitability metrics, including a 47.9% ROE. Recent news highlights refining margin strength amid tight global capacity, though potential diesel export curbs pose a risk. Technical indicators show bullish moving averages but an overbought RSI, with key resistance at $452.
MPC presents a compelling investment case with solid fundamentals, high analyst buy ratings (75.76%), and a consensus price target of $420.30. Upside is driven by elevated refining margins and earnings growth, but risks include regulatory threats to exports and volatile energy markets. The stock's current premium to target suggests cautious optimism amid near-term overbought conditions.
ULTA trades at $564.21, up 3.09% today, with a bullish technical outlook and strong analyst support. The stock has shown robust earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q1 and Q2 2026 exceeding expectations, and the company raised its 2026 guidance. Revenue growth is steady, though net margins have softened slightly from 12.17% in 2023 to 10.63% in 2025. Valuation ratios like a P/E of 19.86 and P/S of 1.86 appear reasonable relative to profitability metrics such as a 46.12% ROE.
The investment case hinges on execution of raised guidance and e-commerce momentum, but risks include margin pressure and flat store traffic. With a consensus price target of $624.93 implying ~11% upside and no sell ratings from analysts, the stock presents a growth opportunity tempered by near-term consumer and competitive challenges.
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Marathon Petroleum is an independent refiner with 13 refineries in the midcontinent, West Coast, and Gulf Coast of the United States with total throughput capacity of 2.9 million barrels per day. Its Dickinson, ND, facility produces 184 million gallons a year of renewable diesel. Its Martinez, CA, facility will have the ability to produce 730 million gallons a year of renewable diesel once converted. The firm also owns and operates midstream assets primarily through its listed MLP, MPLX.
Read more on MPC →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 →