Marqeta Inc vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Marqeta Inc trades at $18.09 (market cap $1.82B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $570.37 (market cap $24.12B). The key difference: Ulta Beauty Inc is far larger — about 13.3× Marqeta Inc's market cap, and Marqeta Inc is trading nearer its 52-week high, Ulta Beauty Inc nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Marqeta Inc for 44 Days and Ulta Beauty Inc for 92 Days on average.
| MQ | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $1.82B | $24.12B |
Volume | 1,126,466 | 457,598 |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $20.32 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $15.04 | $450.75 |
Typical Hold Time | 44 Days | 92 Days |
Enterprise Value | $1.13B | $26.43B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Marqeta (MQ) trades at $18.11, up 6.15% with a bullish technical signal. The stock shows strong earnings momentum, beating estimates for three consecutive quarters, while revenue grew 23% year-over-year to $625M in 2025. Recent partnerships with BVNK for stablecoin cards and Google for kids' wallets highlight strategic expansion. However, valuation remains elevated with a P/E of 193.83 and negative EBITDA of -$19.27M despite improving cash flow trends.
Outlook remains mixed with analyst consensus at Hold (59% of ratings) and a $11.38 price target suggesting 37% downside. Key risks include contract renewals in Q3 2026 potentially slowing growth, while institutional sentiment is cautious despite technical strength. The stock's premium valuation requires sustained execution to justify current levels.
ULTA Beauty trades at $570.02, up 4.5% today, showing strong momentum with a bullish technical setup and positive analyst sentiment. The company delivered Q2 2026 earnings beat ($6.55 actual vs. $6.22 expected) and raised 2026 guidance, supported by robust e-commerce growth. Valuation metrics show a P/E of 20.55 and P/S of 1.92, while profitability remains solid with 39.3% gross margins and 46.1% ROE. Recent news highlights expansion into wellness categories and omnichannel strength.
Outlook remains positive with consensus price target of $624.93 (9.6% upside), though margin pressure and flat store traffic pose execution risks. The stock's current price near resistance at $572 suggests potential near-term consolidation before further gains. Institutional ownership trends show mixed activity with recent CEO share sales offset by pension fund accumulation.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
Headquartered in Oakland, California, and founded in 2010, Marqeta provides its clients with a card-issuing platform that offers the infrastructure and tools necessary to offer digital, physical, and tokenized payment options without the need for a traditional bank. The company's open APIs are designed to allow third parties like DoorDash, Klarna, and Block to rapidly develop and deploy innovative card-based products and payment services without the need to develop the underlying technology. The company generates revenue primarily through processing and ATM fees for cards issued on its platform.
Read more on MQ →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 →