Nucor Corporation vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Nucor Corporation trades at $257.08 (market cap $58.17B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $542.26 (market cap $24.12B). The key difference: Nucor Corporation is far larger — about 2.4× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and Nucor Corporation pays a 0.87% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NUE | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $58.17B | $24.12B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $274.74 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $131.78 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $62.58B | $26.43B |
Dividend Yield | 0.87% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Nucor Corporation (NUE) trades at $256.40, down 1.79% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages and strong institutional interest. The company shows improving fundamentals with recent earnings beats (Q1 and Q2 2026) and projected revenue growth to $36.1B in 2026. Analyst consensus remains positive with a $277.57 price target, though recent trade tensions and cyclical steel industry challenges present headwinds.
NUE offers value with reasonable valuation multiples (P/E 20.46, P/S 1.63) and strong profitability metrics (ROE 13.52%). Key risks include exposure to steel price volatility and macroeconomic sensitivity, but infrastructure demand and tariff protections provide tailwinds. Institutional accumulation and dividend stability support the investment case for long-term investors.
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
Nucor Corp manufactures steel and steel products. The company also produces direct reduced iron for use in its steel mills. The operations include international trading and sales companies that buy and sell steel and steel products manufactured by the company and others. The operating business segments are: steel mills, steel products and raw materials, the steel mills segment derives maximum revenue.
Read more on NUE →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 →