Nucor Corporation vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Nucor Corporation trades at $251.29 (market cap $55.84B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $565.99 (market cap $24.12B). The key difference: Nucor Corporation is far larger — about 2.3× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and Nucor Corporation pays a 0.91% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Nucor Corporation for 78 Days and Ulta Beauty Inc for 92 Days on average.
| NUE | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $55.84B | $24.12B |
Volume | 848,835 | 457,598 |
Sector | Basic Materials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $274.74 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $131.78 | $450.75 |
Typical Hold Time | 78 Days | 92 Days |
Enterprise Value | $60.25B | $26.43B |
Dividend Yield | 0.91% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Nucor (NUE) trades at $246.44, down 1.84% on the day, with a neutral technical signal and mixed earnings history including a Q2 2026 beat. Revenue and net income have shown volatility, with 2025 revenue at $32.49B and net income at $1.74B, while analyst consensus is a 'Buy' with a $266.88 price target. Recent news highlights steel sector dynamics and Nucor's Q3 2026 earnings guidance.
The outlook for NUE is cautiously optimistic, supported by analyst bullishness and projected earnings growth, but risks include competitive pressures from new steel capacity and cyclical demand fluctuations. Investment opportunity lies in its solid fundamentals and dividend history, though investors should weigh margin pressures and market volatility.
ULTA Beauty trades at $545.48, down 0.33% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings beat and raised 2026 guidance, though Q4 2025 missed expectations. Valuation metrics show a P/E of 20.55 and P/S of 1.92, with robust profitability including 46.12% ROE. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 59.57% buy ratings and a $624.93 price target, representing 14.6% upside potential.
ULTA presents a compelling growth story with e-commerce momentum and expansion into wellness categories, though margin compression and flat traffic pose near-term challenges. The stock offers attractive upside to analyst targets but faces execution risks amid consumer spending pressures. Institutional ownership remains strong with recent buying activity from major funds.
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 →