Compare Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) vs Ulta Beauty Inc (ULTA) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Paychex, Inc. vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Paychex, Inc. trades at $104.66 (market cap $37.19B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $561.8 (market cap $24.12B). The key difference: Paychex, Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Paychex, Inc. pays a 4.56% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Paychex, Inc. for 56 Days and Ulta Beauty Inc for 92 Days on average.
| PAYX | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $37.19B | $24.12B |
Volume | 3,344,316 | 457,598 |
Sector | Industrials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $128.59 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $85.57 | $450.75 |
Typical Hold Time | 56 Days | 92 Days |
Enterprise Value | $40.87B | $26.43B |
Dividend Yield | 4.56% | — |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Paychex (PAYX) trades at $101.55, up 0.52% on the day, with a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. The stock shows strong profitability with a 27.35% net income margin and 47.06% ROE, but valuation ratios like P/E of 20.73 and P/S of 5.67 appear elevated. Recent news highlights mixed sentiment, with earnings outperformance offset by concerns over dividend sustainability and labor market cooling.
The outlook is cautious; while fundamentals remain solid with consistent revenue growth, high debt levels and bearish technicals pose risks. Analyst consensus leans hold with a $111 price target, suggesting limited upside. Key opportunities include dividend yield and PEO growth, but investors face headwinds from economic sensitivity and competitive pressures.
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.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About Paychex, Inc.
Paychex is a leading provider of payroll, human capital management, and insurance solutions servicing small and midsize clients primarily in the United States. The company, established in 1979, services over 730,000 clients and pays over 1 in 12 U.S. private-sector workers. Alongside its traditional payroll services, Paychex offers HCM solutions such as benefits administration and time and attendance software, as well as human resources outsourcing and insurance agency services.
Read more on PAYX →About Ulta Beauty Inc
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 →
