Phillips 66 vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Phillips 66 trades at $211.8 (market cap $85.11B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $475 (market cap $21.04B). The key difference: Phillips 66 is far larger — about 4× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and Phillips 66 pays a 2.39% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| PSX | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $85.11B | $21.04B |
Sector | Energy | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $212.27 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $118.37 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $107.08B | $23.12B |
Dividend Yield | 2.39% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Phillips 66 (PSX) trades at $212.27, up 2.62% today, with a bullish technical signal and strong analyst support. Recent earnings beats, including Q1 2026's positive surprise, highlight operational strength amid volatile energy markets. The stock benefits from robust refining margins and disciplined capital returns, including a $1.27 quarterly dividend. Valuation metrics like a P/E of 20.63 and P/S of 0.63 suggest relative affordability compared to sector peers.
Outlook remains positive due to tight fuel markets and efficient refining operations, though risks include oil price volatility and declining revenue trends. With 57% of analysts rating it a buy and a consensus price target of $201.50, the stock offers upside potential, but investors should monitor debt levels and macroeconomic pressures on energy demand.
ULTA Beauty trades at $489.47, up 2.06% with a bullish technical signal despite mixed moving averages. The company maintains strong profitability with 39.33% gross margins and 47.45% ROE, though net margins have declined from 12.17% in 2023 to 10.63% in 2025. Recent Q1 2026 earnings beat expectations at $7.74 EPS versus $6.89 expected, while Q4 2025 missed. Analyst consensus remains strongly positive with 26 buy ratings and a $618.29 price target, representing 26% upside potential.
ULTA presents a compelling growth story with international expansion and digital engagement driving long-term potential. However, investors face risks from margin compression, competitive pressures in beauty retail, and volatile cash flow patterns. The stock's current valuation at 18.29x P/E appears reasonable given growth prospects, but requires monitoring of consumer spending trends and execution on strategic initiatives.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Phillips 66 is an independent refiner with 12 refineries that have a total crude throughput capacity of 2.0 million barrels per day, or mmb/d, after converting its 255 mb/d Alliance refinery to a terminal. The midstream segment comprises extensive transportation and NGL processing assets. It also includes its DCP Midstream joint venture, which holds 45 natural gas processing facilities, 11 NGL fractionation plants, and a natural gas pipeline system with 58,000 miles of pipeline. Its CPChem chemical joint venture operates facilities in the United States and the Middle East and primarily produces olefins and polyolefins.
Read more on PSX →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 →