QUALCOMM, Inc. vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? QUALCOMM, Inc. trades at $175.43 (market cap $185.94B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $542.26 (market cap $24.12B). The key difference: QUALCOMM, Inc. is far larger — about 7.7× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and QUALCOMM, Inc. pays a 2.11% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| QCOM | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $185.94B | $24.12B |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $251.10 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $124.07 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $192.90B | $26.43B |
Dividend Yield | 2.11% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Qualcomm (QCOM) trades at $176.4, up 4.54% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and oscillators. The company reported revenue of $44.28B in 2025, with a net income margin of 21.01%. Recent earnings show mixed results, beating estimates in Q4 2025 and Q1 2026 but missing in Q2 2026. Analyst consensus is a Buy with a $200.56 price target, while news highlights AI and data center growth amid smartphone market challenges.
The outlook for QCOM is cautiously optimistic, driven by AI and data center expansion, but near-term risks include smartphone demand softness and margin pressures. Investment opportunity lies in diversification beyond handsets, though competition from Nvidia and Intel poses a threat. Earnings growth and execution on AI initiatives are key catalysts for upside.
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
Qualcomm develops and licenses wireless technology and designs chips for smartphones. The company's key patents revolve around CDMA and OFDMA technologies, which are standards in wireless communications that are the backbone of all 3G and 4G networks. The firm is a leader in 5G network technology as well. Qualcomm's IP is licensed by virtually all wireless device makers. The firm is also the world's largest wireless chip vendor, supplying nearly every premier handset maker with leading-edge processors. Qualcomm also sells RF-front end modules into smartphones and chips into automotive and Internet of Things markets.
Read more on QCOM →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 →