Banco Santander SA vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Banco Santander SA trades at $14.79 (market cap $218.36B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $542.26 (market cap $24.12B). The key difference: Banco Santander SA is far larger — about 9.1× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and Banco Santander SA pays a 1.87% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| SAN | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $218.36B | $24.12B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $15.05 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $9.65 | $450.75 |
Dividend Yield | 1.87% | — |
Enterprise Value | — | $26.43B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Banco Santander (SAN) trades at $14.86, down 0.47% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a moderate buy consensus from analysts (64% buy ratings). The company reported record profitability in H1 2026 with a net income margin of 26.25% and recently completed the Webster acquisition to expand its U.S. presence, though cash flow trends show recent operational outflows.
SAN's outlook is supported by strong profitability and strategic expansion, but risks include volatile cash flows, high leverage with a debt-to-asset ratio of 17.8, and integration challenges from acquisitions. The stock offers value with a P/E of 14.47, but investors should weigh execution risks against growth potential.
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
Santander's focus is on retail and commercial banking. Latin America is geographically the largest operation, with Brazil by far the largest. Its continental European business is still mainly Iberian. Santander's U.K. presence is the result of the acquisition of building society Abbey. In the U.S., Santander operates a vehicle finance business and a regional bank focused on the Northeastern states.
Read more on SAN →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 →