Starbucks Corp vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Starbucks Corp trades at $105.07 (market cap $119.45B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $487.81 (market cap $20.98B). The key difference: Starbucks Corp is far larger — about 5.7× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and Starbucks Corp pays a 2.37% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| SBUX | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $119.45B | $20.98B |
Volume | 7,493,833 | — |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $108.37 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $78.46 | $450.75 |
Enterprise Value | $142.14B | $23.06B |
Dividend Yield | 2.37% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Starbucks (SBUX) trades at $104.64, down 0.81% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages. The stock shows mixed earnings performance, missing estimates in Q3 and Q4 2025 but beating in Q1 2026, while revenue growth remains steady. Recent news highlights cost-cutting initiatives, including a $400 million AI-driven software reduction plan, and strong channel development growth of 39% year-over-year in Q2 2026.
The investment outlook is cautiously optimistic, with a consensus price target of $108.86 offering modest upside. Key opportunities include margin expansion from cost efficiencies and dividend growth, but risks involve high valuation multiples, competitive pressures, and inconsistent earnings performance. Analyst sentiment is balanced with 47% buy and hold ratings each.
ULTA Beauty trades at $488.01, up 1.76% with a bullish technical signal despite mixed moving averages. The company maintains strong profitability with 39.33% gross margins and 47.45% ROE, though revenue growth has slowed to 0.9% in 2025. Recent leadership appointments and international expansion initiatives signal strategic positioning for future growth.
ULTA presents a compelling value opportunity with a 17.97 P/E ratio below historical averages, supported by 56.5% analyst buy ratings and a $618.29 consensus target. However, margin compression risks and competitive pressures require monitoring as the company navigates evolving consumer trends and expansion challenges.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Starbucks Corporation retails, roasts, and provides its own brand of specialty coffee. The Company operates retail locations worldwide and sells whole bean coffees through its sales group, direct response business, supermarkets, and on the world wide web. Starbucks also produces and sells bottled coffee drinks and a line of ice creams.
Read more on SBUX →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 →