Ulta Beauty Inc vs Union Pacific Corporation — how do they compare? Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $531.85 (market cap $23.27B), while Union Pacific Corporation trades at $292.17 (market cap $173.99B). The key difference: Union Pacific Corporation is far larger — about 7.5× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and Union Pacific Corporation pays a 1.94% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ULTA | UNP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $23.27B | $173.99B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Industrials |
52-Week High | $706.82 | $307.32 |
52-Week Low | $450.75 | $214.91 |
Enterprise Value | $25.35B | $203.04B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.94% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ULTA stock trades at $532.14, down 3.01% today, amid mixed technical signals with a bullish moving average trend but neutral oscillators. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $7.74, beating expectations, and maintains strong profitability with a 39.33% gross margin and 47.45% ROE. Recent news highlights Ulta's omnichannel growth strategy and the end of its Target partnership, viewed as a potential revenue opportunity by analysts.
Outlook is positive with a consensus price target of $618.29, representing 16% upside, supported by 56.53% analyst buy ratings. Risks include margin compression, with net income margin projected to drop to 9.35% in 2026, and volatile cash flows, as net cash flow turned negative in 2025. Investors should weigh strong fundamentals against competitive and execution risks in the retail sector.
Union Pacific (UNP) trades at $294.24, up 0.68% with strong fundamentals including 28.85% net margins and 39.7% ROE. The stock shows bullish momentum with Q2 2026 EPS beating estimates by 4.6% and management raising full-year guidance. Technical indicators are neutral overall, with the current price near resistance at $294. Recent news highlights institutional accumulation and a 3% dividend increase announced July 29, 2026.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus target of $334.33 (13.6% upside) and 58.7% buy ratings. Key opportunities include service-led growth driving margin expansion, while risks involve high fuel costs and regulatory scrutiny of the Norfolk Southern merger. The company's strong cash flow generation supports continued dividend growth and capital returns.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Omaha, Nebraska-based Union Pacific is the largest public railroad in North America. Operating on more than 30,000 miles of track in the western two thirds of the U.S., UP generated roughly $22 billion of revenue in 2021 by hauling coal, industrial products, intermodal containers, agriculture goods, chemicals, and automotive goods. UP owns about one fourth of Mexican railroad Ferromex and derives about 10% of its revenue hauling freight to and from Mexico.
Read more on UNP →