Ulta Beauty Inc vs Advanced Drainage Systems Inc — how do they compare? Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $542.26 (market cap $24.12B), while Advanced Drainage Systems Inc trades at $131.83 (market cap $10.08B). The key difference: Ulta Beauty Inc is far larger — about 2.4× Advanced Drainage Systems Inc's market cap, and Advanced Drainage Systems Inc pays a 0.6% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ULTA | WMS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $24.12B | $10.08B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Industrials |
52-Week High | $706.82 | $175.38 |
52-Week Low | $450.75 | $129.50 |
Enterprise Value | $26.43B | $11.68B |
Dividend Yield | — | 0.6% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
Advanced Drainage Systems (WMS) trades at $133.67, down 1.54% on the day, amid a bearish technical signal. The company has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, with Q2 2026 EPS of $2.49 exceeding the $2.10 forecast. Revenue for 2025 was $2.90 billion, with a net income margin of 15.5%. Analyst consensus is a Buy with a $188.20 price target, though technical indicators show selling pressure. Recent news highlights institutional buying and strong Q1 2027 results.
The outlook for WMS is mixed; strong fundamentals and analyst optimism contrast with near-term technical weakness. Investment opportunities include market share gains and acquisition synergies, while risks involve cyclical construction exposure and rising investing cash outflows. The stock's current price offers a potential upside to the consensus target, but investors should weigh execution risks against growth prospects.
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 →Advanced Drainage Systems Inc is engaged in designing, manufacturing, and marketing thermoplastic corrugated pipe and related water management products in North and South America, and Europe. The company's operating segment includes Pipe
Read more on WMS →