Ulta Beauty Inc vs Exxon Mobil Corporation — how do they compare? Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $534.96 (market cap $23.27B), while Exxon Mobil Corporation trades at $158.92 (market cap $657.08B). The key difference: Exxon Mobil Corporation is far larger — about 28.2× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and Exxon Mobil Corporation pays a 2.58% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ULTA | XOM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $23.27B | $657.08B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Energy |
52-Week High | $706.82 | $171.52 |
52-Week Low | $450.75 | $106.13 |
Enterprise Value | $25.35B | $688.86B |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.58% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ULTA Beauty trades at $548.66, down 2.92% on the day, with strong technical momentum indicated by bullish moving averages and key support at $542. Fundamentally, the company maintains robust profitability with 39.33% gross margins and 47.45% ROE, though recent earnings showed mixed results with a Q4 miss. Revenue growth has been consistent, reaching $11.3B in 2025, while analyst sentiment remains positive with 56.53% buy ratings.
The outlook for ULTA remains favorable with a consensus price target of $618.29 offering 12.7% upside potential. Key opportunities include omnichannel expansion and digital growth initiatives, while risks involve margin pressure from rising costs and competitive retail landscape. Institutional ownership trends show continued confidence with recent position increases by major funds.
ExxonMobil (XOM) trades at $159.79, up 4.48% today, showing strong momentum near its consensus price target of $163.71. The stock maintains a bullish technical outlook with support at $156 and resistance at $162. Recent earnings show mixed results with Q2 2026 missing expectations, but profitability remains solid with a 9.07% net margin and 12.55% ROE. The company benefits from high oil prices and strategic Permian Basin operations, though revenue has declined from $398.7B in 2022 to $323.9B in 2025.
XOM presents a balanced investment case with analyst consensus leaning toward Hold (51.85%). Upside potential exists from oil price strength and operational efficiency, but risks include volatile energy markets and declining revenue trends. The stock's current valuation at 20.57x P/E appears reasonable given stable dividends and strong cash flow generation. Institutional sentiment remains cautiously optimistic with price targets suggesting modest upside from current levels.
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 →Exxon Mobil Corporation operates petroleum and petro chemicals businesses. The Company provides operations include exploration and production of oil and gas, electric power generation, and coal and minerals operations. Exxon Mobil also manufactures and markets fuels, lubricants, and chemicals. Exxon Mobil serves customers worldwide.
Read more on XOM →