Ulta Beauty Inc vs Xylem, Inc. — how do they compare? Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $531.85 (market cap $23.27B), while Xylem, Inc. trades at $121.4 (market cap $28.76B). The key difference: Xylem, Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Xylem, Inc. pays a 1.4% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ULTA | XYL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $23.27B | $28.76B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Industrials |
52-Week High | $706.82 | $152.95 |
52-Week Low | $450.75 | $106.34 |
Enterprise Value | $25.35B | $30.54B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.4% |
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.
Xylem (XYL) trades at $121.87, up 0.56% today, with a bullish technical signal and strong earnings momentum, having beaten EPS estimates for three consecutive quarters. The company's fundamentals show robust revenue growth, expanding margins, and healthy cash flow, supported by strategic acquisitions like Cornell Pump and Roper Pump to bolster its industrial water technology presence. Analyst consensus is mixed but leans positive, with a $150.43 price target implying significant upside.
Outlook remains favorable due to secular demand in water infrastructure and AI-driven data centers, though risks include execution on acquisitions and economic sensitivity. The stock offers growth potential from margin expansion and digital water solutions, but investors should monitor integration challenges and competitive pressures.
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 →Xylem is a global leader in water technology and offers a wide range of solutions, including the transport, treatment, testing, and efficient use of water for customers in the utility, industrial, commercial, and residential sectors. Xylem was spun off from ITT in 2011. Based in Rye Brook, New York, Xylem has a presence in over 150 countries and employs 16,200. The company generated $6.2 billion in revenue and $611 million in adjusted operating income in 2021.
Read more on XYL →