Compare StocksULTA vs V

Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) vs Visa Inc. (V)

ULTA
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
$534.10
VS
V
Visa Inc.
$299.71

Rewards

ULTA
  • Ulta Beauty, Inc. has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
  • Ulta Beauty, Inc. scores 89/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with roic consistency as the strongest competitive dimension.
  • Return on equity has consistently exceeded 20% over 4 years, indicating efficient use of shareholder capital.
V
  • Visa Inc. has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
  • Gross margin of 97.8% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
  • Visa Inc. scores 99/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with roic consistency as the strongest competitive dimension.

Risks

ULTA
    V
    • Insiders have sold $3.9M worth of stock in the past 3 months — significant insider liquidation.

    Key Valuation Metrics

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    ULTA
    V
    Valuation
    $900.10M
    Free Cash Flow
    $22.03B
    3.76%
    FCF Yield
    3.81%
    20.83
    Trailing P/E
    28.17
    16.96
    Forward P/E
    20.62
    Quality & Moat
    24.02%
    ROIC
    37.25%
    41.15%
    ROE
    51.73%
    39.10%
    Gross Margin
    97.78%
    N/A
    PEG Ratio
    1.62
    Balance Sheet Safety
    0.78
    Debt / Equity
    0.55
    N/A
    Interest Coverage
    N/A
    0.92
    Net Debt / EBITDA
    0.16
    N/A
    Dividend Yield
    0.89%
    ULTA: 2Ties: 2V: 6
    ULTAV

    Historical Fundamentals

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    ULTA

    Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

    V

    Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

    Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

    $1 Retained Earnings Test

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    ULTA
    $0.88
    created per $1 retained over 3 years
    Mediocre Allocator
    Σ Retained
    $3.73B
    Δ Market Cap
    +$3.27B
    Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
    > $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
    V
    $5.50
    created per $1 retained over 3 years
    Exceptional Value Creator
    Σ Retained
    $44.47B
    Δ Market Cap
    +$244.54B
    Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
    > $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

    Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
    > $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

    Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

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    ULTA
    17.1% Margin of Safety
    Price is 17.1% below estimated fair value
    Current Price: $534.10
    Fair Value: $644.58
    Strongly undervalued
    Undervalued
    Fairly valued
    Overvalued
    Strongly overvalued
    V
    1.1% Margin of Safety
    Price is 1.1% below estimated fair value
    Current Price: $299.71
    Fair Value: $303.16
    Strongly undervalued
    Undervalued
    Fairly valued
    Overvalued
    Strongly overvalued

    Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth

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    ULTA

    What growth rate is the market pricing in at $534?

    +8.6%
    Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
    Standard FCF implies +12.5%

    The market implies +8.6% Owner Earnings growth, roughly in line with history — reasonably priced.

    Standard FCF implies +12.5%, reflecting ongoing growth investment.

    V

    What growth rate is the market pricing in at $300?

    +12.8%
    Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
    Standard FCF implies +11.5%

    The market implies +12.8% Owner Earnings growth, roughly in line with history — reasonably priced.

    Standard FCF implies +11.5%, reflecting ongoing growth investment.

    Economic Moat Score

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    ULTA
    89/100
    Wide Moat
    70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

    Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. ROIC Consistency is the standout factor.

    Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.
    V
    99/100
    Wide Moat
    70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

    Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. ROIC Consistency is the standout factor.

    Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.

    Forensic Accounting

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    ULTA
    -2.56
    Unlikely Manipulator
    Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

    M-Score Trend

    Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
    V
    -2.50
    Unlikely Manipulator
    Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

    M-Score Trend

    Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

    Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

    Ownership Breakdown

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    ULTA
    Insiders 0.5%Institutions 100.2%
    No. of Institutional Holders1,581
    High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
    V
    Insiders 0.6%Institutions 90.8%Retail & Other 8.7%
    No. of Institutional Holders5,907
    High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

    High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

    Insider Buying Activity

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    ULTA
    0
    Buys (3M)
    0
    Buys (12M)
    STEELMAN KECIA
    Chief Executive Officer
    $499,528
    @ $346.89 · 2025-03-20
    Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
    V
    0
    Buys (3M)
    0
    Buys (12M)
    No open market insider purchases found.
    Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

    Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.

    Insider Selling Activity

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    ULTA
    0
    Sells (3M)
    2
    Sells (12M)
    Total value (12M): $597,199
    SMITH MICHAEL C
    Director
    $264,215
    @ $528.43 · 2025-09-04
    CARO JODI J
    General Counsel
    $332,984
    @ $369.16 · 2025-04-01
    HALLIGAN CATHERINE ANN
    Director
    $39,008
    @ $390.08 · 2024-07-02
    CARO JODI J
    General Counsel
    $252,639
    @ $388.68 · 2024-06-25
    MRKONIC GEORGE R JR
    Director
    $154,568
    @ $389.34 · 2024-06-04
    Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
    V
    2
    Sells (3M)
    24
    Sells (12M)
    Total value (12M): $101.23M
    CARNEY LLOYD A
    Director
    $201,253
    @ $309.62 · 2026-03-11
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $3.66M
    @ $349.18 · 2026-01-02
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $3.57M
    @ $340.07 · 2025-12-11
    ROTTENBERG JULIE B
    General Counsel
    $699,315
    @ $345.00 · 2025-12-11
    TANEJA RAJAT
    Officer
    $7.84M
    @ $330.14 · 2025-12-02
    FABARA PAUL D
    Officer
    $2.50M
    @ $331.45 · 2025-12-02
    TANEJA RAJAT
    Officer
    $2.08M
    @ $330.00 · 2025-11-21
    FABARA PAUL D
    Officer
    $707,917
    @ $325.93 · 2025-11-21
    CARNEY LLOYD A
    Director
    $302,832
    @ $336.48 · 2025-11-04
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $3.58M
    @ $341.00 · 2025-11-03
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $3.59M
    @ $342.30 · 2025-10-01
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $3.65M
    @ $348.57 · 2025-09-02
    ROTTENBERG JULIE B
    General Counsel
    $697,329
    @ $344.02 · 2025-08-18
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $3.60M
    @ $343.13 · 2025-08-14
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $3.05M
    @ $353.82 · 2025-07-01
    FABARA PAUL D
    Officer
    $4.36M
    @ $375.00 · 2025-06-11
    TANEJA RAJAT
    President
    $18.44M
    @ $368.87 · 2025-06-05
    FABARA PAUL D
    Officer
    $17.10M
    @ $370.00 · 2025-06-05
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $3.13M
    @ $362.77 · 2025-06-02
    FABARA PAUL D
    Officer
    $6.32M
    @ $357.45 · 2025-05-12
    FABARA PAUL D
    Officer
    $5.26M
    @ $355.04 · 2025-05-08
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $2.98M
    @ $345.58 · 2025-05-01
    ROTTENBERG JULIE B
    General Counsel
    $889,868
    @ $345.58 · 2025-05-01
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $3.02M
    @ $350.44 · 2025-04-01
    FABARA PAUL D
    Officer
    $13.40M
    @ $340.41 · 2025-03-19
    FABARA PAUL D
    Officer
    $12.88M
    @ $327.20 · 2025-03-14
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $3.13M
    @ $363.00 · 2025-03-03
    ANDRESKI PETER M
    Officer
    $815,314
    @ $349.62 · 2025-02-07
    MAHON TULLIER KELLY
    Officer
    $11.80M
    @ $349.77 · 2025-02-07
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $2.93M
    @ $340.00 · 2025-02-03
    ROTTENBERG JULIE B
    General Counsel
    $874,480
    @ $340.00 · 2025-02-03
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $2.74M
    @ $317.78 · 2025-01-02
    TANEJA RAJAT
    Officer
    $11.15M
    @ $315.55 · 2024-12-13
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $2.73M
    @ $316.90 · 2024-12-02
    FABARA PAUL D
    Officer
    $668,603
    @ $307.97 · 2024-11-22
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $2.49M
    @ $288.49 · 2024-11-01
    ROTTENBERG JULIE B
    General Counsel
    $741,996
    @ $288.49 · 2024-11-01
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $2.39M
    @ $276.97 · 2024-10-01
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $2.38M
    @ $276.37 · 2024-09-03
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $2.37M
    @ $275.00 · 2024-08-29
    ROTTENBERG JULIE B
    General Counsel
    $707,300
    @ $275.00 · 2024-08-29
    MAHON TULLIER KELLY
    Officer
    $10.12M
    @ $267.64 · 2024-08-16
    FABARA PAUL D
    Officer
    $7.01M
    @ $277.15 · 2024-05-15
    CARNEY LLOYD A
    Director
    $250,472
    @ $275.55 · 2024-04-26
    MCINERNEY RYAN
    Chief Executive Officer
    $2.30M
    @ $280.36 · 2024-04-01
    Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

    Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.

    🎭 Mr. Market's Mood

    Learn more →
    ULTA
    FearGreed
    😨Fear(28/100)

    "Market is pessimistic — investigate whether fears are temporary or structural"

    Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
    V
    FearGreed
    😨Fear(36/100)

    "Market is pessimistic — investigate whether fears are temporary or structural"

    Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

    Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

    ⚖️ Buffett Signal

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    ULTA
    Awaiting DCF Data

    The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

    DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Fear (28)
    V
    Awaiting DCF Data

    The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

    DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Fear (36)
    View ULTA Full AnalysisView V Full Analysis
    Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) vs Visa Inc. (V) Stock Comparison | SafetyMargin.io