DRI vs. ULTA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at DRI and ULTA, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | DRI | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Darden Restaurants, Inc. | Ulta Beauty, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| GICS Industry | Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure | Specialty Retail |
| Market Capitalization | 24.13 billion USD | 23.94 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | May 9, 1995 | October 25, 2007 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of DRI and ULTA by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | DRI | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.13% | 5.24% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 1.51% | 29.18% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 3.24% | 32.65% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 45.64% | 66.19% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 2.60% | 3.44% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 10.84% | 22.48% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.99M | 0.60M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.40M | 0.78M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 20.63% | 31.81% |
| Beta | 0.79 | 1.06 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
DRI
48.09%
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 83.01%
- Q3
- 39.51%
- Median
- 17.38%
- Q1
- 5.32%
- Min
- -45.92%
In the upper quartile for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, DRI’s Return on Equity of 48.09% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
ULTA
49.73%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 61.19%
- Q3
- 37.24%
- Median
- 18.81%
- Q1
- 8.92%
- Min
- -13.03%
In the upper quartile for the Specialty Retail industry, ULTA’s Return on Equity of 49.73% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
DRI
8.69%
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 26.45%
- Q3
- 14.67%
- Median
- 8.69%
- Q1
- 3.34%
- Min
- -11.30%
DRI’s Net Profit Margin of 8.69% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
ULTA
10.70%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 21.28%
- Q3
- 10.68%
- Median
- 6.08%
- Q1
- 2.43%
- Min
- -4.54%
A Net Profit Margin of 10.70% places ULTA in the upper quartile for the Specialty Retail industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
DRI
11.28%
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 38.76%
- Q3
- 21.15%
- Median
- 14.20%
- Q1
- 6.43%
- Min
- -14.56%
DRI’s Operating Profit Margin of 11.28% is around the midpoint for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
ULTA
14.03%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 33.35%
- Q3
- 15.84%
- Median
- 9.34%
- Q1
- 3.83%
- Min
- -8.97%
ULTA’s Operating Profit Margin of 14.03% is around the midpoint for the Specialty Retail industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | DRI | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 48.09% | 49.73% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 8.56% | 20.15% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 8.69% | 10.70% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 11.28% | 14.03% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 21.88% | 38.55% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
DRI
0.42
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 2.68
- Q3
- 1.62
- Median
- 1.11
- Q1
- 0.74
- Min
- 0.19
DRI’s Current Ratio of 0.42 falls into the lower quartile for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
ULTA
1.67
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 2.83
- Q3
- 1.89
- Median
- 1.39
- Q1
- 1.11
- Min
- 0.64
ULTA’s Current Ratio of 1.67 aligns with the median group of the Specialty Retail industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
DRI
1.62
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 9.88
- Q3
- 4.54
- Median
- 1.52
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.00
DRI’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.62 is typical for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
ULTA
0.00
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.02
- Q3
- 1.57
- Median
- 0.64
- Q1
- 0.20
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Specialty Retail industry, ULTA’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.00 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
DRI
7.78
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 26.88
- Q3
- 11.95
- Median
- 3.87
- Q1
- 1.19
- Min
- -11.84
DRI’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.78 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
ULTA
649.00
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 48.12
- Q3
- 35.95
- Median
- 14.13
- Q1
- 3.61
- Min
- -36.00
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 649.00, ULTA demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Specialty Retail industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | DRI | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.42 | 1.67 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.16 | 0.39 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.62 | 0.00 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.78 | 649.00 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
DRI
2.76%
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 5.88%
- Q3
- 2.37%
- Median
- 0.68%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.76%, DRI offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
ULTA
0.00%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 6.53%
- Q3
- 2.69%
- Median
- 1.08%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ULTA currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
DRI
62.74%
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 127.31%
- Q3
- 56.79%
- Median
- 19.58%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
DRI’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 62.74% is in the upper quartile for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
ULTA
0.00%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 165.81%
- Q3
- 80.94%
- Median
- 31.61%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ULTA has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | DRI | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.76% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 62.74% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
DRI
22.72
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 59.44
- Q3
- 33.98
- Median
- 22.25
- Q1
- 15.53
- Min
- 7.61
DRI’s P/E Ratio of 22.72 is within the middle range for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
ULTA
19.92
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 48.56
- Q3
- 29.15
- Median
- 22.00
- Q1
- 15.46
- Min
- 7.95
ULTA’s P/E Ratio of 19.92 is within the middle range for the Specialty Retail industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
DRI
1.97
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 7.74
- Q3
- 3.88
- Median
- 2.05
- Q1
- 1.19
- Min
- 0.17
DRI’s P/S Ratio of 1.97 aligns with the market consensus for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
ULTA
2.67
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 5.08
- Q3
- 2.69
- Median
- 1.23
- Q1
- 0.48
- Min
- 0.09
ULTA’s P/S Ratio of 2.67 aligns with the market consensus for the Specialty Retail industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
DRI
10.33
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure Industry
- Max
- 20.90
- Q3
- 9.78
- Median
- 4.29
- Q1
- 2.22
- Min
- 0.47
DRI’s P/B Ratio of 10.33 is in the upper tier for the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
ULTA
7.32
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 16.93
- Q3
- 7.98
- Median
- 3.69
- Q1
- 1.79
- Min
- 0.21
ULTA’s P/B Ratio of 7.32 is within the conventional range for the Specialty Retail industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | DRI | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 22.72 | 19.92 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 1.97 | 2.67 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 10.33 | 7.32 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 23.22 | 19.68 |