KMX vs. ULTA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 27, 2025

Here’s a clear look at KMX and ULTA, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

Symbol	KMX	ULTA
Company Name	CarMax, Inc.	Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Consumer Discretionary	Consumer Discretionary
GICS Industry	Specialty Retail	Specialty Retail
Market Capitalization	8.98 billion USD	23.57 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NasdaqGS
Listing Date	February 4, 1997	October 25, 2007
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of KMX 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.

KMX vs. ULTA: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	KMX	ULTA
5-Day Price Return	0.81%	1.51%
13-Week Price Return	-5.31%	27.77%
26-Week Price Return	-31.54%	45.67%
52-Week Price Return	-27.12%	40.11%
Month-to-Date Return	5.74%	1.82%
Year-to-Date Return	-26.79%	20.56%
10-Day Avg. Volume	2.40M	0.62M
3-Month Avg. Volume	3.23M	0.72M
3-Month Volatility	33.48%	30.45%
Beta	1.33	1.06

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

KMX

8.96%

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 61.19%
Q3: 37.24%
Median: 18.81%
Q1: 8.92%
Min: -13.03%

KMX’s Return on Equity of 8.96% is on par with the norm for the Specialty Retail industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

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.

KMX vs. ULTA: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against the Specialty Retail industry benchmark.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

KMX

2.08%

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 21.28%
Q3: 10.68%
Median: 6.08%
Q1: 2.43%
Min: -4.54%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Specialty Retail industry, KMX’s Net Profit Margin of 2.08% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

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.

KMX vs. ULTA: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against the Specialty Retail industry benchmark.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

KMX

2.78%

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 33.35%
Q3: 15.84%
Median: 9.34%
Q1: 3.83%
Min: -8.97%

KMX’s Operating Profit Margin of 2.78% is in the lower quartile for the Specialty Retail industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

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.

KMX vs. ULTA: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against the Specialty Retail industry benchmark.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	KMX	ULTA
Return on Equity (TTM)	8.96%	49.73%
Return on Assets (TTM)	2.04%	20.15%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	2.08%	10.70%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	2.78%	14.03%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	11.20%	38.55%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

KMX

2.39

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 2.83
Q3: 1.89
Median: 1.39
Q1: 1.11
Min: 0.64

KMX’s Current Ratio of 2.39 is in the upper quartile for the Specialty Retail industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.

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.

KMX vs. ULTA: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against the Specialty Retail industry benchmark.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

KMX

3.02

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 3.02
Q3: 1.57
Median: 0.64
Q1: 0.20
Min: 0.00

KMX’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Specialty Retail industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 3.02. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.

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.

KMX vs. ULTA: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against the Specialty Retail industry benchmark.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

KMX

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 48.12
Q3: 35.95
Median: 14.13
Q1: 3.61
Min: -36.00

Interest Coverage Ratio data for KMX is currently unavailable.

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.

KMX vs. ULTA: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against the Specialty Retail industry benchmark.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	KMX	ULTA
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.39	1.67
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.80	0.39
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	3.02	0.00
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	--	649.00

Growth

Revenue Growth

KMX vs. ULTA: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

KMX vs. ULTA: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

KMX

0.00%

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 6.53%
Q3: 2.69%
Median: 1.08%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

KMX 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.

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.

KMX vs. ULTA: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against the Specialty Retail industry benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

KMX

0.00%

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 165.81%
Q3: 80.94%
Median: 31.61%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

KMX 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.

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.

KMX vs. ULTA: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against the Specialty Retail industry benchmark.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	KMX	ULTA
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	0.00%	0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

KMX

15.58

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 48.56
Q3: 29.15
Median: 22.00
Q1: 15.46
Min: 7.95

KMX’s P/E Ratio of 15.58 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.

ULTA

19.42

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 48.56
Q3: 29.15
Median: 22.00
Q1: 15.46
Min: 7.95

ULTA’s P/E Ratio of 19.42 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.

KMX vs. ULTA: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against the Specialty Retail industry benchmark.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

KMX

0.32

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 5.08
Q3: 2.69
Median: 1.23
Q1: 0.48
Min: 0.09

In the lower quartile for the Specialty Retail industry, KMX’s P/S Ratio of 0.32 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.

ULTA

2.61

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 5.08
Q3: 2.69
Median: 1.23
Q1: 0.48
Min: 0.09

ULTA’s P/S Ratio of 2.61 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.

KMX vs. ULTA: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against the Specialty Retail industry benchmark.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

KMX

1.54

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 16.93
Q3: 7.98
Median: 3.69
Q1: 1.79
Min: 0.21

KMX’s P/B Ratio of 1.54 is in the lower quartile for the Specialty Retail industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

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.

KMX vs. ULTA: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against the Specialty Retail industry benchmark.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	KMX	ULTA
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	15.58	19.42
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	0.32	2.61
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	1.54	7.32
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	12.58	19.19