LI vs. ULTA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at LI and ULTA, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
LI trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, ULTA is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | LI | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Li Auto Inc. | Ulta Beauty, Inc. |
| Country | China | United States |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| GICS Industry | Automobiles | Specialty Retail |
| Market Capitalization | 23.93 billion USD | 23.57 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | July 30, 2020 | October 25, 2007 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of LI 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 | LI | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.02% | 1.51% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -14.06% | 27.77% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -6.11% | 45.67% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 142.14% | 40.11% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -9.01% | 1.82% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 0.53% | 20.56% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 20.06M | 0.62M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 16.68M | 0.72M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 47.84% | 30.45% |
| Beta | 1.35 | 1.06 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
LI
11.89%
Automobiles Industry
- Max
- 25.70%
- Q3
- 12.88%
- Median
- 6.92%
- Q1
- 0.71%
- Min
- -15.89%
LI’s Return on Equity of 11.89% is on par with the norm for the Automobiles 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.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
LI
5.59%
Automobiles Industry
- Max
- 9.92%
- Q3
- 5.78%
- Median
- 3.23%
- Q1
- 0.11%
- Min
- -5.31%
LI’s Net Profit Margin of 5.59% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Automobiles 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)
LI
5.44%
Automobiles Industry
- Max
- 13.07%
- Q3
- 7.22%
- Median
- 5.29%
- Q1
- 0.43%
- Min
- -4.46%
LI’s Operating Profit Margin of 5.44% is around the midpoint for the Automobiles 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 | LI | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 11.89% | 49.73% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 5.18% | 20.15% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 5.59% | 10.70% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 5.44% | 14.03% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 20.51% | 38.55% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
LI
1.87
Automobiles Industry
- Max
- 2.19
- Q3
- 1.54
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 1.09
- Min
- 0.48
LI’s Current Ratio of 1.87 is in the upper quartile for the Automobiles 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.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
LI
0.13
Automobiles Industry
- Max
- 2.34
- Q3
- 1.13
- Median
- 0.58
- Q1
- 0.28
- Min
- 0.06
Falling into the lower quartile for the Automobiles industry, LI’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.13 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
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)
LI
-16.94
Automobiles Industry
- Max
- 77.87
- Q3
- 42.86
- Median
- 13.88
- Q1
- 2.13
- Min
- -49.07
LI has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -16.94. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
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 | LI | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.87 | 1.67 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.64 | 0.39 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.13 | 0.00 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -16.94 | 649.00 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
LI
0.00%
Automobiles Industry
- Max
- 10.71%
- Q3
- 5.39%
- Median
- 3.14%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
LI 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.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
LI
0.00%
Automobiles Industry
- Max
- 114.43%
- Q3
- 59.30%
- Median
- 37.15%
- Q1
- 16.40%
- Min
- 0.00%
LI 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.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | LI | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
LI
21.28
Automobiles Industry
- Max
- 27.69
- Q3
- 19.99
- Median
- 9.85
- Q1
- 6.60
- Min
- 4.25
A P/E Ratio of 21.28 places LI in the upper quartile for the Automobiles industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
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.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
LI
1.19
Automobiles Industry
- Max
- 1.52
- Q3
- 0.84
- Median
- 0.41
- Q1
- 0.23
- Min
- 0.08
LI’s P/S Ratio of 1.19 is in the upper echelon for the Automobiles industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
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.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
LI
2.71
Automobiles Industry
- Max
- 4.25
- Q3
- 2.00
- Median
- 0.87
- Q1
- 0.46
- Min
- 0.19
LI’s P/B Ratio of 2.71 is in the upper tier for the Automobiles 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 | LI | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 21.28 | 19.42 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 1.19 | 2.61 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.71 | 7.32 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 8.74 | 19.19 |