ULTA vs. VIPS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ULTA and VIPS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
ULTA is a standard domestic listing, while VIPS trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | ULTA | VIPS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ulta Beauty, Inc. | Vipshop Holdings Limited |
| Country | United States | China |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| GICS Industry | Specialty Retail | Broadline Retail |
| Market Capitalization | 23.80 billion USD | 8.51 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | October 25, 2007 | March 23, 2012 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ULTA and VIPS 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 | ULTA | VIPS |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 2.44% | 2.62% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 30.82% | 19.53% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 43.59% | 17.18% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 39.01% | 35.91% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 2.81% | 14.38% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 21.74% | 28.14% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.58M | 2.88M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.72M | 3.20M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 30.80% | 27.56% |
| Beta | 1.06 | 0.71 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
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.
VIPS
18.88%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 49.17%
- Q3
- 28.98%
- Median
- 19.22%
- Q1
- 10.86%
- Min
- -11.14%
VIPS’s Return on Equity of 18.88% is on par with the norm for the Broadline Retail industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
VIPS
6.88%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 19.78%
- Q3
- 11.90%
- Median
- 8.63%
- Q1
- 5.21%
- Min
- 0.82%
VIPS’s Net Profit Margin of 6.88% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Broadline Retail industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
VIPS
8.06%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 27.23%
- Q3
- 15.96%
- Median
- 11.13%
- Q1
- 8.31%
- Min
- 1.77%
VIPS’s Operating Profit Margin of 8.06% is in the lower quartile for the Broadline Retail industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ULTA | VIPS |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 49.73% | 18.88% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 20.15% | 10.28% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.70% | 6.88% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.03% | 8.06% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 38.55% | 23.36% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
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.
VIPS
1.28
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.54
- Q3
- 2.42
- Median
- 1.49
- Q1
- 1.22
- Min
- 0.67
VIPS’s Current Ratio of 1.28 aligns with the median group of the Broadline Retail industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
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.
VIPS
0.11
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 2.14
- Q3
- 1.34
- Median
- 0.63
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Broadline Retail industry, VIPS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.11 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)
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.
VIPS
150.47
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 37.34
- Q3
- 20.63
- Median
- 11.28
- Q1
- 4.22
- Min
- -19.29
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 150.47, VIPS demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Broadline Retail industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ULTA | VIPS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.67 | 1.28 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.39 | 1.14 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.00 | 0.11 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 649.00 | 150.47 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
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.
VIPS
0.00%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 5.46%
- Q3
- 2.38%
- Median
- 0.43%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
VIPS 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)
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.
VIPS
0.00%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 131.17%
- Q3
- 63.48%
- Median
- 29.43%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
VIPS 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 | ULTA | VIPS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
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.
VIPS
7.97
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 66.12
- Q3
- 35.17
- Median
- 16.29
- Q1
- 10.47
- Min
- 5.94
In the lower quartile for the Broadline Retail industry, VIPS’s P/E Ratio of 7.97 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
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.
VIPS
0.55
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 5.40
- Q3
- 3.33
- Median
- 2.04
- Q1
- 0.80
- Min
- 0.16
In the lower quartile for the Broadline Retail industry, VIPS’s P/S Ratio of 0.55 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.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
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.
VIPS
1.43
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 9.06
- Q3
- 5.22
- Median
- 3.48
- Q1
- 1.90
- Min
- 0.74
VIPS’s P/B Ratio of 1.43 is in the lower quartile for the Broadline 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ULTA | VIPS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 19.42 | 7.97 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.61 | 0.55 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 7.32 | 1.43 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 19.19 | -- |