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ULTA vs. W: Ulta Beauty vs. Wayfair Stock Comparison

How do Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W) both belong to the Specialty Retail industry, though ULTA is classified under Other Specialty Retail while W falls under Homefurnishing Retail.

Company profile comparison for Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W)
Profile ItemULTAW
NameUlta Beauty, Inc.Wayfair Inc. Class A Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer DiscretionaryConsumer Discretionary
GICS Industry GroupConsumer Discretionary Distribution & RetailConsumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail
GICS IndustrySpecialty RetailSpecialty Retail
GICS Sub-IndustryOther Specialty RetailHomefurnishing Retail
Market Capitalization27.57 billion USD15.29 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateOctober 25, 2007October 2, 2014
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ULTA
W
GSPC
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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W)
MetricULTAW
Total Return (1Y)29.08%11.13%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.79%40.48%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)11.09%-13.87%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ULTA
W
GSPC
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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Wayfair (W) carries a highly aggressive beta of 3.07, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, whereas Ulta Beauty (ULTA) is closer to market-like at 0.82 — a noticeable difference in market-sensitivity profile.

Risk profile metrics for Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W)
MetricULTAW
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)36.05%69.34%
Beta (5Y)0.823.07
Max Drawdown (5Y)-44.56%-91.36%
Avg. Volume (3M)548.94K2.27M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ULTA and W are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W)
MetricULTAW
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.690.10
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.010.16

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Ulta Beauty (ULTA) earns 46.12% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Wayfair (W) has no ROE this period.

ULTA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

46.12%

Max
62.17%
ULTA
46.12%
Q3
29.44%
Median
15.69%
Q1
6.73%
Min
-12.16%

W

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

--

Max
62.17%
Q3
29.44%
Median
15.69%
Q1
6.73%
Min
-12.16%
W
--
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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W): W does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; ULTA is benchmarked against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Wayfair (W) reports a negative net margin of -1.21%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Ulta Beauty (ULTA) reports 9.34%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ULTA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

9.34%

Max
16.94%
ULTA
9.34%
Q3
8.69%
Median
3.55%
Q1
1.14%
Min
-9.41%

W

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

-1.21%

Max
16.94%
Q3
8.69%
Median
3.55%
Q1
1.14%
W
-1.21%
Min
-9.41%
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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W): A comparison of their net margin against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Ulta Beauty (ULTA) at 12.51% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Wayfair (W) at 3.10%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ULTA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

12.51%

Max
21.45%
ULTA
12.51%
Q3
10.89%
Median
5.57%
Q1
2.28%
Min
-7.12%

W

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

3.10%

Max
21.45%
Q3
10.89%
Median
5.57%
W
3.10%
Q1
2.28%
Min
-7.12%
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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W): A comparison of their operating margin against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W)
MetricULTAW
ROE (TTM)46.12%--
ROA (TTM)14.84%5.86%
Net Margin (TTM)9.34%-1.21%
Operating Margin (TTM)12.51%3.10%
Gross Margin (TTM)43.10%29.95%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Ulta Beauty (ULTA) at 9.71% and Wayfair (W) at 5.11% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Ulta Beauty (ULTA) reports EPS growth of 1.18%, ranked against its industry; Wayfair (W) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W)
MetricULTAW
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.71%5.11%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)6.68%0.65%
EPS Growth (YoY)1.18%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)2.21%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Ulta Beauty (ULTA) at 1.35 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Wayfair (W) at 0.67 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for W.

ULTA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

1.35

Max
2.62
Q3
1.75
Median
1.35
ULTA
1.35
Q1
1.00
Min
0.48

W

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.67

Max
2.62
Q3
1.75
Median
1.35
Q1
1.00
W
0.67
Min
0.48
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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W): A comparison of their current ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Ulta Beauty (ULTA) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95 against its industry range, while Wayfair (W) reports no figure this period.

ULTA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.95

Max
3.93
Q3
2.14
Median
1.25
ULTA
0.95
Q1
0.73
Min
0.01

W

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

--

Max
3.93
Q3
2.14
Median
1.25
Q1
0.73
Min
0.01
W
--
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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W): W does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; ULTA is benchmarked against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W)
MetricULTAW
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.350.67
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.95--
Net Debt / EBITDA1.196.93

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Neither Ulta Beauty (ULTA) nor Wayfair (W) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

ULTA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.00%

Max
5.84%
Q3
2.50%
ULTA
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

W

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.00%

Max
5.84%
Q3
2.50%
W
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Neither Ulta Beauty (ULTA) nor Wayfair (W) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

ULTA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.00%

Max
72.73%
Q3
32.44%
ULTA
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

W

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.00%

Max
72.73%
Q3
32.44%
W
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W)
MetricULTAW
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Ulta Beauty (ULTA) trades at 23.50 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Wayfair (W) has no P/E ratio this period.

ULTA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

23.50

Max
40.50
Q3
24.26
ULTA
23.50
Median
19.23
Q1
12.64
Min
4.67

W

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

--

Max
40.50
Q3
24.26
Median
19.23
Q1
12.64
Min
4.67
W
--
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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W): W does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; ULTA is benchmarked against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Wayfair (W) at 1.16 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Ulta Beauty (ULTA) at 2.13 sits in the pricier quartile — ULTA costs more per dollar of sales.

ULTA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

2.13

Max
4.32
ULTA
2.13
Q3
1.99
Median
0.70
Q1
0.26
Min
0.03

W

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

1.16

Max
4.32
Q3
1.99
W
1.16
Median
0.70
Q1
0.26
Min
0.03
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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Wayfair (W) reports a negative P/B ratio of -5.43, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Ulta Beauty (ULTA) reports 10.44, ranking against industry peers normally.

ULTA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

10.44

Max
10.96
ULTA
10.44
Q3
5.26
Median
2.16
Q1
1.08
Min
-4.45

W

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

-5.43

Max
10.96
Q3
5.26
Median
2.16
Q1
1.08
Min
-4.45
W
-5.43
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Ulta Beauty (ULTA) vs. Wayfair (W): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ulta Beauty (ULTA) and Wayfair (W)
MetricULTAW
P/E Ratio (TTM)23.50--
P/S Ratio (TTM)2.131.16
P/B Ratio (MRQ)10.44-5.43
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.32%3.12%