The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company Purchases New Holdings in Ulta Beauty Inc. $ULTA

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company purchased a new position in shares of Ulta Beauty Inc. (NASDAQ:ULTA) during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 21,817 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $9,839,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Fideuram Asset Management Ireland dac bought a new stake in shares of Ulta Beauty during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC grew its position in Ulta Beauty by 860.0% during the first quarter. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC now owns 48 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 43 shares during the period. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC grew its position in Ulta Beauty by 4,200.0% during the fourth quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC now owns 43 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the period. Clearstead Trust LLC purchased a new stake in Ulta Beauty during the second quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Ascentis Independent Advisors purchased a new stake in Ulta Beauty during the first quarter worth about $29,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.39% of the company’s stock.

Ulta Beauty Trading Down 4.2%

Shares of ULTA opened at $517.50 on Friday. Ulta Beauty Inc. has a 12-month low of $443.60 and a 12-month high of $714.97. The company has a market cap of $22.25 billion, a PE ratio of 18.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 0.87. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $497.56 and a 200-day moving average price of $534.74.

Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 27th. The specialty retailer reported $6.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.22 by $0.33. Ulta Beauty had a net margin of 9.34% and a return on equity of 45.28%. The business had revenue of $3.04 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.99 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $5.78 earnings per share. Ulta Beauty’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.9% on a year-over-year basis. Ulta Beauty has set its FY 2026 guidance at 28.700-29.000 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Ulta Beauty Inc. will post 28.9 earnings per share for the current year.

More Ulta Beauty News

Here are the key news stories impacting Ulta Beauty this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results exceeded expectations. Ulta reported $6.55 in EPS versus the $6.20 consensus and revenue of approximately $3.04 billion, up 8.9% year over year and ahead of the $2.99 billion estimate. Comparable sales rose 3.8%, while digital sales, loyalty growth, new brands and stronger execution supported performance. Ulta Beauty Q2 Earnings Beat as Sales Rise, FY26 View Raised
• Positive Sentiment: Ulta raised its fiscal 2026 outlook and expanded capital returns. The company now expects EPS of $28.70–$29.00, up from $28.36–$28.80, and revenue of roughly $13.2–$13.3 billion. It also increased its planned share repurchases to $1.8 billion, which could provide support for per-share earnings. Ulta Beauty Targets Sales Growth and Buybacks
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain broadly constructive, but estimates are mixed. DA Davidson raised its price target to $625 and maintained a Buy rating, while Bank of America lowered its target to $650 but also kept a Buy rating. The conflicting revisions suggest confidence in Ulta’s long-term share gains, alongside caution about valuation and execution risks.
• Negative Sentiment: The market reaction reflects concerns about forward momentum. Management indicated that third-quarter comparable-sales comparisons may be weaker than fourth-quarter comparisons, increasing the risk of a temporary slowdown. Investors are also focused on Target’s rollout of its own Beauty Studio in more than 600 stores, including five former Ulta locations in South Carolina, potentially intensifying competition for prestige beauty customers. Ulta is responding by emphasizing exclusive products and brand differentiation. Ulta Leans Into Exclusivity Amid Target Competition

Insider Buying and Selling at Ulta Beauty

In other news, Director George R. Mrkonic, Jr. sold 383 shares of Ulta Beauty stock in a transaction on Monday, June 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $475.84, for a total transaction of $182,246.72. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 2,404 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,143,919.36. The trade was a 13.74% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.20% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have weighed in on ULTA shares. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of Ulta Beauty from $648.00 to $667.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Ulta Beauty from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. UBS Group set a $631.00 price objective on Ulta Beauty in a research note on Friday. Raymond James Financial reissued a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $700.00 target price on shares of Ulta Beauty in a research report on Friday. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on Ulta Beauty from $692.00 to $695.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have assigned a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $626.59.

Ulta Beauty Profile

Ulta Beauty, Inc (NASDAQ: ULTA) is a U.S.-based specialty retailer and beauty services provider focused on cosmetics, fragrance, skin care, hair care, bath and body, and beauty tools. The company operates a dual-format business that combines brick-and-mortar retail stores with an e-commerce platform, offering a broad assortment of national, prestige and mass-market brands alongside its own private-label products. In many locations Ulta also provides full-service salon treatments, positioning the company as a one-stop destination for product discovery and in-store services.

The retailer’s product mix spans color cosmetics, haircare and styling products, skin and body care, fragrance, and accessories, catering to a wide range of consumer preferences and price points.