Ulta Beauty Inc (NASDAQ: ULTA) shares are tanking on Friday, despite the company reporting upbeat fourth-quarter results.Here are the key analyst insights:
- TD Cowen analyst Oliver Chen maintained a Buy rating, while slashing the price target from $775 to $750.
- Telsey Advisory Group analyst Dana Telsey reiterated an Outperform rating and price target of $715.
- Guggenheim Securities analyst Steven Forbes reaffirmed a Neutral rating on the stock.
The stock came under pressure as solid quarterly results were accompanied by a conservative 2026 guidance, the analyst stated. "FY26 comp guide of +2.5-3.5% reflects tougher compares and full annualization of 2H25 investments," he further wrote.
Telsey Advisory Group: Although Ulta Beauty's earnings of $8.01 per share came in above the midpoint of its guidance range, it represents a year-on-year decline from $8.46 per share, Telsey said. The results also fell short of consensus of $8.09 per share, but above guidance of $7.61-$7.90, she added.
The company's operating margin contracted 260 basis points (bps) to 12.2% and came in below consensus of 12.5%, "but within the guidance range of 12%-12.3%," the analyst wrote. Management expects 2026 sales to grow 6%-7% to $13.1-$13.2 billion, compared to 9.7% growth in 2025, she further stated.
Guggenheim Securities: Although Ulta Beauty's comps moderated, its two-year comp profile accelerated, "and all key product categories experienced positive comp growth," Forbes said. While gross margin contracted by around 20 bps year-on-year, this was less than expected, he added.
Management's 2026 guidance fell short of elevated expectations, the analyst stated. "We view ULTA's 4Q 2025 operating results as further evidence of a repositioning of the business for sustainable share capture and profit growth," he further wrote.
ULTA Price Action: Shares of Ulta Beauty had declined by 12.35% to $547.55 at the time of publication on Friday.