Ball Corporation (BALL) vs Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA)
ULTA leads on 9 of 16 compared metrics, though BALL is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Ball Corporation and Ulta Beauty, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 15, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
BALL
Ball Corporation
$56.98Consumer Cyclical
ULTA
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
$467.74Consumer Cyclical
Total return — BALL vs ULTA
growth of $100 · last 19yBALL +329.7%ULTA +1468.5%ULTA compounded faster
BALL ULTA
BALL vs ULTA: by the numbers
- •ULTA is the larger company ($20.11B vs $15.17B market cap).
- •BALL trades at the lower earnings multiple (16.52 vs 17.53 P/E).
- •ULTA converts more revenue to profit (9.36% vs 6.87% net margin).
- •ULTA grew revenue faster over the past five years (12.93% vs 2.41% CAGR).
- •BALL pays a dividend (1.40% yield) while ULTA does not currently pay one.
Which is better, BALL or ULTA?
Metric tally: BALL 7 · ULTA 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueBALL(lower P/E)
GrowthULTA(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityULTA(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | BALL | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 16.52● | 17.53 |
| Forward P/E | 14.23● | 14.65 |
| P/S ratio | 1.12● | 1.62 |
| P/B ratio | 2.72● | 7.97 |
| PEG ratio | 1.25● | 22.87 |
| EV / EBITDA | 10.49● | 12.53 |
| FCF yield | 3.91% | 5.10%● |
Profitability
| Metric | BALL | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 15.69% | 39.33%● |
| Operating margin | 9.17% | 12.54%● |
| Net margin | 6.87% | 9.36%● |
| ROE | 16.73% | 46.06%● |
| ROIC | 7.83% | 22.76%● |
Dividends
| Metric | BALL | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.40% | — |
| Payout ratio | 24.02% | — |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | BALL | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 2.41% | 12.93%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 13.22% | 52.49%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 8.30%● | 0.55% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -5.68% | 6.68%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, BALL or ULTA?
- It depends on your goal. value: BALL (lower P/E); growth: ULTA (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: ULTA (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, ULTA leads 9 to 7.
- Is BALL or ULTA cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, BALL is cheaper: BALL trades at a 16.52 P/E and ULTA at 17.53.
- Which has grown faster, BALL or ULTA?
- Over the past five years, ULTA grew revenue faster — BALL at a 2.41% CAGR versus ULTA at 12.93%.
- Does BALL or ULTA pay a bigger dividend?
- BALL pays a dividend (1.40% yield) while ULTA does not currently pay one.
- Is BALL or ULTA more profitable?
- ULTA runs the higher net margin — BALL at 6.87% versus ULTA at 9.36%.
- Which has been the better investment, BALL or ULTA?
- Over the past 10-year, ULTA delivered the higher annualized total return — BALL at 5.59% versus ULTA at 6.90%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Ball P/E ratioUlta Beauty P/E ratioBall dividend yieldUlta Beauty dividend yieldBall ROEUlta Beauty ROEBall operating marginUlta Beauty operating marginBall revenue growthUlta Beauty revenue growthBall free cash flowUlta Beauty free cash flow
Ball & Ulta Beauty appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 15, 2026.