Best Buy Co., Inc. (BBY) vs Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA)
ULTA leads on 9 of 16 compared metrics, though BBY is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Best Buy Co., Inc. and Ulta Beauty, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
BBY
Best Buy Co., Inc.
$78.53Consumer Cyclical
ULTA
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
$467.74Consumer Cyclical
Total return — BBY vs ULTA
growth of $100 · last 19yBBY +62.6%ULTA +1361.7%ULTA compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
BBY ULTA
BBY vs ULTA: by the numbers
- •ULTA is the larger company ($20.11B vs $16.55B market cap).
- •BBY trades at the lower earnings multiple (14.52 vs 17.53 P/E).
- •ULTA converts more revenue to profit (9.36% vs 2.73% net margin).
- •ULTA grew revenue faster over the past five years (12.93% vs -3.62% CAGR).
- •BBY pays a dividend (4.85% yield) while ULTA does not currently pay one.
Which is better, BBY or ULTA?
Metric tally: BBY 7 · ULTA 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueBBY(lower P/E)
GrowthULTA(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityULTA(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | BBY | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 14.52● | 17.53 |
| Forward P/E | 11.16● | 14.65 |
| P/S ratio | 0.40● | 1.62 |
| P/B ratio | 5.38● | 7.97 |
| PEG ratio | 0.74● | 22.87 |
| EV / EBITDA | 8.53● | 12.53 |
| FCF yield | 9.67%● | 5.10% |
Profitability
| Metric | BBY | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 22.50% | 39.33%● |
| Operating margin | 3.40% | 12.54%● |
| Net margin | 2.73% | 9.36%● |
| ROE | 37.07% | 46.06%● |
| ROIC | 13.87% | 22.76%● |
Dividends
| Metric | BBY | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 4.85% | — |
| Payout ratio | 75.30% | — |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | BBY | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | -3.62% | 12.93%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -6.09% | 52.49%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | -14.48% | 0.55%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -3.03% | 6.68%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, BBY or ULTA?
- It depends on your goal. value: BBY (lower P/E); growth: ULTA (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: ULTA (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, ULTA leads 9 to 7.
- Is BBY or ULTA cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, BBY is cheaper: BBY trades at a 14.52 P/E and ULTA at 17.53.
- Which has grown faster, BBY or ULTA?
- Over the past five years, ULTA grew revenue faster — BBY at a -3.62% CAGR versus ULTA at 12.93%.
- Does BBY or ULTA pay a bigger dividend?
- BBY pays a dividend (4.85% yield) while ULTA does not currently pay one.
- Is BBY or ULTA more profitable?
- ULTA runs the higher net margin — BBY at 2.73% versus ULTA at 9.36%.
- Which has been the better investment, BBY or ULTA?
- Over the past 10-year, BBY delivered the higher annualized total return — BBY at 14.22% versus ULTA at 6.90%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Best Buy P/E ratioUlta Beauty P/E ratioBest Buy dividend yieldUlta Beauty dividend yieldBest Buy ROEUlta Beauty ROEBest Buy operating marginUlta Beauty operating marginBest Buy revenue growthUlta Beauty revenue growthBest Buy free cash flowUlta Beauty free cash flow
Best Buy & 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 13, 2026.