Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) vs Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM)

ULTA leads on 8 of 15 compared metrics.

A side-by-side comparison of Ulta Beauty, Inc. and Yum! Brands, Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 14, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).

Total return — ULTA vs YUM

growth of $100 · last 19y
ULTA +1468.5%YUM +465.4%ULTA compounded faster
05001k2k2k3kStart $1002011201520192023$1,569$565
ULTA YUM

ULTA vs YUM: by the numbers

  • YUM is the larger company ($42.53B vs $20.11B market cap).
  • ULTA trades at the lower earnings multiple (17.53 vs 24.85 P/E).
  • YUM converts more revenue to profit (20.48% vs 9.36% net margin).
  • ULTA grew revenue faster over the past five years (12.93% vs 7.63% CAGR).
  • YUM pays a dividend (1.89% yield) while ULTA does not currently pay one.

Which is better, ULTA or YUM?

Metric tally: ULTA 8 · YUM 7

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

ValueULTA(lower P/E)
GrowthULTA(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityYUM(higher ROIC)

Valuation

MetricULTAYUM
P/E ratio17.5324.85
Forward P/E14.6520.58
P/S ratio1.625.07
P/B ratio7.97
PEG ratio22.874.59
EV / EBITDA12.5319.01
FCF yield5.10%3.83%

Profitability

MetricULTAYUM
Gross margin39.33%45.67%
Operating margin12.54%31.47%
Net margin9.36%20.48%
ROE46.06%-21.28%
ROIC22.76%28.26%

Dividends

MetricULTAYUM
Dividend yield1.89%
Payout ratio52.24%

Growth (annualized)

MetricULTAYUM
Revenue CAGR (5Y)12.93%7.63%
EPS CAGR (5Y)52.49%13.33%
FCF CAGR (5Y)0.55%6.20%
Total return CAGR (5Y)6.68%7.21%

Frequently asked

Which is better, ULTA or YUM?
It depends on your goal. value: ULTA (lower P/E); growth: ULTA (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: YUM (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, ULTA leads 8 to 7.
Is ULTA or YUM cheaper?
On trailing earnings, ULTA is cheaper: ULTA trades at a 17.53 P/E and YUM at 24.85.
Which has grown faster, ULTA or YUM?
Over the past five years, ULTA grew revenue faster — ULTA at a 12.93% CAGR versus YUM at 7.63%.
Does ULTA or YUM pay a bigger dividend?
YUM pays a dividend (1.89% yield) while ULTA does not currently pay one.
Is ULTA or YUM more profitable?
YUM runs the higher net margin — ULTA at 9.36% versus YUM at 20.48%.
Which has been the better investment, ULTA or YUM?
Over the past 10-year, YUM delivered the higher annualized total return — ULTA at 6.90% versus YUM at 12.07%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

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 14, 2026.