Ulta Beauty reported first quarter 2026 net sales of $3.2 billion, an increase of 11.1% year-over-year, with diluted EPS growing 15.5% to $7.74. The results significantly surpassed analyst expectations amid concerns of a cooling beauty market.
Key Highlights
- Comparable sales increased 5.3%, well ahead of estimates, driven by a 3.7% rise in average ticket and a 1.6% increase in transactions.
- Gross profit margin expanded to 40.1% from 39.1% in the prior year, attributed to lower inventory shrink and higher merchandise margins.
- The company raised its full-year fiscal 2026 diluted EPS guidance to a range of $28.36 to $28.80, up from the previous range of $28.05 to $28.55.