Ulta Beauty beats Q2 estimates and raises full-year guidance
As seen on the 24/7 Wall St. homepage on August 27, 2026.
Ulta Beauty raised its full-year EPS guidance to $28.70 to $29.00 and lifted the fiscal 2026 buyback plan to $1.8 billion from $1.5 billion, a signal that comparable sales growth of 3.8% is holding in a crowded beauty market. Management also nudged up its sales and operating income outlook after the second-quarter beat.
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Ulta Beauty posted second-quarter fiscal 2026 GAAP earnings of $6.55 per share, beating expectations, with revenue also ahead of estimates on comparable sales growth, new store openings, and the addition of Space NK.
Tighter SG&A discipline helped operating margin expand to 12.5% from 12.4% a year earlier, even as the Space NK acquisition modestly compressed gross margin.
Management lifted full-year diluted EPS guidance to a range of $28.70 to $29.00, with the net sales and comparable sales growth outlooks also raised.
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Ulta lifted its fiscal 2026 share repurchase plan to $1.8 billion from $1.5 billion, signaling that management sees the stock as an attractive use of cash after eight consecutive quarters of beating earnings estimates.
CEO Kecia Steelman tied the guidance raise to first-half execution and confidence in the company's strategic priorities. International expansion through Space NK in the U.K. and Ireland, a joint venture in Mexico, and a franchise presence in the Middle East extends the growth levers beyond the domestic store base.
Mentioned: ULTA