Academy Sports and Outdoors (ASO) vs Ulta Beauty (ULTA)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Academy Sports and Outdoors (ASO) has outperformed Ulta Beauty (ULTA) over the past year, losing 0.6% versus a loss of 2.0%. Over five years, ULTA leads with a +34.4% price change compared with +30.1% for ASO. Ulta Beauty is the larger company by market cap ($24.12 billion vs $3.31 billion), about 7.3 times the size.
On valuation, Academy Sports and Outdoors trades at a lower forward P/E (7.6x vs 17.6x for Ulta Beauty). Academy Sports and Outdoors pays a dividend yielding 1.08%, while Ulta Beauty does not currently pay one. Ulta Beauty converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 9.3% versus 6.2%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | ASO | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $53.81 | $564.17 |
| Market cap | $3.31B | $24.12B |
| 1-day change | +2.26% | +3.43% |
| YTD return | +5.32% | -9.84% |
| 1-year return | -0.60% | -2.03% |
| 5-year return | +30.05% | +34.45% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 9.03 | 20.56 |
| Forward P/E | 7.60 | 17.58 |
| EPS (TTM) | $5.96 | $27.44 |
| Dividend yield | 1.08% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.58 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $6.05B | $12.39B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +2.02% | +9.71% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $376.77M | $1.15B |
| Gross margin | 34.78% | 39.10% |
| Operating margin | 8.46% | 12.37% |
| Net margin | 6.22% | 9.31% |
| 52-week high | $62.45 | $714.97 |
| 52-week low | $41.29 | $443.60 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -13.83% | -21.09% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +9.35% | +11.92% |
| Average volume | 1.67M | 576.14K |
| Shares outstanding | 61.58M | 42.76M |
| Employees | 22,000 | 21,382 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Other Specialty Stores | Other Specialty Stores |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Ulta Beauty is about 7.3 times larger than Academy Sports and Outdoors by market value ($24.12B vs $3.31B).
- Ulta Beauty trades at a higher earnings multiple (20.6x vs 9.0x trailing P/E).
- Academy Sports and Outdoors offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (1.08% vs 0.00%).
- Ulta Beauty grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+9.71% vs +2.02%).
About Academy Sports and Outdoors
ASO stock →Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a sporting goods and outdoor recreational retailer in the United States. The company's outdoors division comprises camping products, such as coolers and drinkware, camping accessories and equipment, and watersports and equipment; fishing products, including marine equipment and fishing rods, reels, and baits and equipment; and hunting products, which includes firearms, ammunition, archery and archery equipment, camouflage apparel, waders, shooting accessories, gun safes, optics, airguns, and hunting equipment.
Consumer Discretionary · Other Specialty Stores · 22,000 employees
About Ulta Beauty
ULTA stock →Ulta Beauty, Inc. operates as a specialty beauty retailer in the United States, Mexico, and Kuwait.
Consumer Discretionary · Other Specialty Stores · 21,382 employees
ASO vs ULTA FAQ
Which is bigger, Academy Sports and Outdoors or Ulta Beauty?
Ulta Beauty (ULTA) is larger, with a market capitalization of $24.12B compared with $3.31B for Academy Sports and Outdoors (ASO).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ASO or ULTA?
ASO returned -0.60% over the past 12 months, compared with -2.03% for ULTA (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, ASO or ULTA?
ASO has the lower trailing P/E at 9.0, versus 20.6 for ULTA. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Academy Sports and Outdoors or Ulta Beauty?
Academy Sports and Outdoors pays a dividend yielding 1.08%, while Ulta Beauty does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Academy Sports and Outdoors and Ulta Beauty in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Other Specialty Stores industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.