Five Below (FIVE) 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
Five Below (FIVE) has outperformed Ulta Beauty (ULTA) over the past year, gaining 37.5% versus a loss of 2.0%. Over five years, ULTA leads with a +34.4% price change compared with +7.5% for FIVE. Ulta Beauty is the larger company by market cap ($23.32 billion vs $11.24 billion), about 2.1 times the size, while Five Below is growing revenue faster (+22.9% vs +9.7%).
On valuation, Ulta Beauty trades at a lower forward P/E (17.0x vs 18.5x for Five Below). Ulta Beauty converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 9.3% versus 7.5%.
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 | FIVE | ULTA |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $204.24 | $545.48 |
| Market cap | $11.24B | $23.32B |
| 1-day change | -2.71% | -0.33% |
| YTD return | +8.43% | -9.84% |
| 1-year return | +37.53% | -2.03% |
| 5-year return | +7.46% | +34.45% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 18.79 | 19.94 |
| Forward P/E | 18.46 | 17.00 |
| EPS (TTM) | $10.87 | $27.35 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $4.76B | $12.39B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +22.90% | +9.71% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $358.64M | $1.15B |
| Gross margin | 35.99% | 39.10% |
| Operating margin | 9.60% | 12.37% |
| Net margin | 7.53% | 9.31% |
| 52-week high | $263.88 | $714.97 |
| 52-week low | $137.77 | $443.60 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -22.60% | -23.71% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +52.02% | +15.76% |
| Average volume | 1.12M | 580.18K |
| Shares outstanding | 55.05M | 42.76M |
| Employees | 7,800 | 21,382 |
| Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Specialty Retail | 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 2.1 times larger than Five Below by market value ($23.32B vs $11.24B).
- FIVE has outperformed ULTA by 39.6 percentage points over the past year.
- Five Below grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+22.90% vs +9.71%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Five Below in Consumer Cyclical and Ulta Beauty in Consumer Discretionary.
About Five Below
FIVE stock →Five Below, Inc. operates as a specialty value retailer in the United States.
Consumer Cyclical · Specialty Retail · 7,800 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
FIVE vs ULTA FAQ
Which is bigger, Five Below or Ulta Beauty?
Ulta Beauty (ULTA) is larger, with a market capitalization of $23.32B compared with $11.24B for Five Below (FIVE).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, FIVE or ULTA?
FIVE returned +37.53% 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, FIVE or ULTA?
FIVE has the lower trailing P/E at 18.8, versus 19.9 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.
Are Five Below and Ulta Beauty in the same industry?
No. Five Below is in the Consumer Cyclical sector, while Ulta Beauty is in Consumer Discretionary.