Ulta Beauty: A Margin Expansion Story

  • Ulta remains a high-quality business with strong fundamentals, loyal customers, and a pristine balance sheet, now trading at a good—not deep value—price. The 2025 investment thesis centers on margin expansion, not top line growth; operational improvements could lift margins from 14% back to 16%, unlocking shareholder value. Ulta's future growth levers include a high-margin media business, international expansion, new product categories, and continued buybacks, but risks remain around execution and competition.