$ULTA

Specialty retailers reported mixed Q2 earnings. Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) beat revenue and EPS estimates, raising full-year guidance. Sportsman's Warehouse (NASDAQ:SPWH) met revenue expectations but missed on EPS. Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) missed revenue and EPS estimates, with the stock down 25.9%. Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA) topped revenue and EPS estimates. Warby Parker (NYSE:WRBY) missed revenue estimates but beat EPS. The sector is down 5.5% on average since earnings.

Walmart (WMT) and Ulta (ULTA) are competing in the converging beauty, health, and wellness market. Walmart integrates beauty into high-traffic areas, while Ulta expands with wellness boutiques. Both aim to capture a larger share of consumer spending. Ulta's Q2 sales rose 8.9% to $3B, raising its annual forecasts. Investors watch for basket growth at Walmart and Ulta's boutique success.

Insiders at Ulta Beauty (ULTA), Redwire (RDW), Best Buy (BBY), Globalstar (GSAT), and Ciena (CIEN) sold shares. Ulta's director sold 2,000 shares for $1.09M. Redwire's director sold 929,435 shares for $10.54M. Best Buy's director sold 116,062 shares for $10.70M. Globalstar's insider sold 1,692 shares for $140,351. Ciena's director sold 3,738 shares for $1.34M.

UK retailer Boots launches on TikTok Shop on 28 September, offering its No7 beauty and skincare products. The move aims to reach younger customers, following similar steps by Sephora and Ulta Beauty. Boots reported a 55% increase in live shopping sales, according to TikTok. The launch will be supported by a live shopping event with exclusive offers.

Top 10 beauty sellers on TikTok Shop generated $83M in H1 2023, led by Medicube ($19.4M) and Dr. Melaxin ($13.3M). Medicube's parent APR saw beauty sales rise 181% to $805M. Ulta and Sephora also joined TikTok Shop, with Ulta generating 100M impressions. Livestream retail e-commerce sales in the U.S. are expected to reach $19.8B in 2023, with beauty being the largest category on TikTok Shop.

Ulta Beauty is using Mirakl's platform to expand its digital assortment and test emerging brands. The marketplace integrates with Ulta's core offerings, allowing customers to earn rewards and return items in-store. Mirakl supports Ulta in building this marketplace, with both companies discussing the approach in a webinar. This model may drive growth for Mirakl and enhance Ulta's product range and customer engagement.

Kecia Steelman, CEO of Ulta Beauty (ULTA), sold 2,000 shares worth $1.09M on September 21, as disclosed in an SEC filing. ULTA shares were trading at $561.75, down 0.4%. The company reported 8.87% revenue growth, a 39.1% gross margin, and an EPS of 6.57, with a P/E ratio of 20.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95.

Steelman Kecia (President and CEO) sold 2,000 shares of Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) at $545.88 ($1.09M total) on 2026-09-17.

Maude, a sexual wellness brand, is expanding into 600+ Target Beauty Studios and 400 Ulta Beauty stores. Founder Éva Goicochea notes the move targets different consumer bases. Ulta expects wellness to become a $1B category, with fiscal year sales projected at $13.1B-$13.2B. Maude, backed by Dakota Johnson, is approaching profitability and is sold through multiple retailers.

Evercore downgraded HPE to In Line, citing valuation concerns. HPE fell ~7% in pre-market. Wells Fargo upgraded ULTA to Equal Weight, raising its target to $525. STLAM was downgraded by Berenberg on margin concerns, extending its 50% year-to-date decline. FLNC was downgraded by Baird and Goldman, with targets slashed. NFLX received its first Sell rating from Wells Fargo, dropping 4.67%.