Ulta Beauty Stock (NASDAQ:ULTA), Trade Ideas

Ulta Beauty

With 1,385 stores at the end of fiscal 2023 and a partnership with Target, Ulta Beauty is the largest specialized beauty retailer in the U.S. The firm offers makeup (41% of 2023 sales), fragrances, skin care (19% of sales), and hair care products (19% of sales), and bath and body items. Ulta offers private-label products and merchandise from more than 500 vendors. It also offers salon services, including hair, makeup, skin, and brow services, in all stores. Most Ulta stores are approximately 10,000 square feet and are in suburban strip centers. Ulta was founded in 1990 and is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.

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Fresh off the stock&#39;s worst week since March 2020, one analyst is betting on a bounce back from Ulta Beauty Inc (NASDAQ: ULTA).

Ulta Beauty Stock Upgraded After Worst Week in 4 Years

ULTA, Ulta Beauty

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Reiteration

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General

ULTA faces challenging top-line comparisons in major categories, says analyst. Despite gains in mass, prestige market share affected by strong growth in 2022.  Analyst lowers 1Q24 comp growth to +1.0% and FY24 comp growth to +3.8%, with reduced EBIT margin and EPS estimates.

Ulta Beauty Faces Headwinds From Slowing Trends, Notes Analyst

Ulta Beauty Inc

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the positions showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with ULTA, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 15 options trades for Ulta Beauty.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 46% bullish and 20%, bearish.
Out of all of the options we uncovered, there was 1 put, for a total amount of $39,900, and 14, calls, for a total amount of $963,683.
<h3>Projected Price Targets</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $350.0 to $480.0 for Ulta Beauty over the recent three months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in Ulta Beauty's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to Ulta Beauty's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $350.0 to $480.0 over the preceding 30 days.
<h3>Ulta Beauty Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1715359723_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/31/24</td>
<td>$20.2</td>
<td>$20.1</td>
<td>$20.1</td>
<td>$395.00</td>
<td>$118.5K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">74</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">224</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/31/24</td>
<td>$20.5</td>
<td>$18.6</td>
<td>$19.6</td>
<td>$395.00</td>
<td>$117.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">74</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">61</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/31/24</td>
<td>$19.3</td>
<td>$16.9</td>
<td>$19.72</td>
<td>$395.00</td>
<td>$116.9K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">74</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$12.7</td>
<td>$12.4</td>
<td>$12.7</td>
<td>$420.00</td>
<td>$90.1K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">251</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">81</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/31/24</td>
<td>$21.3</td>
<td>$18.6</td>
<td>$20.04</td>
<td>$395.00</td>
<td>$80.1K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">74</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">161</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Ulta Beauty</h3>
With 1,385 stores at the end of fiscal 2023 and a partnership with Target, Ulta Beauty is the largest specialized beauty retailer in the U.S. The firm offers makeup (41% of 2023 sales), fragrances, skin care (19% of sales), and hair care products (19% of sales), and bath and body items. Ulta offers private-label products and merchandise from more than 500 vendors. It also offers salon services, including hair, makeup, skin, and brow services, in all stores. Most Ulta stores are approximately 10,000 square feet and are in suburban strip centers. Ulta was founded in 1990 and is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
Having examined the options trading patterns of Ulta Beauty, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
<h3>Where Is Ulta Beauty Standing Right Now?</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 282,694, the price of ULTA is up by 0.09%, reaching $397.01.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 20 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Ulta Beauty</h3>
5 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $443.4.
<ul>
<li>Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Wells Fargo continues to hold a Underweight rating for Ulta Beauty, targeting a price of $350. </li>
<li>An analyst from TD Cowen persists with their Buy rating on Ulta Beauty, maintaining a target price of $520. </li>
<li>An analyst from Oppenheimer has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Ulta Beauty, which currently sits at a price target of $475. </li>
<li>An analyst from Jefferies has revised its rating downward to Hold, adjusting the price target to $438. </li>
<li>An analyst from Barclays downgraded its action to Equal-Weight with a price target of $434. </li>
</ul>
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Ulta Beauty options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.

Options

Market Whales and Their Recent Bets on ULTA Options

Oppenheimer analyst Rupesh Parikh maintains Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) with a Outperform and lowers the price target from $500 to $475.

Oppenheimer Maintains Outperform on Ulta Beauty, Lowers Price Target to $475

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on Ulta Beauty. Our analysis of options history for Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) revealed 8 unusual trades.
Delving into the details, we found 50% of traders were bullish, while 25% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 4 were puts, with a value of $227,100, and 4 were calls, valued at $147,270.
<h3>Projected Price Targets</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $375.0 to $470.0 for Ulta Beauty over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Ulta Beauty's options for a given strike price.
Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Ulta Beauty's whale activity within a strike price range from $375.0 to $470.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Ulta Beauty Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1715009459_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Largest Options Trades Observed:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$59.4</td>
<td>$57.7</td>
<td>$58.28</td>
<td>$445.00</td>
<td>$81.8K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">55</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$79.1</td>
<td>$77.6</td>
<td>$78.47</td>
<td>$470.00</td>
<td>$78.4K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">44</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$24.1</td>
<td>$23.4</td>
<td>$24.0</td>
<td>$390.00</td>
<td>$48.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">14</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">36</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$58.9</td>
<td>$57.7</td>
<td>$58.1</td>
<td>$445.00</td>
<td>$40.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">55</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$23.7</td>
<td>$23.2</td>
<td>$23.7</td>
<td>$390.00</td>
<td>$37.9K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">14</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">16</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Ulta Beauty</h3>
With 1,385 stores at the end of fiscal 2023 and a partnership with Target, Ulta Beauty is the largest specialized beauty retailer in the U.S. The firm offers makeup (41% of 2023 sales), fragrances, skin care (19% of sales), and hair care products (19% of sales), and bath and body items. Ulta offers private-label products and merchandise from more than 500 vendors. It also offers salon services, including hair, makeup, skin, and brow services, in all stores. Most Ulta stores are approximately 10,000 square feet and are in suburban strip centers. Ulta was founded in 1990 and is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Ulta Beauty, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
<h3>Current Position of Ulta Beauty</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trading volume stands at 227,310, with ULTA's price down by -1.01%, positioned at $393.38.</li>
<li>RSI indicators show the stock to be may be oversold.</li>
<li>Earnings announcement expected in 24 days.</li>
</ul>
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Ulta Beauty options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.

Spotlight on Ulta Beauty: Analyzing the Surge in Options Activity

Ulta Beauty Disclosed Strategic Mission Focused On Well-being For Women And Teens

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with ULTA, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did? 
Today, <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?utm_source=insights">Benzinga</a>'s options scanner spotted 10 uncommon options trades for Ulta Beauty.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 30% bullish and 40%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 5 are puts, for a total amount of $159,237, and 5 are calls, for a total amount of $175,640.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $310.0 to $520.0 for Ulta Beauty over the recent three months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in Ulta Beauty's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to Ulta Beauty's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $310.0 to $520.0 over the preceding 30 days.
<h3>Ulta Beauty Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1714412751_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>06/07/24</td>
<td>$24.3</td>
<td>$22.5</td>
<td>$23.4</td>
<td>$400.00</td>
<td>$70.2K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$4.5</td>
<td>$4.4</td>
<td>$4.5</td>
<td>$310.00</td>
<td>$44.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">26</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">168</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$21.2</td>
<td>$20.9</td>
<td>$21.2</td>
<td>$410.00</td>
<td>$29.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">258</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">15</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$4.6</td>
<td>$4.4</td>
<td>$4.4</td>
<td>$310.00</td>
<td>$29.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">26</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$32.2</td>
<td>$30.1</td>
<td>$31.45</td>
<td>$435.00</td>
<td>$28.3K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">414</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">8</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Ulta Beauty</h3>
With 1,385 stores at the end of fiscal 2023 and a partnership with Target, Ulta Beauty is the largest specialized beauty retailer in the U.S. The firm offers makeup (41% of 2023 sales), fragrances, skin care (19% of sales), and hair care products (19% of sales), and bath and body items. Ulta offers private-label products and merchandise from more than 500 vendors. It also offers salon services, including hair, makeup, skin, and brow services, in all stores. Most Ulta stores are approximately 10,000 square feet and are in suburban strip centers. Ulta was founded in 1990 and is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
In light of the recent options history for Ulta Beauty, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Ulta Beauty's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 307,456, the price of ULTA is down by -0.68%, reaching $403.63.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 24 days from now.</li>
</ul>
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Ulta Beauty, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Decoding Ulta Beauty's Options Activity: What's the Big Picture?

Barclays analyst Adrienne Yih downgrades Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) from Overweight to Equal-Weight and lowers the price target from $612 to $434.

Downgrades

Barclays Downgrades Ulta Beauty to Equal-Weight, Lowers Price Target to $434

Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 15 years by 16.96% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 29.12%. Currently, Ulta Beauty has a market capitalization of $19.60 billion. 
Buying $1000 In ULTA: If an investor had bought $1000 of ULTA stock 15 years ago, it would be worth $47,775.70 today based on a price of $408.96 for ULTA at the time of writing.
<h3>Ulta Beauty's Performance Over Last 15 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1714143634_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

$1000 Invested In Ulta Beauty 15 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

Providing a diverse range of perspectives from bullish to bearish, 25 analysts have published ratings on Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) in the last three months.
The table below provides a concise overview of recent ratings by analysts, offering insights into the changing sentiments over the past 30 days and drawing comparisons with the preceding months for a holistic perspective.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Indifferent</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">7</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">10</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">6</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">3</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">7</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
In the assessment of 12-month price targets, analysts unveil insights for Ulta Beauty, presenting an average target of $569.6, a high estimate of $690.00, and a low estimate of $350.00. Surpassing the previous average price target of $562.73, the current average has increased by 1.22%.
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713970885_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Diving into Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Exploration</h2>
In examining recent analyst actions, we gain insights into how financial experts perceive Ulta Beauty. The following summary outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Ike Boruchow</td>
<td>Wells Fargo</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Underweight</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$450.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ashley Helgans</td>
<td>Jefferies</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$438.00</td>
<td>$585.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Oliver Chen</td>
<td>TD Cowen</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$520.00</td>
<td>$580.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ashley Helgans</td>
<td>Jefferies</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$585.00</td>
<td>$610.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Korinne Wolfmeyer</td>
<td>Piper Sandler</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$595.00</td>
<td>$665.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rupesh Parikh</td>
<td>Oppenheimer</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$500.00</td>
<td>$600.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Olivia Tong</td>
<td>Raymond James</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Strong Buy</td>
<td>$610.00</td>
<td>$630.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Olivia Tong</td>
<td>Raymond James</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Strong Buy</td>
<td>$630.00</td>
<td>$575.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Simeon Gutman</td>
<td>Morgan Stanley</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Equal-Weight</td>
<td>$525.00</td>
<td>$480.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Anthony Chukumba</td>
<td>Loop Capital</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$540.00</td>
<td>$530.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Stephanie Wissink</td>
<td>Jefferies</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$610.00</td>
<td>$587.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Simeon Siegel</td>
<td>BMO Capital</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Market Perform</td>
<td>$540.00</td>
<td>$485.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Korinne Wolfmeyer</td>
<td>Piper Sandler</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$665.00</td>
<td>$635.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mark Astrachan</td>
<td>Stifel</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$565.00</td>
<td>$505.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michael Binetti</td>
<td>Evercore ISI Group</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$630.00</td>
<td>$635.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ike Boruchow</td>
<td>Wells Fargo</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Underweight</td>
<td>$450.00</td>
<td>$400.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mark Altschwager</td>
<td>Baird</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$625.00</td>
<td>$575.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Adrienne Yih</td>
<td>Barclays</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$612.00</td>
<td>$583.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michael Baker</td>
<td>DA Davidson</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$595.00</td>
<td>$595.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dana Telsey</td>
<td>Telsey Advisory Group</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$600.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michael Binetti</td>
<td>Evercore ISI Group</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$635.00</td>
<td>$565.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dana Telsey</td>
<td>Telsey Advisory Group</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$600.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Michael Lasser</td>
<td>UBS</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$690.00</td>
<td>$575.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Christopher Horvers</td>
<td>JP Morgan</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$600.00</td>
<td>$535.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Anthony Chukumba</td>
<td>Loop Capital</td>
<td>Announces</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$530.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Responding to changing market dynamics and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their response to recent developments related to Ulta Beauty. This offers insight into analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Gaining insights, analysts provide qualitative assessments, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings reflect expectations for the relative performance of Ulta Beauty compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Analysts navigate through adjustments in price targets, providing estimates for Ulta Beauty's future value. Comparing current and prior targets offers insights into analysts' evolving expectations.</li>
</ul>
Analyzing these analyst evaluations alongside relevant financial metrics can provide a comprehensive view of Ulta Beauty's market position. Stay informed and make data-driven decisions with the assistance of our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ULTA/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Ulta Beauty analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>Unveiling the Story Behind Ulta Beauty</h2>
With 1,385 stores at the end of fiscal 2023 and a partnership with Target, Ulta Beauty is the largest specialized beauty retailer in the U.S. The firm offers makeup (41% of 2023 sales), fragrances, skin care (19% of sales), and hair care products (19% of sales), and bath and body items. Ulta offers private-label products and merchandise from more than 500 vendors. It also offers salon services, including hair, makeup, skin, and brow services, in all stores. Most Ulta stores are approximately 10,000 square feet and are in suburban strip centers. Ulta was founded in 1990 and is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
<h3>Financial Insights: Ulta Beauty</h3>
Market Capitalization Analysis: The company's market capitalization surpasses industry averages, showcasing a dominant size relative to peers and suggesting a strong market position.
Revenue Growth: Ulta Beauty's remarkable performance in 3 months is evident. As of 31 January, 2024, the company achieved an impressive revenue growth rate of 10.15%. This signifies a substantial increase in the company's top-line earnings. As compared to its peers, the company achieved a growth rate higher than the average among peers in Consumer Discretionary sector.
Net Margin: Ulta Beauty's net margin is impressive, surpassing industry averages. With a net margin of 11.1%, the company demonstrates strong profitability and effective cost management.
Return on Equity (ROE): The company's ROE is a standout performer, exceeding industry averages. With an impressive ROE of 18.31%, the company showcases effective utilization of equity capital.
Return on Assets (ROA): Ulta Beauty's ROA surpasses industry standards, highlighting the company's exceptional financial performance. With an impressive 6.98% ROA, the company effectively utilizes its assets for optimal returns.
Debt Management: The company maintains a balanced debt approach with a debt-to-equity ratio below industry norms, standing at 0.84.
<h2>Analyst Ratings: What Are They?</h2>
Analysts are specialists within banking and financial systems that typically report for specific stocks or within defined sectors. These people research company financial statements, sit in conference calls and meetings, and speak with relevant insiders to determine what are known as analyst ratings for stocks. Typically, analysts will rate each stock once a quarter. 
Some analysts will also offer forecasts for metrics like growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide further guidance on stocks. Investors who use analyst ratings should note that this specialized advice comes from humans and may be subject to error.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Forecasting The Future: 25 Analyst Projections For Ulta Beauty

Wells Fargo analyst Ike Boruchow maintains Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) with a Underweight and lowers the price target from $450 to $350.

Wells Fargo Maintains Underweight on Ulta Beauty, Lowers Price Target to $350

Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bearish stance on Ulta Beauty.
Looking at options history for Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) we detected 15 trades.
If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 26% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 53% with bearish.
From the overall spotted trades, 5 are puts, for a total amount of $175,086 and 10, calls, for a total amount of $528,374.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $320.0 to $600.0 for Ulta Beauty over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of Ulta Beauty stands at 124.15, with a total volume reaching 1,498.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in Ulta Beauty, situated within the strike price corridor from $320.0 to $600.0, throughout the last 30 days.
<h3>Ulta Beauty Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713901546_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/03/24</td>
<td>$3.7</td>
<td>$3.3</td>
<td>$3.6</td>
<td>$430.00</td>
<td>$126.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">22</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/26/24</td>
<td>$5.4</td>
<td>$4.4</td>
<td>$4.45</td>
<td>$420.00</td>
<td>$58.1K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">583</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">545</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$53.9</td>
<td>$53.1</td>
<td>$53.55</td>
<td>$415.00</td>
<td>$53.5K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">10</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$19.5</td>
<td>$19.4</td>
<td>$19.5</td>
<td>$430.00</td>
<td>$52.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">103</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">11</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/26/24</td>
<td>$5.4</td>
<td>$4.9</td>
<td>$4.9</td>
<td>$420.00</td>
<td>$49.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">583</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">295</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Ulta Beauty</h3>
With 1,385 stores at the end of fiscal 2023 and a partnership with Target, Ulta Beauty is the largest specialized beauty retailer in the U.S. The firm offers makeup (41% of 2023 sales), fragrances, skin care (19% of sales), and hair care products (19% of sales), and bath and body items. Ulta offers private-label products and merchandise from more than 500 vendors. It also offers salon services, including hair, makeup, skin, and brow services, in all stores. Most Ulta stores are approximately 10,000 square feet and are in suburban strip centers. Ulta was founded in 1990 and is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Ulta Beauty, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of Ulta Beauty</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trading volume stands at 474,351, with ULTA's price up by 0.03%, positioned at $418.11.</li>
<li>RSI indicators show the stock to be may be oversold.</li>
<li>Earnings announcement expected in 30 days.</li>
</ul>
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Ulta Beauty, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Ulta Beauty's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NYSE">ULTA</a>) short percent of float has fallen 5.9% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 1.28 million shares sold short, which is 3.03% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 1.48 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Ulta Beauty Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713815113_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Ulta Beauty has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Ulta Beauty's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Ulta Beauty's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 15.18%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

(ULTA) - Analyzing Ulta Beauty's Short Interest

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Consumer Discretionary sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>TSLA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$36.9K</td>
<td>39.0K</td>
<td>9.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RIVN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$5.00</td>
<td>$423.7K</td>
<td>31.4K</td>
<td>6.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HIBB</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$80.00</td>
<td>$46.8K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
<td>1.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NIO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>07/19/24</td>
<td>$4.00</td>
<td>$55.5K</td>
<td>8.6K</td>
<td>814</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMZN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>08/16/24</td>
<td>$180.00</td>
<td>$31.5K</td>
<td>2.4K</td>
<td>531</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SBUX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$81.3K</td>
<td>2.5K</td>
<td>322</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/26/24</td>
<td>$415.00</td>
<td>$65.3K</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>186</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RRR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$49.00</td>
<td>$25.8K</td>
<td>689</td>
<td>117</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LULU</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$220.00</td>
<td>$41.5K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>100</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BKNG</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$3300.00</td>
<td>$28.1K</td>
<td>21</td>
<td>17</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding TSLA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 28 day(s) on May 17, 2024. Parties traded 36 contract(s) at a $150.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $36.9K, with a price of $1025.0 per contract. There were 39093 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 9662 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For RIVN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIVN#NASDAQ">RIVN</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 273 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 4871 contract(s) at a $5.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 23 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $423.7K, with a price of $87.0 per contract. There were 31413 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 6707 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For HIBB (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HIBB#NASDAQ">HIBB</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 28 day(s) on May 17, 2024. This event was a transfer of 390 contract(s) at a $80.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $46.8K, with a price of $120.0 per contract. There were 1559 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1868 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For NIO (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NIO#NYSE">NIO</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 91 day(s) on July 19, 2024. This event was a transfer of 794 contract(s) at a $4.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 25 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $55.5K, with a price of $70.0 per contract. There were 8626 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 814 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AMZN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 119 day(s) on August 16, 2024. This event was a transfer of 25 contract(s) at a $180.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.5K, with a price of $1263.0 per contract. There were 2447 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 531 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SBUX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBUX#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 28 day(s) on May 17, 2024. Parties traded 173 contract(s) at a $85.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $81.3K, with a price of $470.0 per contract. There were 2550 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 322 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For ULTA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 7 day(s) on April 26, 2024. This event was a transfer of 99 contract(s) at a $415.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $65.3K, with a price of $660.0 per contract. There were 2 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 186 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For RRR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RRR#NASDAQ">RRR</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, is expiring today. Parties traded 30 contract(s) at a $49.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.8K, with a price of $860.0 per contract. There were 689 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 117 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For LULU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LULU#NASDAQ">LULU</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 273 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $220.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $41.5K, with a price of $415.0 per contract. There were 1170 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 100 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For BKNG (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BKNG#NASDAQ">BKNG</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 336 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 1 contract(s) at a $3300.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.1K, with a price of $28120.0 per contract. There were 21 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 17 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

AMZN

BKNG

HIBB

LULU

RIVN

SBUX

TSLA

10 Consumer Discretionary Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

WIIM

Ulta Beauty shares are trading lower after Jefferies downgraded the stock from Buy to Hold and lowered its price target from $585 to $438.

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades and downgrades, please see our analyst ratings page.
<ul>
<li>Wells Fargo cut the price target for Sunnova Energy International Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOVA#NYSE">NOVA</a>) from $11 to $6. Wells Fargo analyst Praneeth Satish downgraded the stock from Overweight to Equal-Weight. Sunnova Energy shares fell 3.6% to close at $3.78 on Wednesday. See how other analysts view this stock.</li>
<li>UBS boosted the price target for D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DHI#NYSE">DHI</a>) from $192 to $200. UBS analyst John Lovallo maintained a Buy rating. D.R. Horton shares rose 0.1% to close at $145.88 on Thursday. See how other analysts view this stock.</li>
<li>UBS increased Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>) price target from $113 to $141. UBS analyst David Vogt maintained a Buy rating. Dell shares fell 1% to close at $118.37 on Thursday. See how other analysts view this stock.</li>
<li>Pivotal Research boosted the price target for Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) from $765 to $800. Pivotal Research analyst Jeffrey Wlodarczak maintained a Buy rating. Netflix shares fell 0.5% to close at $610.56 on Thursday. See how other analysts view this stock.</li>
<li>Baird increased Block, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SQ#NYSE">SQ</a>) price target from $95 to $98. Baird analyst David Koning maintained an Outperform rating. Block shares fell 2% to close at $72.06 on Thursday. See how other analysts view this stock.</li>
<li>JMP Securities boosted Red Rock Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RRR#NASDAQ">RRR</a>) price target from $61 to $66. JMP Securities analyst Jordan Bender maintained a Market Outperform rating. Red Rock Resorts shares fell 1.4% to close at $57.86 on Thursday. See how other analysts view this stock.</li>
<li>Morgan Stanley raised the price target for Shopify Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHOP#NYSE">SHOP</a>) from $74 to $85. Morgan Stanley analyst Keith Weiss upgraded the stock from Equal-Weight to Overweight. Shopify shares rose 0.1% to close at $69.51 on Thursday. See how other analysts view this stock.</li>
<li>Telsey Advisory Group raised Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSCO#NASDAQ">TSCO</a>) price target from $250 to $275. Telsey Advisory Group analyst Joseph Feldman maintained an Outperform rating. Tractor Supply shares slipped 0.02% to close at $247.35 on Thursday. See how other analysts view this stock.</li>
<li>B of A Securities boosted Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALK#NYSE">ALK</a>) price target from $50 to $56. B of A Securities analyst Andrew Didora maintained a Buy rating. Alaska Air shares rose 4% to close at $44.44 on Thursday. See how other analysts view this stock.</li>
<li>Jefferies slashed Ulta Beauty, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) price target from $585 to $438. Jefferies analyst Ashley Helgans downgraded the stock from Buy to Hold. Ulta Beauty shares rose 0.1% to close at $425.11 on Thursday. See how other analysts view this stock.</li>
</ul>

Read More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38329059/netflix-procter-gamble-and-3-stocks-to-watch-heading-into-friday">Netflix, Procter &amp; Gamble And 3 Stocks To Watch Heading Into Friday</a>

Jefferies analyst Ashley Helgans downgrades Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) from Buy to Hold and lowers the price target from $585 to $438.

Jefferies Downgrades Ulta Beauty to Hold, Lowers Price Target to $438

TD Cowen analyst Oliver Chen maintains Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) with a Buy and lowers the price target from $580 to $520.

TD Cowen Maintains Buy on Ulta Beauty, Lowers Price Target to $520

Investors with significant funds have taken a bearish position in Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>), a development that retail traders should be aware of.
This was brought to our attention today through our monitoring of publicly accessible options data at Benzinga. The exact nature of these investors remains a mystery, but such a major move in ULTA usually indicates foreknowledge of upcoming events.
Today, Benzinga's options scanner identified 16 options transactions for Ulta Beauty. This is an unusual occurrence. The sentiment among these large-scale traders is mixed, with 31% being bullish and 68% bearish. Of all the options we discovered, 15 are puts, valued at $986,231, and there was a single call, worth $32,600.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $310.0 and $515.0 for Ulta Beauty, spanning the last three months.
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Ulta Beauty options trades today is 398.45 with a total volume of 1,214.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Ulta Beauty's big money trades within a strike price range of $310.0 to $515.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>Ulta Beauty 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713280586_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Largest Options Trades Observed:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$90.0</td>
<td>$86.6</td>
<td>$90.0</td>
<td>$515.00</td>
<td>$270.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$16.2</td>
<td>$15.8</td>
<td>$16.12</td>
<td>$430.00</td>
<td>$104.7K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">314</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">192</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$13.3</td>
<td>$10.9</td>
<td>$11.03</td>
<td>$365.00</td>
<td>$94.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">672</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$12.6</td>
<td>$11.4</td>
<td>$12.6</td>
<td>$310.00</td>
<td>$63.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$8.9</td>
<td>$8.5</td>
<td>$8.71</td>
<td>$415.00</td>
<td>$53.1K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">449</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">235</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Ulta Beauty</h3>
With 1,385 stores at the end of fiscal 2023 and a partnership with Target, Ulta Beauty is the largest specialized beauty retailer in the U.S. The firm offers makeup (41% of 2023 sales), fragrances, skin care (19% of sales), and hair care products (19% of sales), and bath and body items. Ulta offers private-label products and merchandise from more than 500 vendors. It also offers salon services, including hair, makeup, skin, and brow services, in all stores. Most Ulta stores are approximately 10,000 square feet and are in suburban strip centers. Ulta was founded in 1990 and is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
In light of the recent options history for Ulta Beauty, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Ulta Beauty's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 326,500, the price of ULTA is down by -2.33%, reaching $423.15.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 37 days from now.</li>
</ul>
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Ulta Beauty, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Unpacking the Latest Options Trading Trends in Ulta Beauty

Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 15 years by 17.63% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 30.35%. Currently, Ulta Beauty has a market capitalization of $21.11 billion. 
Buying $1000 In ULTA: If an investor had bought $1000 of ULTA stock 15 years ago, it would be worth $56,958.33 today based on a price of $437.44 for ULTA at the time of writing.
<h3>Ulta Beauty's Performance Over Last 15 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713198624_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much $1000 Invested In Ulta Beauty 15 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on Ulta Beauty. Our analysis of options history for Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) revealed 8 unusual trades.
Delving into the details, we found 50% of traders were bullish, while 50% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 4 were puts, with a value of $238,900, and 4 were calls, valued at $418,530.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $400.0 to $500.0 for Ulta Beauty over the recent three months. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of Ulta Beauty stands at 276.25, with a total volume reaching 323.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in Ulta Beauty, situated within the strike price corridor from $400.0 to $500.0, throughout the last 30 days.
<h3>Ulta Beauty Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1712946679_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/12/24</td>
<td>$25.0</td>
<td>$23.5</td>
<td>$25.0</td>
<td>$420.00</td>
<td>$250.0K</td>
<td>108</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">100</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$10.4</td>
<td>$10.1</td>
<td>$10.1</td>
<td>$440.00</td>
<td>$130.2K</td>
<td>222</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">190</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$18.0</td>
<td>$17.5</td>
<td>$17.75</td>
<td>$440.00</td>
<td>$88.7K</td>
<td>86</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$49.6</td>
<td>$48.7</td>
<td>$48.7</td>
<td>$500.00</td>
<td>$48.7K</td>
<td>103</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$22.8</td>
<td>$22.3</td>
<td>$22.8</td>
<td>$400.00</td>
<td>$45.6K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Ulta Beauty</h3>
With 1,385 stores at the end of fiscal 2023 and a partnership with Target, Ulta Beauty is the largest specialized beauty retailer in the U.S. The firm offers makeup (41% of 2023 sales), fragrances, skin care (19% of sales), and hair care products (19% of sales), and bath and body items. Ulta offers private-label products and merchandise from more than 500 vendors. It also offers salon services, including hair, makeup, skin, and brow services, in all stores. Most Ulta stores are approximately 10,000 square feet and are in suburban strip centers. Ulta was founded in 1990 and is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
Having examined the options trading patterns of Ulta Beauty, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
<h3>Where Is Ulta Beauty Standing Right Now?</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 237,322, the price of ULTA is down by -0.72%, reaching $444.7.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 41 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Ulta Beauty</h3>
In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $570.4.
<ul>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Stifel keeps a Hold rating on Ulta Beauty with a target price of $565. </li>
<li>An analyst from Loop Capital persists with their Hold rating on Ulta Beauty, maintaining a target price of $540. </li>
<li>An analyst from Barclays persists with their Overweight rating on Ulta Beauty, maintaining a target price of $612. </li>
<li>Maintaining their stance, an analyst from BMO Capital continues to hold a Market Perform rating for Ulta Beauty, targeting a price of $540. </li>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Piper Sandler keeps a Overweight rating on Ulta Beauty with a target price of $595. </li>
</ul>
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Ulta Beauty with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

Ulta Beauty Unusual Options Activity

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Consumer Discretionary sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>TSLA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/12/24</td>
<td>$177.50</td>
<td>$28.2K</td>
<td>18.4K</td>
<td>59.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMZN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$190.00</td>
<td>$29.5K</td>
<td>1.3K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TPR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$44.00</td>
<td>$125.9K</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>KMX</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/12/24</td>
<td>$80.00</td>
<td>$41.4K</td>
<td>5.5K</td>
<td>762</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NKE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>10/18/24</td>
<td>$90.00</td>
<td>$57.0K</td>
<td>934</td>
<td>629</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RIVN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$10.00</td>
<td>$28.8K</td>
<td>261</td>
<td>561</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SBUX</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$427.7K</td>
<td>505</td>
<td>304</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PDD</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$62.1K</td>
<td>4.1K</td>
<td>187</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>APTV</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>08/16/24</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$26.2K</td>
<td>188</td>
<td>158</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ULTA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$420.00</td>
<td>$31.9K</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>52</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• For TSLA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 1 day(s) on April 12, 2024. This event was a transfer of 575 contract(s) at a $177.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.2K, with a price of $49.0 per contract. There were 18477 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 59794 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AMZN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 8 day(s) on April 19, 2024. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $190.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $29.5K, with a price of $295.0 per contract. There were 1381 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2604 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For TPR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TPR#NYSE">TPR</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 29 day(s) on May 10, 2024. This event was a transfer of 1145 contract(s) at a $44.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 43 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $125.9K, with a price of $110.0 per contract. There were 0 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1145 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding KMX (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KMX#NYSE">KMX</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on April 12, 2024. Parties traded 46 contract(s) at a $80.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $41.4K, with a price of $900.0 per contract. There were 5530 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 762 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For NKE (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NKE#NYSE">NKE</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 190 day(s) on October 18, 2024. This event was a transfer of 61 contract(s) at a $90.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 22 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $57.0K, with a price of $935.0 per contract. There were 934 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 629 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For RIVN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIVN#NASDAQ">RIVN</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 29 day(s) on May 10, 2024. This event was a transfer of 300 contract(s) at a $10.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.8K, with a price of $96.0 per contract. There were 261 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 561 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SBUX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBUX#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 162 day(s) on September 20, 2024. This event was a transfer of 292 contract(s) at a $100.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 10 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $427.7K, with a price of $1465.0 per contract. There were 505 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 304 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PDD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PDD#NASDAQ">PDD</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 281 day(s) on January 17, 2025. Parties traded 36 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $62.1K, with a price of $1725.0 per contract. There were 4133 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 187 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding APTV (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APTV#NYSE">APTV</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 127 day(s) on August 16, 2024. Parties traded 75 contract(s) at a $85.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 22 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.2K, with a price of $350.0 per contract. There were 188 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 158 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding ULTA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 435 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 9 contract(s) at a $420.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.9K, with a price of $3557.0 per contract. There were 5 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 52 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

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More Of The Same

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The stock market is filled with many opportunities, but some promising picks lose value in the short run. Some of these dips only last a few days, while others can extend for several months. When great stocks go on sale, investors can accumulate more shares with the same amount of capital.



These bargain deals don&rsquo;t last forever, as investors soon remember the long-term growth prospects of stocks on the discount rack. These discounted stocks have outperformed the market but are offering investors a second chance due to recent pullbacks.



<h2>Meta Platforms (META)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/meta1600-1-300x169.png" alt="In this photo illustration the Meta logo seen displayed on a smartphone and in the background the Facebook logo"><div>Source: rafapress / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/meta-stock-quote/">META</a>) has become the most undervalued stock among the Magnificent Seven cohort. Shares dropped 10% on a <a href="https://s21.q4cdn.com/399680738/files/doc_financials/2024/q1/Meta-03-31-2024-Exhibit-99-1_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">good earnings report.</a> Some investors wanted more, but the company delivered good earnings and only trades at a 25.9 P/E ratio.



Revenue increased by 27% year-over-year (YoY), while net income surged by 117% YoY. Daily active users grew 7% YoY to reach 3.24 billion users among its platforms. Meta Platforms also stands to benefit if the TikTok ban goes through. 



The deadline is January 19, 2025, one day before the next presidential inauguration. ByteDance stated <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/25/business/bytedance-denies-reports-selling-tiktok-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank">it will not sell TikTok.</a> The app <a href="https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/150-m-us-users" target="_blank">reached 150 million American users</a> in March 2023. It&rsquo;s very safe to assume the number has soared since then. These users will have to use other social networks to fill in the time if the January 19th ban passes. Meta Platforms stands to benefit. The company has gained 26% year-to-date. 



<h2>E.l.f. Beauty (ELF)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/elf1600-300x169.jpg" alt="an elf branded beauty product on a stone counter"><div>Source: Lisa Chinn / Shutterstock.com</div></div>E.l.f. Beauty (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/elf-stock-quote/">ELF</a>) has been a top-performing stock. It&rsquo;s gained more than 1,150% over the past five years and has a decent 13% year-to-date gain. However, the stock is in the middle of a correction heading into its next earnings report. Investors were spooked over a warning from Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ulta-stock-quote/">ULTA</a>) about <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/03/ulta-shares-fall-as-ceo-warns-beauty-demand-is-slowing.html#:~:text=Shares%20of%20Ulta%20fell%20on,bit%20bigger%20than%20we%20thought.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank">softening demand</a> for its beauty products.



E.l.f. Beauty has been growing at a faster rate than Ulta. The smaller firm has also been gaining more market share. ELF delivered 85% YoY net sales growth and gained 305 basis points of market share in <a href="https://investor.elfbeauty.com/news-and-events/press-releases/landing-news/2024/02-06-2024-210530133" target="_blank">Q3 FY24.</a> 



The latest earnings report extended e.l.f. Beauty&rsquo;s streak to 20 consecutive quarters of growth. Net income jumped by 41% YoY, and the company significantly raised its fiscal 2024 guidance for net sales, net income and other metrics. The future looks bright for the beauty firm, and the recent pullback offers an opportunity for patient investors.



<h2>Deckers Outdoor (DECK)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/deckers-outdoor-deck-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="Deckers Outdoor (DECK) logo displayed on smartphone screen"><div>Source: shutterstock.com/Piotr Swat</div></div>Deckers Outdoor&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/deck-stock-quote/">DECK</a>) generated a lot of buzz about its add to the&nbsp;S&amp;P 500. The athletic apparel giant is up 25% year-to-date and has soared by 431% over the past five years. Despite the long-term gains, Deckers Outdoor is in the middle of a correction. Shares are down by more than 12% from their all-time high.



The company has several popular brands under its corporate umbrella, such as UGG and HOKA. Those two brands helped Deckers Outdoor deliver 16% YoY net sales growth in <a href="https://ir.deckers.com/news-events/press-releases/press-release/2024/DECKERS-BRANDS-REPORTS-THIRD-QUARTER-FISCAL-2024-FINANCIAL-RESULTS/default.aspx" target="_blank">Q3 FY24.</a> Diluted EPS jumped by 44% YoY as the corporation improved its profit margins. The HOKA brand stood out with 21.9% YoY revenue growth.



Deckers Outdoor is still growing, while larger competitors like Nike (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/nke-stock-quote/">NKE</a>) are faltering. That setup gives Deckers Outdoor a good opportunity to gain market share. The company is also growing with a sustainable business model based on its 25.0% net profit margin.



On this date of publication, Marc Guberti held long positions in ELF and DECK. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com <a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines.</a>
<div>Marc Guberti is a finance freelance writer at InvestorPlace.com who hosts the Breakthrough Success Podcast. He has contributed to several publications, including the U.S. News &amp; World Report, Benzinga, and Joy Wallet.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/05/second-chance-investments-3-top-stocks-on-sale-now/">Second Chance Investments: 3 Top Stocks on Sale Now</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

Second Chance Investments: 3 Top Stocks on Sale Now

5 Oppenheimer's Fundamental Focus Calls

30 Cheap Large Cap Stocks On Sale Now For May 2024

Sally Beauty: A Deep-Value Winner, Nobody Is Talking About

ULTA Beauty: Another Chance To Accumulate

Shoplifting crackdown: Retail theft ring targeting Macy's, other retailers busted

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Keeping an eye on what <a href="https://www.marketbeat.com/ratings/by-issuer/barclays-stock-recommendations/">Barclays</a> and other large investment banking firms can provide insights into a stock&rsquo;s market position. These price targets, like any other financial analysis, are predictions that cannot account for the human factors of a corporation, such as quality control, leadership, and productivity. Looking for stocks with lowered price targets helps determine if you&rsquo;re buying a stock at the right time.&nbsp;



The saying goes &ldquo;Buy low, sell high,&rdquo; making it unwise to buy when analysts say a stock will trend lower. Bearing this in mind, it&rsquo;s also important to research whether the stock will decline further. Sometimes, both decreases and increases in price targets can be conservative estimates based on broader market trends than what can be accurately predicted.



<h2>Victoria&rsquo;s Secret (VSCO)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/retail-shopping-1600-300x169.png" alt="Friends sit on a ledge with shopping bags after shopping retail stores. Retail Stocks to Buy"><div>Source: Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock</div></div>Known for its sizeable chunk of the premium women&rsquo;s underwear market, Victoria&rsquo;s Secret (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/vsco-stock-quote/">VSCO</a>) stock pricing can be difficult to pin down. On one hand, the company is hardly innovative, while on the other, it is a staple of women&rsquo;s clothing. So why then did Barclays put it amongst its stocks with lowered price targets?



The likely answer is the trend of American <a href="https://newsroom.wf.com/English/news-releases/news-release-details/2024/Two-thirds-of-Americans-have-decreased-spending-due-to-economy-Wells-Fargo-Money-Study-finds/default.aspx">consumers spending less</a> in the retail sector which has affected the profit margins of nearly all non-essential retail stores. While VSCO underwear undoubtedly sells well, its pricing has only increased over the years while offering the same standards of comfort and quality. To its credit, VSCO has worked hard to establish a <a href="https://www.just-style.com/news/victorias-secret-unveils-strategic-growth-plan-to-accelerate-business/">more inclusive brand image</a>, offering a variety of underwear styles.



However, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/victorias-secret-shoppers-say-its-too-pricey-wall-street-disagrees-2019-5">since 2019</a>, many shoppers have viewed VSCO&rsquo;s products as overpriced or too expensive to justify. Fast forward to 2024 and the reality is the same with now inflation eating into consumers&rsquo; wallets. Thus, it makes sense why Barclays is estimating this stock&rsquo;s price will drop.



<h2>Ulta Beauty (ULTA)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ulta-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="ULTA stock Ulta Beauty store front sign located at Laurel Town Centre in Laurel, Maryland."><div>Source: Ryan P Stephans / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Barclays recently lowered its price target for Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ulta-stock-quote/">ULTA</a>) from a high-value estimate of $612 to $434 a share. This means the banking giant still sees a 9.4% upside for ULTA, but not to the extent previously expected. While constricted consumer spending is also likely part of this prediction, ULTA&rsquo;s plans to expand its stores across the <a href="https://beautymatter.com/articles/ulta-beautys-2025-expansion-plans#:~:text=Before%20taking%20on%20Mexico%20in,the%20upcoming%20fiscal%20year%2C%202024.">U.S. and into Mexico</a> could factor in as well.



After all, expansion projects for any company cut into free cash flow in the short term and limit ability to store cash reserves. With expenditures on the horizon, ULTA&rsquo;s next earnings report on May 30 might show thinner profit margins, which could impact short-term trading prices.



Nevertheless, don&rsquo;t bet against ULTA in the long run, as it has consistently delivered revenue growth even during times of inflation. Moreover, because the brand is not seen as a super-premium or luxury boutique, but rather a general beauty products store, it can adjust its offerings to fit a broad spectrum of spending categories.



<h2>Lululemon Athletica (LULU)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/lulu-1600-300x169.png" alt="Lululemon storefront in a mall. People shop inside the store among the clothes. LULU stock."><div>Source: lentamart / Shutterstock</div></div>Speaking of super-premium branding, Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/lulu-stock-quote/">LULU</a>) has also fallen into Barclays&rsquo; bin of stocks with lowered price targets. With its original predicted price of $546 per share now down to $395, it seems like inflation is catching up to LULU&rsquo;s prospects as well. Much like VSCO, Lululemon has been able to charge premium prices for simple products like leggings due to extensive brand recognition and celebrity endorsement.



This ultimately created a devoted following of consumers who believe a <a href="https://www.distractify.com/p/why-is-lululemon-so-expensive#:~:text=The%20Gist%3A,despite%20its%20intense%20price%20points.">$130 pair</a> of workout pants is worth it. However, as individual spending power decreases and necessities like food and housing go up in price, the hype around workout clothes starts to feel irrelevant. While the company saw strong revenue growth in Q4 2023, coming in at <a href="https://corporate.lululemon.com/media/press-releases/2024/03-21-2024-200524108">16% year-over-year</a>, that trend will likely slow in the coming months.



Perhaps those long-awaited interest rate cuts will abate a consumer spending slowdown, but for now, money is getting scarcer for the U.S. middle class.



On the date of publication, Viktor Zarev&nbsp;did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.&nbsp;The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
<div>Viktor Zarev is a scientist, researcher, and writer specializing in explaining the complex world of technology stocks through dedication to accuracy and understanding.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/05/barclays-just-slashed-its-price-target-on-these-3-stocks/">Barclays Just Slashed Its Price Target on These 3 Stocks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

Barclays Just Slashed Its Price Target on These 3 Stocks

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
High interest rates are here to stay. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the fight against inflation had stalled and the central bank was leaving interest rates unchanged. It wasn&rsquo;t unexpected but it means that costs will remain elevated for an extended period for business. The Fed will try to slow the economy through its higher-for-longer policies. Although businesses can learn to adjust to the new normal, it takes a toll on their performance and causes stock prices to fall. Investors should be ready.



It&rsquo;s not an indication that the businesses are broken, only that the government is inept at managing the economy. Eventually this period will pass and businesses will pick up again, allowing their stocks to rise. By buying shares while they&rsquo;re down, investors will juice their portfolio returns on the recovery.&nbsp;



Below are three bargain stocks to buy for just such a scenario.



<h2>Starbucks (SBUX)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/sbux1600a-300x169.jpg" alt="the Starbucks (SBUX) logo on a sign outside of a coffee shop"><div>Source: Grand Warszawski / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Coffee shop Starbucks (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sbux-stock-quote/">SBUX</a>) is the perfect example of this in action. It just reported quarterly results that stunned Wall Street with how bad they were. While the chain had been passing along its increased costs to consumers, coffee drinkers pushed back in the fiscal second quarter and decided to pass on the high-priced brew. Sales fell 2% in the period to $8.6 billion. Adjusted profits plunged 14% year over year to 68 cents per share.



Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan said <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/article/4687827-starbucks-corporation-sbux-q2-2024-earnings-call-transcript">economic conditions were to blame</a>. 




&ldquo;We continue to feel the impact of a more cautious consumer,&rdquo; he told analysts, &ldquo;particularly with our more occasional customer, and a deteriorating economic outlook has weighed on customer traffic and impact felt broadly across the industry.&rdquo;




This isn&rsquo;t the fault of Starbucks, and as Narasimhan suggested, it&rsquo;s hurting everyone. McDonald&rsquo;s (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/mcd-stock-quote/">MCD</a>) also felt the effects of government and Fed policies with an earnings miss.



That, however, does make Starbucks a bargain stock to buy. Maybe don&rsquo;t rush right in, but the stock cratered 16% after earnings and is beginning to look much more attractive than it has for some time. As the coffee shop isn&rsquo;t sure whether it will cut prices to lure customers back, the malaise could linger for the stock. But this is now a discounted company you might want to buy.



<h2>Eli Lilly (LLY)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/eli-lilly-lly-stock-sign-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="Eli Lilly (LLY) sign on corporate building with blue sky in background"><div>Source: shutterstock.com/Michael Vi</div></div>Obesity and diabetes often go hand in hand, which is why combating one can help minimize the other. Eli Lilly (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/lly-stock-quote/">LLY</a>) is making bank with therapies for both, following rival Novo Nordisk (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/nvo-stock-quote/">NVO</a>) blowing up the market with its celebrity-endorsed treatments Ozempic and Wegovy.



Instead of using semaglutide as its glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist, Lilly uses terzepatide as the wunderkind in Mounjaro and Zepbound. The treatments were only approved by the Food &amp; Drug Administration last November but are already <a href="https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/59478/000005947824000116/lly-20240430.htm">generating massive results</a>. Worldwide sales of Mounjaro rocketed to $1.8 billion in the first quarter following U.S. approval, versus $565 million last year. Zepbound saw $517 million in sales in its first full quarter after approval.&nbsp;



But Eli Lilly isn&rsquo;t a one-trick pony (or two tricks in this instance). It has a portfolio of solid therapies. One of the best performers was Verzenio, a treatment for advanced metastatic breast cancer. Sales surged 40% to $1 billion, driven by increased U.S. demand. But that led to large back orders and Lilly is forecasting tight supplies going forward. How much <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/03/trillion-dollar-threshold-the-next-3-stocks-ready-to-rise/">money it makes</a> will be restricted by how much it can produce.



Limited capacity to meet demand could eventually bite Lilly, which might not be so bad for investors considering the hefty premium Eli Lilly stock carries. Shares go for 116 times trailing earnings, 60 times estimates and 20 times sales. That&rsquo;s not cheap. Any meaningful pullback in the stock, however, should be an invitation to buy.



<h2>Ulta Beauty (ULTA)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ulta-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="ULTA stock Ulta Beauty store front sign located at Laurel Town Centre in Laurel, Maryland."><div>Source: Ryan P Stephans / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Two months ago, I wrote that Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ulta-stock-quote/">ULTA</a>) was primed for a <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/03/stock-splits-2024-3-stocks-that-could-follow-in-walmarts-footsteps/">price cut via a stock split</a>. Trading at $554 per share, I said that the beauty and personal care retailer would benefit from the increased liquidity and availability of its stock by splitting them to make them more affordable. Well, investors got a price cut &mdash; but not from any split.



Ulta Beauty stock was crushed last month after warning it was seeing a slowdown in sales across the first two months of the quarter. Shares are down 30% from the highs hit shortly after my article published. They recently closed just under $400 a share.



That makes them much more attractive even if they still trade at triple-digit prices. Ulta is the <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/04/100k-starter-kit-3-stocks-to-become-a-millionaire-by-2034/">largest specialty beauty retailer</a> in the U.S., with nearly 1,375 stores in all 50 states. After the haircut, shares trade at just 15 times trailing earnings, 13 times estimates and less than 2 times sales. Ulta also goes for 18 times the free cash flow (FCF) it produces. Closer to 10 times FCF would indicate that Ulta Beauty stock is a bargain-basement steal. But even at these levels, it makes for an attractive stock.



On the date of publication, Rich Duprey did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com <a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
<div>Rich Duprey has written about stocks and investing for the past 20 years. His articles have appeared on Nasdaq.com, The Motley Fool, and Yahoo! Finance, and he has been referenced by U.S. and international publications, including MarketWatch, Financial Times, Forbes, Fast Company, USA Today, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Cheddar News, The Boston Globe, L&rsquo;Express, and numerous other news outlets.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/05/the-must-watch-list-3-stocks-to-snap-up-as-soon-as-they-hit-bargain-territory/">The Must-Watch List: 3 Stocks to Snap Up as Soon as They Hit Bargain Territory</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

The Must-Watch List: 3 Stocks to Snap Up as Soon as They Hit Bargain Territory

ASML

BBWI

BLDR

BROS

CMCSA

COST

COTY

CSCO

CTSH

DECK

EBAY

EXPE

IPAR

KVUE

RADCQ

STLD

VSCO

Press Releases

Ulta Beauty to Report Third Quarter Results on November 30, 2023

Ulta Beauty to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conferences

Ulta Beauty Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2023 Results

Ulta Beauty Announces CFO Succession Plan

Opinion

Thinking about trading options or stock in Palantir Technologies, Elastic, Ulta Beauty, Marvell Technology, or Riot Platforms?

Ulta Beauty to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conference

Ulta Beauty to Report Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2023 Results on March 14, 2024

Ulta Beauty Announces Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2023 Results

Ulta Beauty Announces Strategic Mission Focused on Well-Being for Women and Teens

ESTC

MRVL

PLTR

RIOT

Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. - Common Stock

Academy Sports

BARK

Build-A-Bear Workshop

Bath & Body Works

Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation - Common Stock

Big 5 Sporting Goods

Chewy

Dick's Sporting Goods

Envela

National Vision Holdings, Inc. - Common Stock

National Vision Holdings

Five Below

1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. - Class A Common Stock

1-800-Flowers.com

Fitell

Hibbett

MarineMax

Leslies

PetMed Express

Rent the Runway, Inc. - Class A Common Stock

Rent the Runway

Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (Name to be changed from Sally Holdings, Inc.) Common Stock