Ulta Beauty Q2 revenue grows 9% to $3.0B
Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) delivered solid growth in the second quarter of fiscal 2026.
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) delivered solid growth in the second quarter of fiscal 2026. For the 13 weeks ended August 1, 2026, net sales rose 8.9% to $3.04 billion, driven by a 3.8% increase in comparable sales, primarily from higher average ticket, plus contributions from the Space NK acquisition and new stores.
Quarterly net income increased 8.1% to $282.0 million, with diluted EPS of $6.55 versus $5.78 a year earlier. Gross margin was stable at 39.1%, while SG&A leveraged slightly to 26.4% of sales due to lower incentive compensation and overhead leverage, partly offset by higher advertising.
For the 26-week year-to-date period, net sales grew 10.0% to $6.20 billion, comparable sales increased 4.6%, and net income rose 10.0% to $622.5 million (diluted EPS $14.31). Ulta operated 1,622 stores at quarter-end and generated $381.6 million in operating cash flow, funding $798.6 million of share repurchases while ending with $213.5 million in cash and short-term investments and $339.6 million outstanding under U.S. credit facilities.
Positive
- Double‑digit year‑to‑date growth: Net sales for the first 26 weeks increased 10.0% to $6.20 billion, with net income up 10.0% to $622.5 million, reflecting continued strength in the beauty category and Ulta’s model.
- Expanding year‑to‑date margins: Gross margin for the 26 weeks improved by 50 bps to 39.6%, primarily from lower inventory shrink and higher merchandise margin, despite unfavorable channel and business mix.
- Robust cash generation and capital returns: Operating cash flow reached $381.6 million in the first half, supporting $798.6 million of share repurchases (about 1.44 million shares) under the $3.0 billion authorization.
- Disciplined inventory management: Merchandise inventories were $2.41 billion at August 1, 2026, flat versus August 2, 2025, even as sales and store count grew, indicating improved inventory management.
Negative
- Higher operating cost ratio year‑to‑date: SG&A rose 11.4% to $1.62 billion and increased 30 bps as a percentage of net sales to 26.1%, driven by higher corporate overhead from strategic investments and higher store expenses.
- Interest turned from income to expense: Net interest moved from $5.0 million income in the first 26 weeks of 2025 to $3.0 million expense in 2026, reflecting greater use of credit facilities and exposure to variable rates.
Filing Explained
As of August 1, $1,014,131 thousand remained under the repurchase authorization, while credit-facility borrowings were secured by substantially all company assets.
This unaudited Form 10-Q reports Ulta Beauty’s interim position through
A Form 10-Q is an unaudited quarterly report covering interim financial statements, risks, and liquidity. Ulta’s facilities permit revolving loans up to the lesser of
The stated facility maximum is borrowing capacity, not additional debt already drawn. Substantially all of Ulta’s assets secure the main facility, which matures on
During the first 26 weeks, Ulta repurchased
The next quarterly filing will show whether the company’s outstanding borrowings, covenant position, or remaining repurchase authorization changed; the program has no expiration date and may be suspended or discontinued.
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Earnings Snapshot
FAQ
How did ULTA’s revenue perform in Q2 fiscal 2026 versus last year?
What were ULTA’s earnings and EPS for Q2 fiscal 2026?
How did ULTA’s comparable sales trend in Q2 and year‑to‑date 2026?
What is ULTA’s current store count and recent expansion activity?
How much stock did ULTA repurchase in the first half of fiscal 2026?
What is ULTA’s debt and liquidity position as of August 1, 2026?
How did ULTA’s gross margin change year‑to‑date in fiscal 2026?
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.