Ulta Beauty Valuation Multiples

AbbVie is a pharmaceutical firm with a strong exposure to immunology (with Humira, Skyrizi, and Rinvoq) and oncology (with Imbruvica and Venclexta). The company was spun off from Abbott in early 2013. The 2020 acquisition of Allergan added several new products and drugs in aesthetics, including Botox. The 2024 acquisitions of Cerevel (neuroscience) and ImmunoGen (oncology) help supplement AbbVie's portfolio.

Since its founding in 1837, Procter & Gamble has become one of the world's largest consumer product manufacturers, with annual sales of nearly $85 billion. It operates with a lineup of leading brands, including more than 20 that generate annual global sales of more than $1 billion each, such as Tide laundry detergent, Charmin toilet paper, Pantene shampoo, and Pampers diapers. Sales outside its home turf represent just more than half of the firm's consolidated total.

Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, operating 2,359 warehouse-format stores offering more than 30,000 products in store and 1 million products online in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Its stores offer building materials, home improvement products, lawn and garden products, and decor products and provide various services, including home improvement installation services and tool and equipment rentals. The acquisition of Interline Brands in 2015 allowed Home Depot to enter the MRO business, which has been expanded through the tie-up with HD Supply (2020). The 2024 tie-up with SRS will help grow professional demand in roofing, pool, and landscaping projects, while the 2025 purchase of GMS will lift building product sales through 1,250 distribution locations.

L’Oréal is the largest beauty product maker in the world, participating in categories including skin care (39% of sales), makeup (19%), hair care (24%), fragrance (14%), and sanitary products (4%). The firm also has a diversified geographic footprint, generating 33% of sales in Europe, 27% from North America, 24% in North Asia, and the rest from various emerging markets across South Asia, Latin America, and Africa. L’Oréal owns a mix of premium and mass beauty brands sold through a wide range of channels such as mass retail, drugstores, department stores, travel retail, e-commerce, hair salons, and medi-spas. Leading brands include Lancôme, Yves Saint Laurent, Maybelline, Kiehl’s, L’Oréal Paris, Kerastase, CeraVe, Garnier, and Armani.

With roughly one-third of the global branded diabetes treatment market, Novo Nordisk is the leading provider of diabetes care products in the world. Based in Denmark, the company manufactures and markets a variety of human and modern insulins, injectable diabetes treatments such as GLP-1 therapy, oral antidiabetic agents, and obesity treatments. Novo also has a biopharmaceutical segment (contributing less than 10% of revenue) that specializes in protein therapies for hemophilia and other disorders.

Founded in 1987, TJX Companies is the world’s largest off-price apparel and home fashions retailer, operating more than 5,000 stores across nine countries. In fiscal 2025, the company generated roughly $56 billion in sales. TJX operates through four segments: Marmaxx (61% of sales), HomeGoods (17%), TJX Canada (9%), and TJX international (13%). Its off-price model emphasizes branded merchandise at meaningful discounts, driving high traffic and rapid inventory turnover.

Fast Retailing is Japan's largest apparel company. It operates casualwear retail chain Uniqlo, known for its high-quality functional apparel at reasonable prices. Fast Retailing is in charge of product design and sales and outsources almost all of its production to factories in places including China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and India. It is ranked the second-largest apparel company by sales globally in 2024 per Euromonitor, thanks to the expansion of Uniqlo International. As of February 2025, it ran 3,616 stores globally. Other brands in its portfolio include GU and acquired brands like Theory, Comptoir des Cotonniers, and Princesse tam.tam. The Yanai family owned a 40.86% stake in the firm as of July 2025.

Unilever is a diversified beauty, wellbeing, and personal care (44% of 2024 sales by value), homecare (20%), and packaged food (36%) company. Its brands include Dove personal-care products, Knorr soups and sauces, Hellmann's mayonnaise, Axe and Rexona deodorants, and TRESemme haircare. The firm has been acquisitive in recent years; notable purchases include Paula's Choice, Liquid I.V., Horlicks, and Wild deodorants. The company derives 58% of its sales from emerging markets and 42% from developed markets. The US is its largest market, accounting for around 20% of sales, followed by India, which accounts for 11% of sales.

Lowe's is the second-largest home improvement retailer globally, with more than 1,750 stores in the US, after the 2023 divestiture of its Canadian locations (RONA, Lowe's Canada, Réno-Dépôt, and Dick's Lumber). The firm's stores offer products and services for home decorating, maintenance, repair, and remodeling, with maintenance and repair accounting for two-thirds of products sold. Lowe's primarily targets retail do-it-yourself (around 70% of sales) and do-it-for-me customers, but has expanded its professional business clients to 30% from less than 20% in the past six years (set ot expand further with the acquisition of FBM). We estimate Lowe's captures a high-single-digit share of the domestic home improvement market, based on US Census data and management's market size estimates.

EssilorLuxottica is a combination of the leading manufacturer of premium frames and sunglasses and the leading manufacturer of optical lenses. Both companies are significantly larger than the next biggest competitor and command over 15% of the fragmented global eyewear market. The company has a broad geographical presence, with around 37% of sales in Europe, 45% in North America, and the rest in Asia and Latin America.

Ross Stores, founded in 1982, is a US-focused off-price apparel and home fashion retailer operating more than 2,100 stores across 43 states, primarily under the Ross Dress for Less banner, with a smaller footprint through DD’s Discounts. In fiscal 2024, the company generated over $21 billion in sales. Ross offers branded apparel, footwear, accessories, and home goods at a 20%-60% discount to department and specialty store prices, sourcing closeouts and excess inventory from vendors worldwide.

Since its founding in 1806, Colgate-Palmolive has grown into a leading player in the household and personal care industry. In addition to its namesake oral care line (which accounts for more than 40% of its total sales), the firm manufactures shampoos, shower gels, deodorants, and home care products sold in over 200 countries. International sales account for about 70% of its total business, including approximately 45% from emerging regions. It also owns specialty pet food maker Hill's (around one-fifth of sales), which sells a majority of its products through veterinarians and specialty pet retailers.

O’Reilly is an aftermarket automotive parts retailer in the United States and Mexico with more than $16 billion in annual sales. The company operates over 6,000 domestic stores and serves both the do-it-yourself (about 50% of sales) and professional (47% of sales) end markets. O’Reilly differentiates itself by providing quality service to its customers throughout the entirety of the vehicle diagnosis and purchasing process. Furthermore, the firm boasts an impressive hub-and-spoke distribution network designed to provide its localized store base with ample aftermarket part availability across a variety of vehicle makes and models.

Wesfarmers is Australia's largest conglomerate. Its retail operations include the Bunnings hardware chain (number one in market share), discount department stores Kmart and Target (number one and three), and Officeworks in office supplies (number one). These activities account for the vast majority of group earnings before taxes. Other operations include chemicals and fertilizers, lithium mining, industrial and safety supplies, and health. Management is focused on generating cash and creating shareholder wealth in the long term.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd is an Indian consumer goods company. The firm offers different brands from distinct categories, from cosmetics and hygienic items, including detergents, soaps, shampoos, skincare, toothpaste, and deodorants, to food and beverages (tea, coffee, packaged foods). Its product portfolio contains household brands such as Lux, Lifebuoy, Pepsodent, Closeup, Pureit, Axe, Brooke Bond, Bru, Knorr, Kissan, Pond's, Vaseline, Lakme, Dove, Clinic Plus, Sunsilk, Kwality Wall's, Surf Excel, Rin, Wheel, and Fair and Lovely. The company's segments include Home Care, Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Foods, and others. Geographically, it generates a majority of its revenue from India.

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc operates a network of convenience stores across North America, Europe, and Asia. The company generates income through the sale of tobacco products, groceries, beverages, fresh food, quick service restaurants, car wash services, other retail products and services, road transportation fuel, stationary energy, marine fuel, and chemicals. In addition, the company operates stores under the Circle K banner in other countries such as Indonesia, Egypt, Macau, and others. Its operation is geographically divided into the U.S., Europe and other regions, and Canada. Revenue from external customers falls mainly into three categories: merchandise and services, road transportation fuel, and others. The company generates the majority of its revenue from the United States.

Galderma was formed in 1981 as a joint venture between Nestle and L’Oreal. It subsequently became a subsidiary of Nestle, called Nestle Skin Health, before being carved out and launched as a stand-alone company in 2019, acquired by a consortium led by Sweden-based EQT fund. The company went public in March 2024 and is listed on the SIX Swiss exchange. Galderma’s science-based portfolio spans multiple dermatology categories, including injectable aesthetics, dermatological skincare, and therapeutic dermatology. It derives around 40% of net sales from the US and employs around 7,00 people.

AutoZone operates as a leading retailer of aftermarket automotive parts in the United States. The firm operates 6,666 stores domestically, serving the do-it-yourself and commercial (do-it-for-me) end markets. Through its vast store footprint and distribution network, AutoZone manages a wide array of stock-keeping units applicable to numerous vehicle makes and models, providing its consumers with ample product availability. The firm drives traffic by providing superior and convenient customer service as AutoZone's team of knowledgeable staff assists consumers with diagnosing a vehicle's problem, selecting the necessary part for replacement, and occasionally, installation. The company also operates internationally, with 895 stores in Mexico and 149 in Brazil.

Bayer is a German healthcare and agriculture conglomerate. Healthcare provides close to half of the company's sales and includes pharmaceutical drugs (39% of total sales in 2024) as well as vitamins and other consumer healthcare products (13% of total). The firm's crop science business (49% of total) sells seeds, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, which was expanded through its 2018 acquisition of Monsanto.

Haleon is one of the largest consumer health companies in the world. Formed by a combination of consumer health divisions of GSK, Pfizer, and Novartis, Haleon separated from GSK and went public in July 2022. The firm generates 60% of sales from global power brands including Sensodyne, Advil, Centrum, and Poligrip, that play in many geographies and are often leaders in their respective categories. It also has a number of local brands, including Emergen-C, Eno, Tums, and Caltrate, that are more tailored to regional needs and have strong local brand equity. Overall, Haleon’s brands tackle a variety of silos within consumer health including oral care, digestive health, pain relief, and nutrition.

Reckitt Benckiser was formed in 1999 through the merger of the British firm Reckitt & Colman and Dutch-based Benckiser. Recently rebranded under the corporate name Reckitt, it sells a portfolio that includes a variety of household and consumer health brands, such as Lysol, Finish, Durex, and Mucinex, many of which hold a number-one or number-two position in their categories globally. Reckitt has repositioned its portfolio and has entered the infant formula market through the acquisition of Mead Johnson in 2017, expanded its consumer health presence by acquiring Schiff Nutrition, K-Y, and Biofreeze, and has exited the food industry. The firm operates in 60 countries and sells products in more than 200, generating over 35% of sales from emerging markets.

Kenvue is the world’s largest pure-play consumer health company by sales, generating over $15 billion in annual revenue. Formerly known as Johnson & Johnson’s consumer segment, Kenvue spun off and went public in May 2023. It operates in a variety of categories within consumer health, such as cough, cold and allergy care, pain management, face and body care, and oral care, as well as women’s health. Its portfolio has some of the most well-known brands in the space, including Tylenol, Listerine, Johnson’s, Aveeno, and Neutrogena. Kenvue announced November 2025 that it signed a deal to be fully acquired by Kimberly-Clark with the deal expected to close during the second half of 2026.

Estée Lauder is a leader in the global prestige beauty market, participating across skin care (49% of fiscal 2025 sales), makeup (29%), fragrance (17%), and hair care and others (5%). Top selling brands include Estée Lauder, Clinique, M.A.C, La Mer, Jo Malone London, Aveda, Bobbi Brown, and Origins. The firm operates in more than 150 countries, generating 31% of revenue from the Americas, 37% from Europe, the Middle East and Africa (including travel retail), and 32% from Asia-Pacific. Estée Lauder sells its products through department stores, travel retail, specialty multibrand beauty stores, brand-dedicated freestanding stores, e-commerce, salons/spas, and perfumeries.

Two distinct customer groups constitute Henkel. The consumer segment (around 50% of consolidated 2024 sales) is laundry and home care, including the Persil and Purex laundry detergent brands, and beautycare, including the Schwarzkopf brand in hair care and the Dial brand in hand soap. The adhesives technologies segment makes up the remaining 50% of sales. Sales in Europe accounted for 37% of the firm's consolidated total in 2024, while Asia-Pacific and North America accounted for 16% and 28%, respectively.

Casey's General Stores Inc serves as convenience store chain with its 2,900 locations, positioned in the Midwest United States. About half of Casey’s stores are located in rural towns with populations under 5,000. While fueling stations serve as a key traffic driver, about two-thirds of the company’s gross profit stems from in-store sales of grocery items, prepared meals, and general merchandise. Casey’s owns more than 90% of its stores and operates the majority of its warehousing and distribution processes internally.

Asian Paints Ltd manufactures and sells a variety of paint and home improvement products. The firm operates itself as a Paints and Home Decor company which sells interior and exterior paints, metal finish, and wood finish. The home improvement product offerings include kitchen and bathroom products. Asian Paints sells its products to distributors and directly to the home improvement industry through the company's network of retail stores. The majority of revenue comes from India.

With a retail and direct-to-consumer presence, Williams-Sonoma is a player in the $300 billion domestic home category and $450 billion international home market, focused on expanding its exposure in the B2B ($80 billion total addressable market), marketplace, and franchise areas. Namesake Williams-Sonoma (153 stores) offers high-end cooking essentials, while Pottery Barn (183) provides casual home accessories. West Elm (119) is an emerging concept for young professionals, and Rejuvenation (13) offers lighting and house parts. Brand extensions include Pottery Barn Kids and Pottery Barn Teen (45) as well as Mark & Graham and GreenRow. Williams-Sonoma also has a business-to-business team that supports projects that range from residential to large-scale commercial.

Church & Dwight is the leading global producer of baking soda. Its portfolio extends beyond its legacy category to include laundry products, cat litter, oral care, deodorant, and nasal care, all sold under the Arm & Hammer brand. Its brands also include Batiste, OxiClean, Vitafusion, Hero, and TheraBreath, which, together with Arm & Hammer, account for around 70% of its annual sales and profits. Most recently, the firm added Touchland and its hand sanitizer business to its fold. Even as it works to expand its product reach, Church & Dwight still derives around 80% of its sales from its home market in the US.

Burlington Stores Inc is off-price retailer offering an extensive selection of in-season, fashion-focused merchandise including: women’s ready-to-wear apparel, menswear, youth apparel, baby, beauty, footwear, accessories, home, toys, gifts and coats. Company sell a broad selection of desirable, first-quality, current-brand, labeled merchandise acquired directly from nationally recognized manufacturers and other suppliers. Company sell product in category such as Ladies apparel, Accessories and shoes, Home, Mens apparel, Kids apparel and baby and Outerwear.

Dick’s Sporting Goods is a retailer that offers sports and outdoor apparel, footwear, and equipment online and in physical stores. The company’s legacy business includes more than 700 stores under its own name, more than 110 Golf Galaxy golf specialty stores, and about 50 outlet stores. In September 2025, Dick’s acquired multinational retailer Foot Locker. With this move, Dick’s added about 2,600 stores under the Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs Sports, atmos, and WSS nameplates in North America, the Asia-Pacific, and EMEA—Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Based in the Pittsburgh area, Dick’s was founded in 1948 by the father of current executive chair and controlling shareholder Edward Stack.

Essity is a health and hygiene company spun out of Svenska Cellulosa in June 2017. Essity's products span the feminine care, baby care, toilet paper, facial tissue, and wet wipes categories, as well as hand soap, hand sanitizers, and tissue dispensers for institutional customers. Essity also offers medical solutions in the form of wound care, orthopedics, and compression therapy, accounting for around 8% of net sales. Essity operates in 150 markets and generates 60% of its revenue in Europe.

Beiersdorf is a Germany-based company that produces personal-care products, with a focus on manufacturing cosmetic products. The company operates through two business segments. The consumer segment provides skincare and beauty care products and operates portfolio brands such as Nivea, Eucerin, La Prairie, Labello, Hansaplast, Elastoplast, and Florena. The other business segment markets self-adhesive system and product solutions, primarily for industrial customers, under the Tesa brand. Beiersdorf is majority-owned by Maxingvest.

Established in 1984, China Tourism Group Duty Free is China’s largest and the world’s second-largest travel retailer in 2024 with revenue of CNY 56.5 billion. The company primarily operates duty-free stores at airports, border crossings, offshore, downtown, and on flights, cruises and ships, with about 200 stores spanning over 33 provinces in China, as well as overseas. The company also operates a duty-paid business and its 2024 revenue mix comprised 69% duty-free sales and 31% duty-paid sales and others. CTG Duty Free is 50% owned by China Tourism Group, a state-owned enterprise that falls directly under the state-owned Asset Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council.

Kao is the largest household and personal care product manufacturer in Japan, with a footprint across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Japan remains its largest market, contributing about 50% of sales and operating profits with several leading brands, including Attack and Bioré. Initially a soap producer established in the 1890s, Kao has expanded into cosmetics, disposable hygiene products, and chemicals, in addition to its homecare and toiletry products. Asia, the largest overseas market, contributes around 15% of group sales. Kao has also acquired several Western skin- and haircare brands, including Jergens, John Frieda, Curél, Molton Brown, and the latest, Oribe.

Tractor Supply is the largest operator of retail farm and ranch stores in the United States. The company targets recreational farmers and ranchers and has little exposure to commercial and industrial farm operations. Currently, the company operates 2,395 of its namesake banners in 49 states, along with 207 Petsense by Tractor Supply stores. Stores are generally concentrated in rural communities rather than urban and suburban areas. In fiscal 2025, revenue consisted primarily of livestock, equine & agriculture (around 30%), companion animal (25%), and seasonal & recreation (around 25%).

With over $41 billion in consolidated 2024 sales, Best Buy is the largest pure-play consumer electronics retailer in the US, boasting roughly 8% share of the North American market and around 33% share of offline sales in the region, per our calculations, CTA, and Euromonitor data. The firm generates the bulk of its sales in-store, with mobile phones and tablets, computers, and appliances representing its three largest categories. Recent investments in e-commerce fulfillment, accelerated by the covid pandemic, have seen the US e-commerce channel roughly double from prepandemic levels, with management estimating that it will represent a mid-30% proportion of sales moving forward.

Trent Ltd through its subsidiaries, operates a chain of retail stores. The company offers various brands across women's wear, men's wear, kids' wear, footwear, lingerie, cosmetics, perfumes, handbags, and accessories. It also offers foods, beverages, health and beauty products, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and others. The company offers these products by operating a portfolio of retail concepts like Westside, Zudio, Samoh, Utsa, Misbu, and others. The company is in the business of retailing/trading predominantly in India.

Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd is engaged in the jewelry and watch business located in Mainland China. The company's geographical operating segment includes Mainland China and Hong Kong, Macau, and other markets. It generates maximum revenue from Mainland China. Its product categories include rings, bands, necklaces, pendants, earrings, chains, bracelets, and others. The company derives revenue from Gem-set, Gold products, Platinum/Karat gold products, and Watches.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co For Distribution PJSC is engaged in the marketing of petroleum products, natural gas, and ancillary products. It owns retail fuel stations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In addition, the group also sells petroleum products to government and commercial customers, and provides aviation fuel and fueling services to its clients. Its reportable segments are Commercial (B2B) and Retail (B2C). Maximum revenue is generated from the Retail (B2C) segment, which is engaged in the sale of gasoline and petroleum products, convenience store sales, car wash and other car care services, oil change services, vehicle inspection services, and property leasing and management through the retail sites.

Yunnan Baiyao Group Co Ltd is engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of medicines, which include herbal products, daily health products, raw medicine, drug classics, and others.

Aritzia Inc is an integrated design house of exclusive fashion brands. It designs apparel and accessories for its collection of exclusive brands and sells them under the Aritzia banner. The category of products offered by the firm is blouses, T-shirts, pants, dresses, sweaters, jackets and coats, skirts, shorts, jumpsuits, and accessories. The company reports as a single segment and includes all sales channels accessed by the company’s clients, including sales through the company’s eCommerce website and sales at the company’s boutiques. Its geographical segments include Canada and the United States. The company generates the majority of its revenue from Retail, followed by e-commerce.

Five Below Inc is a specialty value retailer offering merchandise targeted at the tween and teen demographic. The Company’s edited assortment of products includes select brands and licensed merchandise. It derives revenue from sales of the Company’s merchandise to customers.

CooperCompanies is one of the largest eyecare companies in the US. It operates in two segments: CooperVision and CooperSurgical. CooperVision is a pure-play contact lens business with a suite of spherical, multifocal, and toric contact lenses. The company also has one of the most comprehensive specialty lens portfolios in the world. With brands including Proclear, Biofinity, MyDay, and Clariti, Cooper controls roughly one fourth of the US contact lens market. CooperSurgical, founded in 1990, is made up of equipment related to reproductive care, fertility, and women’s care. Cooper has the broadest medical device coverage of the entire IVF cycle. It also has Paragard, the only hormone-free IUD in the US, and controls 17% of the US IUD market.

Marico Ltd is an Indian consumer goods company. The company provides products across the health, beauty, and wellness category. It manufactures hair care, male grooming, skin care, edible oils, health foods, and fabric care products. Locally, Marico sells its products through brands such as Parachute, Parachute Advansed, Nihar, Nihar Naturals, Saffola, Hair & Care, Livon, Set Wet, Mediker, and Revive. Geographically, the company has two segments; India which derives key revenue; and International.

Penske Automotive Group operates in 19 US states and overseas. It has over 150 US and Puerto Rico light-vehicle stores as well as 210 franchised dealerships overseas, primarily in the United Kingdom but also in Australia, Germany, Italy, and Japan. The company is the third-largest US publicly traded dealership in terms of light-vehicle revenue and sells more than 40 brands, with over 90% of retail automotive revenue coming from luxury and import names. Other segments are service and finance and insurance. The firm's Premier Truck Group owns 45 truck dealerships selling mostly Freightliner and Western Star brands, and Penske owns 16 used-vehicle stores, mostly in the US and UK under the CarShop (US) and Sytner Select (UK) brands. Penske is based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Godrej Consumer Products Ltd is a company that produces household and personal care items. The company has three main product categories: home care, hair care, and personal care. Godrej Consumer Products serves different geographic regions: Asia (India, Indonesia, the Middle East, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka); Africa (South Africa, Nigeria, Mozambique, Kenya); Latin America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay); and Europe (the United Kingdom). The brand portfolio includes Roby, Renew, Darling, and Inecto in hair care; Hit, Ezee, Good Knight in-home care; and Mitu. The company has identified four reportable geographical segments: Segment-1 in India, Segment-2 in Indonesia, Segment-3 in Africa (including Strength of Nature), and Segment-4 encompassing other regions.

Puig is a premium beauty product maker that focuses on fragrances (76% of 2024 sales), with more limited exposure to color cosmetics (16%) and skincare (11%). Through a series of acquisitions, Puig has built a premium portfolio, including brands such as Rabanne, Carolina Herrera, Byredo, L’Artisan Parfumeur, Penhaligon’s, Dries Van Noten, and Charlotte Tilbury, which contributes 95% of total sales. It also has long-term licensing agreements with Christian Louboutin, Adolfo Dominguez, and Antonio Banderas. Puig generates close to 55% of sales from Europe, 36% from the Americas, and 9% from Asia. The Puig family owns 74% of the economic interests in the company and 93% of the voting rights via a dual-class share structure.

D'Ieteren Group is a Belgium-based company that imports and distributes automobiles. The group’s reportable operating segments are D’Ieteren Automotive, Belron, Moleskine, TVH and PHE. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Belron segment which performs vehicle glass repair and replacement. The company also distributes Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Maserati, Cupra, Rimac, and Porsche vehicles, as well as spare parts and accessories; markets of used vehicles; provides maintenance, financing and leasing services.