Ulta Beauty raises annual profit forecast, posts upbeat quarter on resilient demand
HighlightsUlta Beauty raised its annual profit forecast to a range of $22.65 to $23.20 per share after reporting quarterly sales of $2.85 billion, surpassing analysts' estimates. The company experienced a 2.9 percent increase in comparable sales driven by younger shoppers' demand for trendy brands like Elf Beauty and celebrity-owned brands such as Rihanna's Fenty Beauty. Ulta Beauty's quarterly adjusted profit of $6.70 per share exceeded expectations, while the company's gross profit increased by 4.2 percent to $1.11 billion compared to the previous year.
Ulta Beauty
raised its
annual profit forecast
after beating
quarterly results
on Thursday, as lower inventory losses as well as new launches such as Milk Makeup and
K-Beauty skincare
brands helped drive demand at its stores.
Shares of the company were up about 8 per cent in trading after the bell.
Cosmetics retailer saw uptick in sales across its stores, especially from younger shoppers willing to spend on trendy and affordable brands such as
Elf Beauty
.
Ulta Beauty has strengthened customer traffic by introducing celebrity-owned brands, such as Rihanna's
Fenty Beauty
, along with investments in marketing and digital channels.
The company expects annual profit to be in the range of $22.65 to $23.20 per share, compared with a prior forecast of $22.50 to $22.90 per share.
It posted quarterly sales of $2.85 billion, compared with the analysts' estimate of $2.79 billion, as per data compiled by LSEG.
The company's comparable sales in the quarter ended May 3 rose 2.9 per cent compared to a year ago, driven by a 2.3 per cent increase in average ticket and a 0.6 per cent rise in transactions.
It earned quarterly adjusted profit of $6.70 per share, topping the estimate of $5.81 per share.
Budget-cosmetic brand Elf Beauty posted an upbeat quarter on resilient demand, while luxury firms such as Estee Lauder's business remained pressured due to tariff uncertainty.
The Trump administration's unpredictable tariff shifts have disrupted businesses and shaken consumers worldwide, who are now bracing for an
economic recession
.
Ulta Beauty expects comparable sales for fiscal 2025 to be in the range of flat to up 1.5 per cent, compared with the prior forecast of flat to up 1 per cent.
"The operating environment is fluid, and our outlook reflects uncertainty around how consumer demand could evolve," said CEO Kecia Steelman.
Lower inventory losses or damages helped Ulta Beauty in countering higher store and supply chain-related costs.
Its quarterly gross profit increased 4.2 per cent to $1.11 billion compared with a year ago.
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