How did ULTA's Q1 2026 EPS forecast compare to past trends?

**Ulta Beauty's Q1 2026 EPS forecast reflects a challenging environment with potential recovery signs**: 1. **Current Forecast**: The Q1 2026 EPS forecast for Ulta Beauty is $6.40 per share. 2. **Recent Performance**: Ulta's stock has experienced a significant decline over the past year, with a price CAGR of -34.92% over the last 12 months. This decline is indicative of a tough market environment, which has impacted Ulta's financial performance. 3. **Analyst Expectations**: Analysts have revised down their EPS estimates for Q1 2026. This reflects a more cautious outlook from analysts, likely due to the soft industry trends and challenging beauty market dynamics. 4. **Historical Trends**: Ulta's 5-year EPS CAGR is 14.81%, indicating a strong historical growth rate. However, this recent forecast suggests that the company may face short-term challenges that could impact its earnings growth. 5. **Market Conditions**: The beauty market's dynamics have become more challenging, and Ulta is expected to offer a weaker-than-expected full-year earnings outlook. This is likely due to softer beauty trends and increased competition in the industry. In conclusion, Ulta's Q1 2026 EPS forecast is currently lower than its historical average, reflecting the current challenging market conditions. However, the company's strong historical performance and recent investments for future growth suggest that it may recover in the long term.