Ulta Beauty Ranks in Top 500 by Daily Trading Volume as Stock Hits 52-Week High

On August 1, 2025, Ulta Beauty (ULTA) closed at a 1.41% decline, trading at $507.73 with a volume of $310 million. The stock reached a 52-week high of $517.43 earlier in the session, reflecting heightened investor activity and optimism about its market position.

Analyst activity has intensified, with recent upgrades from major firms. UBS Group raised its target price to $525, while Telsey Advisory Group set a $520 target. Despite these bullish signals, the stock remains under a "Hold" consensus rating, with a median price target of $465.04. Institutional investors, including JPMorgan and T. Rowe Price, have significantly increased their holdings, signaling confidence in Ulta’s long-term growth potential.

Ulta’s Q1 earnings exceeded expectations, with $6.70 EPS (beating by $0.97) and $2.85 billion in revenue (up 4.5% YoY). The company’s 49.73% return on equity and 10.45% net margin highlight its operational efficiency. Strategic initiatives, including AI integration and expanded wellness offerings, further underscore its competitive edge in the beauty retail sector.

The strategy of purchasing the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day delivered a 166.71% return from 2022 to the present. This outperformed the benchmark return of 29.18%, generating an excess return of 137.53%. The results emphasize the effectiveness of liquidity concentration in driving short-term stock performance, particularly in high-volume scenarios like those observed in Ulta’s recent trading activity.