Ulta Beauty Stock Climbs On Q4 Earnings Beat: 'Fiscal 2025 Will Be A Pivotal Year'

Ulta Beauty Inc ULTA reported financial results for the fourth quarter after the market close on Thursday. Here’s a rundown of the report.

Q4 Earnings: Ulta Beauty reported fourth-quarter revenue of $3.49 billion, beating the consensus estimate of $3.46 billion. The specialty beauty retailer reported fourth-quarter earnings of $8.46 per share, beating analyst estimates of $7.14 per share, according to Benzinga Pro.

Total revenue was down 1.9% year-over-year in the fourth quarter. Comparable sales were up 1.5% year-over-year, driven by a 3% increase in average ticket and a 1.4% decrease in transactions.

Ulta said it added nine new stores in the quarter and closed one, bringing total locations up to 1,445. Merchandise inventories were up 13% year-over-year to $2 billion. The company ended the quarter with $703.2 million in cash and cash equivalents.

“I am incredibly optimistic about the future of Ulta Beauty, as I believe we have the right elements to drive our success — a strong business model, an ambitious long-term plan, and passionate associates who bring our brand to life for our guests every day,” said Kecia Steelman, president and CEO of Ulta Beauty.

“Fiscal 2025 will be a pivotal year as we make purposeful investments to fuel our future growth and move quickly to optimize our business.”

Don’t Miss: Ulta Beauty Q4 Earnings Preview: Comparable Sales, Gross Margins On Watch

Guidance: Ulta Beauty expects fiscal year 2025 revenue of $11.5 billion to $11.6 billion versus estimates of $11.67 billion, according to Benzinga Pro. The company sees full-year comparable sales coming in flat to up 1%.

Ulta Beauty anticipates full-year earnings of $22.50 to $22.90 per share versus estimates of $23.50 per share.

Management will further discuss the quarter on a conference call with investors and analysts at 4:30 p.m. ET.

ULTA Price Action: Ulta Beauty shares were up 5.57% after-hours, trading at $332 at the time of publication Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro.

Photo: Shutterstock.