The U.S. beauty retailer raised its full-year sales and profit forecasts after reporting double-digit growth in the third quarter of its fiscal year.
“Our third quarter results exceeded our expectations, reflecting the steady progress and momentum our team is building (...). Exciting assortment newness, improved in-store and digital experiences, and bold marketing efforts are resonating with our guests and drove strong sales results, market share gains, and growth across all categories and channels, with notable strength in ecommerce,” said Kecia Steelman, Ulta Beauty president and CEO.
Net third quarter sales increased 12.9% to USD 2.9 billion compared to USD 2.5 billion last year, primarily due to increased comparable sales, the acquisition of Space NK, and net new store contribution. Comparable sales (sales for stores open at least 14 months and e-commerce sales) increased 6.3% compared to 0.6% in 2024, driven by a 3.8% increase in average ticket and a 2.4% increase in transactions.
Over the first 9 months of fiscal 2025, net sales increased 8.8% to USD 8.5 billion compared to USD 7.8 billion last year.
The company now expects annual net sales of about USD 12.3 billion, compared with its prior forecast of USD 12 billion to USD 12.1 billion. It expects comparable sales to rise in the range of 4.4% to 4.7% in fiscal 2025, compared with its prior growth forecast of 2.5% to 3.5%.
Ulta Beauty had already lifted its outlook in August after reporting strong second-quarter results.
Previously focused on the U.S. market, the retailer has recently begun expanding internationally — first into Canada and Mexico, then into the United Kingdom with its July acquisition of Space NK, and most recently into the Middle East with the opening of its first store in Kuwait in November.
