Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Natural Health Trends Corp. (NHTC) vs Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | ULTA | 0.8% revenue growth vs NHTC's -7.4% |
| Quality / Margins | ULTA | 10.3% net margin vs NHTC's -2.2% |
| Stability / Safety | NHTC | Beta 0.28 vs ULTA's 0.90, lower leverage |
| Dividends | NHTC | 25.0% yield; ULTA pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | ULTA | +86.9% vs NHTC's -19.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ULTA | 18.1% ROA vs NHTC's -2.3%, ROIC 33.2% vs -6.5% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Natural Health Trends is a direct-selling and e-commerce company that sells wellness, beauty, and lifestyle products under the NHT Global brand. It generates revenue primarily through multi-level marketing commissions — where independent distributors earn on their own sales and those in their downline — supplemented by direct e-commerce sales to consumers. The company's competitive advantage lies in its established distributor network across multiple international markets, which creates a built-in sales force and customer base.
Ulta Beauty is a specialty beauty retailer operating physical stores and an e-commerce platform that sells cosmetics, skincare, haircare, and fragrance products alongside in-store salon services. It generates revenue primarily from retail product sales — including its private label Ulta Beauty Collection — with salon services contributing a smaller portion of total sales. The company's key advantage is its unique "beauty playground" format that combines mass and prestige brands under one roof alongside professional salon services, creating a differentiated omnichannel experience.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
ULTA leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). NHTC leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ULTA is the larger business by revenue, generating $11.7B annually — 293.0x NHTC's $40M. ULTA is the more profitable business, keeping 10.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to NHTC's -2.2%. On growth, ULTA holds the edge at +9.3% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | NHTCNatural Health Tr… | ULTAUlta Beauty, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $40M | $11.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$2M | $1.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$882,000 | $1.2B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$5M | $952M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +73.5% | +39.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -4.5% | +13.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -2.2% | +10.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -12.4% | +8.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -10.1% | +9.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -4.3% | +9.1% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | NHTCNatural Health Tr… | ULTAUlta Beauty, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $37M | $31.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $33M | $32.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -41.72x | 27.02x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 26.71x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.71x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 17.64x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.93x | 2.77x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.57x | 13.05x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 32.50x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ULTA delivers a 46.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $46 in annual profit, vs $-4 for NHTC. NHTC carries lower financial leverage with a 0.13x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ULTA's 0.77x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ULTA scores 5/9 vs NHTC's 2/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | NHTCNatural Health Tr… | ULTAUlta Beauty, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -3.8% | +46.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -2.3% | +18.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -6.5% | +33.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -6.1% | +38.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.13x | 0.77x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$4M | $1.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $7M | $703M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $3M | $1.9B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ULTA five years ago would be worth $20,295 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $10,807 for NHTC. Over the past 12 months, ULTA leads with a +86.9% total return vs NHTC's -19.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ULTA at 9.7% vs NHTC's 2.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NHTCNatural Health Tr… | ULTAUlta Beauty, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +7.1% | +10.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -19.8% | +86.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +8.1% | +32.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +8.1% | +102.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -56.2% | +314.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +2.6% | +9.7% |
Risk & Volatility
NHTC is the less volatile stock with a 0.28 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ULTA's 0.90 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. ULTA currently trades 95.8% from its 52-week high vs NHTC's 53.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NHTCNatural Health Tr… | ULTAUlta Beauty, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.28x | 0.90x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $6.00 | $714.97 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $2.40 | $309.01 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +53.3% | +95.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 40.3 | 59.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 30K | 449K |
Analyst Outlook
NHTC is the only dividend payer here at 25.04% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | NHTCNatural Health Tr… | ULTAUlta Beauty, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $693.73 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 47 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +25.0% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.80 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +3.3% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Health Tren… (NHTC) | 100 | 112.13 | +12.1% |
| Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) | 100 | 255.02 | +155.0% |
Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) returned +103% over 5 years vs Natural Health Tren… (NHTC)'s +8%. A $10,000 investment in ULTA 5 years ago would be worth $20,295 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Health Tren… (NHTC) | $288M | $40M | -86.2% |
| Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) | $4.9B | $11.3B | +132.7% |
Natural Health Trends Corp.'s revenue grew from $288M (2016) to $40M (2025) — a -19.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Health Tren… (NHTC) | 19.1% | -2.2% | -111.6% |
| Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) | 8.4% | 10.6% | +26.0% |
Natural Health Trends Corp.'s net margin went from 19% (2016) to -2% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Health Tren… (NHTC) | 7.3 | 92.8 | +1171.2% |
| Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) | 25 | 17.2 | -31.2% |
Natural Health Trends Corp. has traded in a 7x–125x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~-42x. Ulta Beauty, Inc. has traded in a 17x–92x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~27x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Health Tren… (NHTC) | 4.83 | -0.08 | -101.6% |
| Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) | 6.52 | 25.34 | +288.7% |
Natural Health Trends Corp.'s EPS grew from $4.83 (2016) to $-0.08 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Natural Health Trends Corp. generated $-6M FCF in 2025 (-867% vs 2021). Ulta Beauty, Inc. generated $964M FCF in 2024 (+9% vs 2021).
NHTC vs ULTA: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NHTC or ULTA a better buy right now?
Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) offers the better valuation at 27.0x trailing P/E (26.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) a "Buy" — based on 47 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which is the better long-term investment — NHTC or ULTA?
Over the past 5 years, Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) delivered a total return of +102.9%, compared to +8.1% for Natural Health Trends Corp. (NHTC). A $10,000 investment in ULTA five years ago would be worth approximately $20K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ULTA returned +314.5% versus NHTC's -56.2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — NHTC or ULTA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Natural Health Trends Corp. (NHTC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.28β versus Ulta Beauty, Inc.'s 0.90β — meaning ULTA is approximately 219% more volatile than NHTC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Natural Health Trends Corp. (NHTC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 13% versus 77% for Ulta Beauty, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — NHTC or ULTA?
Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) is the more profitable company, earning 10.6% net margin versus -2.2% for Natural Health Trends Corp. — meaning it keeps 10.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ULTA leads at 14.0% versus -4.5% for NHTC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NHTC leads at 73.5%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
05Which pays a better dividend — NHTC or ULTA?
In this comparison, NHTC (25.0% yield) pays a dividend. ULTA does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
06Is NHTC or ULTA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Natural Health Trends Corp. (NHTC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.28), 25.0% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NHTC: -56.2%, ULTA: +314.5%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
07What are the main differences between NHTC and ULTA?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: NHTC is a small-cap income-oriented stock; ULTA is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. NHTC pays a dividend while ULTA does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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