COMPARE · Reviewed July 28, 2026
KTB vs ULTA
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. KTB scored 75.6, ULTA scored 75.2 — KTB leads.
Compare another set
KTB
Kontoor Brands, Inc.
75.6
$88.06 · $4.9B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
0.4
KTB leads
ULTA
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
75.2
$501.52 · $21.6B
fundamentals as of
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
KTB
stronger →← stronger
ULTA
77
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
84
91
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
86
61
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
59
KTB is stronger on 2 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
KTB
ULTA
$400mC
FCF
$1.1bC+
+31.0%A
Rev
+11.3%B
2.06C
D/E
0.89B
17.8xB+
P/E
18.8xB+
0.85B+
PEG
1.67C+
Winner per row is the stronger grade in our model; a tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
KTB
ULTA
50% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
1% below
~-4%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~7%/yr
+56%
1-yr DCF upside
-8%
+99%
5-yr DCF upside
+1%
+184%
10-yr DCF upside
+17%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
KTB
Why this score
- Durable high returns
ULTA
Why this score
- Buying back stock
- Durable high returns
The companies
KTBKontoor Brands, Inc.
Why now
Apparel Manufacturing · market cap $4.9b. Trading near 52-week high of $88.96 — momentum setup, limited technical margin of safety. Revenue growing +31% — in hypergrowth territory. PEG 0.85 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 10 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $93.10 (implying +6% upside).
Moat
ROE 45% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which. FCF converts 144% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
D/E 2.06 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Trading within 1% of the 52-week high — limited technical margin of safety; a momentum reversal would test conviction.
ULTAUlta Beauty, Inc.
Why now
Specialty Retail · market cap $21.6b. Down 30% from 52-week high of $714.97 — deep drawdown territory. Revenue growing +11%, comfortably above the S&P median. 24 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $623.42 (implying +24% upside).
Moat
ROE 46% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which. FCF converts 95% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
Mature compounder — the risk is paying up for quality at a moment when growth is decelerating. Watch for sequential revenue + margin trends; the inflection from "compounder" to "ex-compounder" is hard to spot until the multiple already started compressing.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.