Major U.S. indices closed mixed on Thursday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipping 0.07% to 47,850.94. The S&P 500 edged up 0.1% to 6,857.12, and the Nasdaq added 0.2% to 23,505.13.These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors through the day:SoFi Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:SOFI)SoFi Technologies’ stock rose by 1.82%, closing at $29.60. The stock reached an intraday high of $29.70 and a low of $28.48, with a 52-week range of $32.73 to $8.62. The stock fell nearly ...

Core Insights - Ulta Beauty reported revenue of $2.86 billion for the quarter ended October 2025, reflecting a 13% increase year-over-year, and EPS remained stable at $5.14 compared to the same quarter last year [1] - The revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.72 billion by 4.95%, and the EPS surpassed the consensus estimate of $4.56 by 12.72% [1] Financial Performance - Comparable sales increased by 6.3%, outperforming the average estimate of 3.5% from nine analysts [4] - Total stores open at the end of the quarter reached 1,500, exceeding the average estimate of 1,494 from seven analysts [4] - Total gross square footage at the end of the quarter was 15,588.93 thousand square feet, slightly above the average estimate of 15,522.33 thousand square feet [4] - The company opened 28 new stores during the quarter, surpassing the average estimate of 20 from six analysts [4] - Net sales per average total square footage were $183.31, exceeding the average estimate of $178.08 from four analysts [4] Category Performance - Net Sales by Primary Category - Other: 2%, matching the average estimate [4] - Net Sales by Primary Category - Services: 3%, slightly below the average estimate of 4% [4] - Net Sales by Primary Category - Fragrance: 11%, exceeding the average estimate of 10.5% [4] - Net Sales by Primary Category - Haircare: 19%, slightly below the average estimate of 19.5% [4] - Net Sales by Primary Category - Cosmetics: 41%, above the average estimate of 40.8% [4] Stock Performance - Ulta's shares returned +4.4% over the past month, compared to a +0.1% change in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Market Performance - Market indexes were mostly flat, with the Dow down by 0.07%, S&P 500 up by 0.11%, and Nasdaq up by 0.22% [1] - The small-cap Russell 2000 outperformed, gaining 0.76% after bouncing off late Tuesday lows [1] Interest Rate Expectations - Anticipation of an interest rate cut next week, expected to lower rates to between 3.50-3.75%, the first time since September 2022 [2] - Weekly Jobless Claims data was better than expected, but did not deter investor sentiment regarding the Fed's upcoming decision [2] Earnings Reports - **Ulta Beauty (ULTA)**: Reported earnings of $5.14 per share, exceeding the $4.56 consensus, with revenues of $2.9 billion surpassing the $2.72 billion expectation, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 12.9% [3] - **DocuSign (DOCU)**: Earnings of $1.01 per share exceeded the expected $0.92, with revenues of $818.4 million above the $806.1 million consensus; however, stock declined due to competition from OpenAI's DocuGPT [4] - **Hewlett Packard Enterprises (HPE)**: Reported earnings of 62 cents per share, beating estimates by 3 cents, but revenues of $9.7 billion fell short of the $9.96 billion expectation, leading to a 7.6% drop in shares [5] Economic Indicators - The delayed Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) report for September is expected to show a year-over-year increase of 2.8%, up from 2.74% the previous month, with core PCE anticipated at 2.9% [6] - A significant upside surprise in PCE data could influence the Fed's decision on interest rates [7]

Ulta Beauty beat Wall Street forecasts on both the top and bottom lines in its third quarter, helped by fragrance, K-beauty and international expansion. The Bolingbrook, Ill.-based retailer reported net sales increased 12.9 percent to $2.9 billion, primarily due to increased comparable sales, the acquisition of Space NK, and net new store contribution. Wall Street had penciled in $2.71 billion. More from WWD Net income was $230.9 million, compared to $242.2 million a year earlier, while diluted earnings ...

[Music] Hello and welcome to Asking for a Trend. I'm Josh Lipton and for the next half hour, we are breaking down the trends of today, then our new stocks tomorrow. There's a lot to keep track of, so we're focusing on what you need to know to get the curve. Here's some of the trends we're going to be diving right into.Drama jumping from the screen to the boardroom. The future of Warner Brothers Discovery hangs in the balance as Paramount comes out swinging. in its effort to acquire the media giant.We're cal ...

"Masstige†is winning even as consumers cut costs elsewhere. ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q3 2025, net sales increased by 12.9% to $2.9 billion, with operating profit at 10.8% of sales and diluted EPS at $5.14 per share [4][27]. - Comparable sales grew by 6.3%, driven by a 3.8% increase in average ticket and a 2.4% increase in transactions [28]. - Consolidated gross margin increased by 70 basis points to 40.4% of sales, primarily due to lower inventory shrink and higher merchandise margin [28][29]. Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - E-commerce results showed notable double-digit growth, contributing to overall sales performance [6][28]. - Fragrance was the strongest growing category with double-digit comp sales growth, while skincare delivered high single-digit comp growth [9][10]. - Makeup and hair care categories also experienced mid-single-digit comp growth, with mass makeup benefiting from new product launches [11][12]. Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The beauty market, including both mass and prestige segments, delivered mid-single-digit growth during Q3 [7]. - Ulta Beauty gained market share in both mass and prestige beauty categories, with notable gains in brick-and-mortar and digital channels [6][9]. Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on three strategic priorities: strengthening the core U.S. business, scaling new businesses including international expansion, and realigning the foundation for future growth [7][19]. - Investments in technology and operational excellence are aimed at enhancing the guest experience and driving long-term profitable growth [8][31]. Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted a softening in overall consumer confidence but highlighted healthy beauty engagement [7]. - The company is optimistic about the upcoming holiday season, despite challenges in consumer spending, and is prepared with marketing strategies and inventory [23][24]. Other Important Information - The company opened seven new stores in Mexico and launched its first store in the Middle East during Q3 [17][18]. - The successful launch of UB Marketplace expanded the online assortment with over 120 brands and 3,500 SKUs [19]. Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about what you're hearing from brands about pricing? - Management indicated that pricing increases are generally seen quarter to quarter, with several brands announcing price hikes [38][40]. Question: Can you provide more color on app engagement and consumer purchasing behavior? - Management noted that app engagement grew to 65% of online member sales, with strong performance across both store and e-commerce channels [44][45]. Question: How do you view the competitive situation in the beauty industry? - Management acknowledged the competitive landscape but emphasized Ulta's unique position and differentiation through its loyalty program and diverse product offerings [86][87].

Core Insights - Ulta Beauty, Inc. reported Q3 earnings of $5.14 per share, surpassing analyst expectations of $4.54 by 13.27% [1] - Quarterly revenue reached $2.858 billion, exceeding the Street estimate of $2.72 billion and up from $2.53 billion in the same period last year [2] Financial Performance - Net sales increased by 12.9% to $2.9 billion compared to $2.5 billion in the prior year quarter [5] - Comparable sales rose by 6.3% [5] - Gross profit increased by 14.9% to $1.2 billion from $1 billion [5] Strategic Outlook - The company raised its fiscal 2025 GAAP EPS guidance to between $25.20 and $25.50, compared to the previous analyst estimate of $24.40 [4] - Fiscal year revenue guidance was increased to approximately $12.3 billion, exceeding the prior estimate of $12.13 billion [4] Operational Highlights - During Q3, Ulta opened 28 new stores, remodeled 15 stores, and closed one store [5] - CEO Kecia Steelman noted that the results reflect the progress of the Ulta Beauty Unleashed Strategy, highlighting strong sales results and market share gains across all categories and channels, particularly in ecommerce [3][4]

Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA) reported third quarter fiscal 2026 results after market close on December 4, 2025, and investors liked what they saw. ...

An Ulta Beauty store in Concord, California, US, on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.Ulta Beauty on Thursday raised its full-year sales outlook after topping Wall Street's expectations for the fiscal third quarter. The beauty retailer said it now expects net sales for the year to be approximately $12.3 billion, higher than its previous expectations of $12 billion to $12.1 billion. That would would represent an increase from last fiscal year's net sales of $11.3 billion. It expects earnings per share of $25.20 to $25 ...