HCA vs. ULTA
HCA (HCA Healthcare, Inc.) and ULTA (Ulta Beauty, Inc.) are both stocks. HCA operates in Medical Care Facilities (Healthcare), while ULTA operates in Specialty Retail (Consumer Cyclical). Over the past 10 years, HCA returned 18.27%/yr vs 7.00%/yr for ULTA. At a 0.28 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
HCA vs. ULTA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, HCA achieves a -16.94% return, which is significantly higher than ULTA's -22.69% return. Over the past 10 years, HCA has outperformed ULTA with an annualized return of 18.27%, while ULTA has yielded a comparatively lower 7.00% annualized return.
HCA
- 1D
- 2.29%
- 1M
- -9.44%
- YTD
- -16.94%
- 6M
- -19.89%
- 1Y
- 4.87%
- 3Y*
- 12.30%
- 5Y*
- 13.79%
- 10Y*
- 18.27%
ULTA
- 1D
- -1.82%
- 1M
- -4.96%
- YTD
- -22.69%
- 6M
- -22.25%
- 1Y
- 1.15%
- 3Y*
- 1.77%
- 5Y*
- 6.68%
- 10Y*
- 7.00%
HCA vs. ULTA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HCA HCA Healthcare, Inc. | -16.94% | 56.71% | 11.75% | 13.83% | -5.64% | 57.58% | 12.07% | 20.24% | 43.37% | 18.67% |
ULTA Ulta Beauty, Inc. | -22.69% | 39.11% | -11.24% | 4.46% | 13.76% | 43.59% | 13.44% | 3.39% | 9.47% | -12.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between HCA and ULTA is 0.05, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.05 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 10, 2011 | 0.28 |
Over the past year, the correlation between HCA and ULTA has dropped to 0.05 - well below their long-term average of 0.28, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
HCA:
$28.46
ULTA:
$26.57
HCA:
13.60
ULTA:
17.60
HCA:
1.62
ULTA:
1.75
HCA:
1.22
ULTA:
1.65
HCA:
$75.60B
ULTA:
$12.71B
HCA:
$31.37B
ULTA:
$5.00B
HCA:
$15.60B
ULTA:
$1.81B
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Return for Risk
HCA vs. ULTA — Risk / Return Rank
HCA
ULTA
HCA vs. ULTA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) and Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| HCA | ULTA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.14 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.15 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.06 | 1.04 | +0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.15 | 0.03 | +0.11 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.44 | 0.08 | +0.36 |
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Drawdowns
HCA vs. ULTA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum HCA drawdown since its inception was -54.74%, smaller than the maximum ULTA drawdown of -87.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HCA and ULTA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| HCA | ULTA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -54.74% | -87.89% | +33.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -33.62% | -34.56% | +0.94% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -33.62% | -44.56% | +10.94% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -39.49% | -44.56% | +5.07% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -54.74% | -64.92% | +10.18% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -28.87% | -33.82% | +4.95% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.04% | -20.81% | +9.77% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.15% | 14.13% | -2.98% |
Volatility
HCA vs. ULTA - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for HCA Healthcare, Inc. (HCA) is 8.97%, while Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) has a volatility of 9.69%. This indicates that HCA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ULTA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| HCA | ULTA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.97% | 9.69% | -0.72% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 21.53% | 25.04% | -3.51% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.33% | 33.39% | -6.06% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.90% | 34.26% | -4.36% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.63% | 38.32% | -5.69% |
Dividends
HCA vs. ULTA - Dividend Comparison
HCA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.76%, while ULTA has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HCA HCA Healthcare, Inc. | 0.76% | 0.62% | 0.88% | 0.89% | 0.93% | 0.75% | 0.63% | 1.08% | 1.12% |
ULTA Ulta Beauty, Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
HCA vs. ULTA - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between HCA Healthcare, Inc. and Ulta Beauty, Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
HCA vs. ULTA - Profitability Comparison
HCA - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, HCA Healthcare, Inc. reported a gross profit of 8.18B and revenue of 19.51B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 41.9%.
ULTA - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ulta Beauty, Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.27B and revenue of 3.16B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 40.1%.
HCA - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, HCA Healthcare, Inc. reported an operating income of 3.18B and revenue of 19.51B, resulting in an operating margin of 16.3%.
ULTA - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ulta Beauty, Inc. reported an operating income of 448.26M and revenue of 3.16B, resulting in an operating margin of 14.2%.
HCA - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, HCA Healthcare, Inc. reported a net income of 1.88B and revenue of 19.51B, resulting in a net margin of 9.6%.
ULTA - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ulta Beauty, Inc. reported a net income of 340.47M and revenue of 3.16B, resulting in a net margin of 10.8%.
Frequently Asked Questions
HCA and ULTA have a correlation of 0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ULTA has higher volatility (9.69%) compared to HCA (8.97%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HCA dropped -54.74% vs ULTA's -87.89%.
HCA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.18 vs 0.03), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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