ULTA vs. CDNS
ULTA (Ulta Beauty, Inc.) and CDNS (Cadence Design Systems, Inc.) are both stocks. ULTA operates in Specialty Retail (Consumer Cyclical), while CDNS operates in Software - Application (Technology). Over the past 10 years, ULTA returned 7.00%/yr vs 31.77%/yr for CDNS. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
ULTA vs. CDNS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ULTA achieves a -22.69% return, which is significantly lower than CDNS's 23.16% return. Over the past 10 years, ULTA has underperformed CDNS with an annualized return of 7.00%, while CDNS has yielded a comparatively higher 31.77% annualized return.
ULTA
- 1D
- -1.82%
- 1M
- -5.37%
- YTD
- -22.69%
- 6M
- -22.25%
- 1Y
- 1.87%
- 3Y*
- 1.77%
- 5Y*
- 6.68%
- 10Y*
- 7.00%
CDNS
- 1D
- 0.32%
- 1M
- 10.86%
- YTD
- 23.16%
- 6M
- 19.10%
- 1Y
- 28.32%
- 3Y*
- 17.22%
- 5Y*
- 24.39%
- 10Y*
- 31.77%
ULTA vs. CDNS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ULTA Ulta Beauty, Inc. | -22.69% | 39.11% | -11.24% | 4.46% | 13.76% | 43.59% | 13.44% | 3.39% | 9.47% | -12.27% |
CDNS Cadence Design Systems, Inc. | 23.16% | 4.03% | 10.31% | 69.55% | -13.80% | 36.59% | 96.70% | 59.52% | 3.97% | 65.82% |
Correlation
The correlation between ULTA and CDNS is 0.10, 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 | 0.10 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 25, 2007 | 0.32 |
Over the past year, the correlation between ULTA and CDNS has dropped to 0.10 - well below their long-term average of 0.32, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
ULTA:
$20.56B
CDNS:
$105.37B
ULTA:
$26.57
CDNS:
$4.28
ULTA:
17.60
CDNS:
89.86
ULTA:
1.75
CDNS:
6.85
ULTA:
1.65
CDNS:
19.03
ULTA:
7.97
CDNS:
12.08
ULTA:
$12.71B
CDNS:
$5.53B
ULTA:
$5.00B
CDNS:
$4.91B
ULTA:
$1.81B
CDNS:
$1.87B
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Return for Risk
ULTA vs. CDNS — Risk / Return Rank
ULTA
CDNS
ULTA vs. CDNS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) and Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS). 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.
| ULTA | CDNS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.61 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.90 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.04 | 1.15 | -0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.03 | 0.87 | -0.84 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.08 | 1.84 | -1.76 |
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Drawdowns
ULTA vs. CDNS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ULTA drawdown since its inception was -87.89%, smaller than the maximum CDNS drawdown of -93.13%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ULTA and CDNS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ULTA | CDNS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -87.89% | -93.13% | +5.24% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -34.56% | -28.85% | -5.71% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -44.56% | -29.05% | -15.51% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -44.56% | -29.59% | -14.97% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -64.92% | -32.12% | -32.80% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -33.82% | -7.55% | -26.27% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -20.81% | -39.62% | +18.81% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 14.13% | 13.63% | +0.50% |
Volatility
ULTA vs. CDNS - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) is 9.69%, while Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS) has a volatility of 16.52%. This indicates that ULTA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CDNS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ULTA | CDNS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.69% | 16.52% | -6.83% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 25.04% | 31.73% | -6.69% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 33.39% | 38.94% | -5.55% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 34.26% | 36.17% | -1.91% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 38.32% | 34.12% | +4.20% |
Dividends
ULTA vs. CDNS - Dividend Comparison
Neither ULTA nor CDNS has paid dividends to shareholders.
Financials
ULTA vs. CDNS - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Ulta Beauty, Inc. and Cadence Design Systems, 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
ULTA vs. CDNS - Profitability Comparison
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%.
CDNS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Cadence Design Systems, Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.41B and revenue of 1.47B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 95.9%.
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%.
CDNS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Cadence Design Systems, Inc. reported an operating income of 431.33M and revenue of 1.47B, resulting in an operating margin of 29.3%.
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%.
CDNS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Cadence Design Systems, Inc. reported a net income of 335.66M and revenue of 1.47B, resulting in a net margin of 22.8%.
Frequently Asked Questions
ULTA and CDNS have a correlation of 0.10, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CDNS has higher volatility (16.52%) compared to ULTA (9.69%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ULTA dropped -87.89% vs CDNS's -93.13%.
CDNS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.65 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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