ULTA vs. IWM
ULTA (Ulta Beauty, Inc.) is a stock, while IWM (iShares Russell 2000 ETF) is Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index. Over the past 10 years, ULTA returned 6.74%/yr vs 11.58%/yr for IWM. At a 0.49 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
ULTA vs. IWM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ULTA achieves a -24.08% return, which is significantly lower than IWM's 20.47% return. Over the past 10 years, ULTA has underperformed IWM with an annualized return of 6.74%, while IWM has yielded a comparatively higher 11.58% annualized return.
ULTA
- 1D
- -1.23%
- 1M
- -10.82%
- YTD
- -24.08%
- 6M
- -23.96%
- 1Y
- -2.59%
- 3Y*
- 0.43%
- 5Y*
- 5.48%
- 10Y*
- 6.74%
IWM
- 1D
- -0.96%
- 1M
- 3.82%
- YTD
- 20.47%
- 6M
- 17.64%
- 1Y
- 40.90%
- 3Y*
- 19.22%
- 5Y*
- 6.27%
- 10Y*
- 11.58%
ULTA vs. IWM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ULTA Ulta Beauty, Inc. | -24.08% | 39.11% | -11.24% | 4.46% | 13.76% | 43.59% | 13.44% | 3.39% | 9.47% | -12.27% |
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 20.47% | 12.66% | 11.38% | 16.83% | -20.48% | 14.54% | 20.03% | 25.39% | -11.12% | 14.58% |
Correlation
The correlation between ULTA and IWM is 0.40, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.40 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 25, 2007 | 0.49 |
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Return for Risk
ULTA vs. IWM — Risk / Return Rank
ULTA
IWM
ULTA vs. IWM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) and iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM). 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 | IWM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.16 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.74 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.02 | 1.34 | -0.32 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.07 | 3.73 | -3.80 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.17 | 13.18 | -13.35 |
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Drawdowns
ULTA vs. IWM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ULTA drawdown since its inception was -87.89%, which is greater than IWM's maximum drawdown of -59.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ULTA and IWM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ULTA | IWM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -87.89% | -59.05% | -28.84% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -36.23% | -11.03% | -25.20% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -44.56% | -27.50% | -17.06% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -44.56% | -31.91% | -12.65% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -64.92% | -41.13% | -23.79% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -35.01% | -0.96% | -34.05% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -20.83% | -10.75% | -10.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 15.12% | 3.11% | +12.01% |
Volatility
ULTA vs. IWM - Volatility Comparison
Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) has a higher volatility of 9.36% compared to iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) at 6.56%. This indicates that ULTA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IWM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ULTA | IWM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.36% | 6.56% | +2.80% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 25.23% | 14.31% | +10.92% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 33.52% | 19.74% | +13.78% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 34.31% | 22.61% | +11.70% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 38.36% | 23.06% | +15.30% |
Dividends
ULTA vs. IWM - Dividend Comparison
ULTA has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IWM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.90%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWM iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 0.90% | 1.04% | 1.15% | 1.35% | 1.48% | 0.94% | 1.04% | 1.26% | 1.40% | 1.26% | 1.38% | 1.54% |
ULTA Ulta Beauty, Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ULTA and IWM have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ULTA has higher volatility (9.36%) compared to IWM (6.56%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ULTA dropped -87.89% vs IWM's -59.05%.
IWM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.08 vs -0.08), 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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