Ulta jumps after earnings, sales, and guidance top expectations

Rick Kern/Getty Images for Ulta Beauty

Kylie Jenner at Houston Ulta Beauty to promote the exclusive launch of Kylie Cosmetics with the beauty retailer in November 2018.

• Ulta Beauty reported quarterly profits and sales that topped analysts' expectations.
• Shares jumped as much as 6% in after-hours trading on Thursday.
• Watch Ulta Beauty trade live.

Ulta Beauty shares jumped as much as 6% in after-hours trading on Thursday after the company's fourth-quarter sales and profits topped analysts' expectations.

Here's what Ulta reported for the fourth-quarter, compared with what Wall Street analysts surveyed by Bloomberg were expecting.

• Revenue: $2.12 billion versus $2.11 billion expected.
• Adjusted earnings per share: $3.61 versus $3.56 expected.
• Comparable sales: +9.4% versus +7.9% expected.
• Full-year EPS guidance: $12.65 to $12.85, versus $12.74 expected.

The company said its spike in comparable sales was driven by a 7.1% increase in transactions and 2.3% rise in its average ticket price. Ulta also said its e-commerce comparable sales rose 25.1% year-over-year during the quarter.

Last quarter, Ulta shares fell 7% after the beauty retailer gave earnings and sales guidance that fell short of estimates. Earlier in the year, the chain was widely seen to have benefitted from its partnership with reality star Kylie Jenner.

Still, Ulta's share price has been on a tear since hitting a low of $224.70 at the end of last year. Since December 24, the stock has surged 40%, settling Thursday at $312.63.

At its close of trading on Thursday, Ulta was trading just below its November record high of $322.49 per share.

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