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Side-by-side financial comparison of Celanese Corp (CE) and Ulta Beauty (ULTA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
Ulta Beauty is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($2.9B vs $2.2B, roughly 1.3× Celanese Corp). Ulta Beauty runs the higher net margin — 8.1% vs 0.6%, a 7.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Ulta Beauty posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (12.9% vs -7.0%). Celanese Corp produced more free cash flow last quarter ($168.0M vs $-81.6M). Over the past eight quarters, Ulta Beauty's revenue compounded faster (7.2% CAGR vs -8.1%).
Celanese Corporation, formerly known as Hoechst Celanese, is an American technology and specialty materials company headquartered in Irving, Texas. It is a Fortune 500 corporation. The company is the world's leading producer of acetic acid, producing about 1.95 million tonnes per year, representing approximately 20% of global production. Celanese is also the world's largest producer of vinyl acetate monomer (VAM).
Ulta Beauty, Inc., formerly known as Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. and before 2000 as Ulta3, is an American chain of cosmetic stores headquartered in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Ulta Beauty carries both high- and low-end cosmetics, fragrances, nail products, bath and body products, beauty tools and haircare products. Each location has a beauty salon available to the public.
CE vs ULTA — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $2.2B | $2.9B |
| Net Profit | $14.0M | $230.9M |
| Gross Margin | 19.1% | 40.4% |
| Operating Margin | 4.0% | 10.8% |
| Net Margin | 0.6% | 8.1% |
| Revenue YoY | -7.0% | 12.9% |
| Net Profit YoY | 100.7% | -4.7% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.13 | $5.14 |
Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.
8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend
Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.
| Q4 25 | $2.2B | $2.9B | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.4B | $2.8B | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.5B | $2.8B | ||
| Q1 25 | $2.4B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.4B | $2.5B | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.6B | $2.6B | ||
| Q2 24 | $2.7B | $2.7B | ||
| Q1 24 | $2.6B | $3.6B |
| Q4 25 | $14.0M | $230.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $-1.4B | $260.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $199.0M | $305.1M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-21.0M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $-1.9B | $242.2M | ||
| Q3 24 | $116.0M | $252.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $155.0M | $313.1M | ||
| Q1 24 | $121.0M | $394.4M |
| Q4 25 | 19.1% | 40.4% | ||
| Q3 25 | 21.5% | 39.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 21.1% | 39.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | 19.9% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 22.7% | 39.7% | ||
| Q3 24 | 23.5% | 38.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 24.2% | 39.2% | ||
| Q1 24 | 21.2% | 37.7% |
| Q4 25 | 4.0% | 10.8% | ||
| Q3 25 | -52.7% | 12.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 9.2% | 14.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | 7.0% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | -59.3% | 12.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 9.4% | 12.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 9.4% | 14.7% | ||
| Q1 24 | 8.0% | 14.5% |
| Q4 25 | 0.6% | 8.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | -56.1% | 9.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 7.9% | 10.7% | ||
| Q1 25 | -0.9% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | -80.8% | 9.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 4.4% | 9.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 5.8% | 11.5% | ||
| Q1 24 | 4.6% | 11.1% |
| Q4 25 | $0.13 | $5.14 | ||
| Q3 25 | $-12.39 | $5.78 | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.81 | $6.70 | ||
| Q1 25 | $-0.19 | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $-17.50 | $5.14 | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.06 | $5.30 | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.41 | $6.47 | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.10 | $8.06 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | — | $204.9M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $11.4B | — |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $4.0B | $2.6B |
| Total Assets | $21.7B | $7.0B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 2.81× | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | — | $204.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $242.7M | ||
| Q2 25 | — | $454.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | $177.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $414.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | — | $524.6M | ||
| Q1 24 | — | $766.6M |
| Q4 25 | $11.4B | — | ||
| Q3 25 | $11.7B | — | ||
| Q2 25 | $12.7B | — | ||
| Q1 25 | $12.4B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $11.1B | — | ||
| Q3 24 | $11.3B | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $11.1B | — | ||
| Q1 24 | $11.0B | — |
| Q4 25 | $4.0B | $2.6B | ||
| Q3 25 | $4.0B | $2.6B | ||
| Q2 25 | $5.3B | $2.4B | ||
| Q1 25 | $5.2B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $5.2B | $2.3B | ||
| Q3 24 | $7.3B | $2.3B | ||
| Q2 24 | $7.2B | $2.3B | ||
| Q1 24 | $7.1B | $2.3B |
| Q4 25 | $21.7B | $7.0B | ||
| Q3 25 | $22.2B | $6.6B | ||
| Q2 25 | $23.7B | $6.0B | ||
| Q1 25 | $23.2B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $22.9B | $6.0B | ||
| Q3 24 | $25.9B | $5.7B | ||
| Q2 24 | $25.8B | $5.6B | ||
| Q1 24 | $26.0B | $5.7B |
| Q4 25 | 2.81× | — | ||
| Q3 25 | 2.95× | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 2.41× | — | ||
| Q1 25 | 2.39× | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 2.14× | — | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.56× | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.54× | — | ||
| Q1 24 | 1.56× | — |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $252.0M | $5.6M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $168.0M | $-81.6M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 7.6% | -2.9% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 18.00× | 0.02× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $803.0M | $-92.2M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $252.0M | $5.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $447.0M | $96.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $410.0M | $220.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $37.0M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $494.0M | $-56.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | $79.0M | $199.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $292.0M | $159.3M | ||
| Q1 24 | $101.0M | $1.1B |
| Q4 25 | $168.0M | $-81.6M | ||
| Q3 25 | $383.0M | $19.6M | ||
| Q2 25 | $317.0M | $141.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $-65.0M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $389.0M | $-171.1M | ||
| Q3 24 | $-9.0M | $104.3M | ||
| Q2 24 | $187.0M | $68.3M | ||
| Q1 24 | $-36.0M | $994.0M |
| Q4 25 | 7.6% | -2.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 15.8% | 0.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | 12.5% | 4.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | -2.7% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 16.4% | -6.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | -0.3% | 4.1% | ||
| Q2 24 | 7.1% | 2.5% | ||
| Q1 24 | -1.4% | 28.0% |
| Q4 25 | 3.8% | 3.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | 2.6% | 2.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 3.7% | 2.8% | ||
| Q1 25 | 4.3% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 4.4% | 4.5% | ||
| Q3 24 | 3.3% | 3.7% | ||
| Q2 24 | 4.0% | 3.3% | ||
| Q1 24 | 5.2% | 3.5% |
| Q4 25 | 18.00× | 0.02× | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 0.37× | ||
| Q2 25 | 2.06× | 0.72× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | — | -0.23× | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.68× | 0.79× | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.88× | 0.51× | ||
| Q1 24 | 0.83× | 2.84× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
CE
| Engineered Materials | $1.3B | 58% |
| Acetyl Chain | $940.0M | 43% |
ULTA
Segment breakdown not available.
