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Side-by-side financial comparison of CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC. (CLF) and Ulta Beauty (ULTA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

CLEVELAND-CLIFFS INC. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($4.3B vs $2.9B, roughly 1.5× Ulta Beauty). Ulta Beauty runs the higher net margin — 8.1% vs -5.6%, a 13.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Ulta Beauty posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (12.9% vs -0.3%). Ulta Beauty produced more free cash flow last quarter ($-81.6M vs $-153.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Ulta Beauty's revenue compounded faster (7.2% CAGR vs -8.9%).

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. is an American steel manufacturer based in Cleveland, Ohio. It specializes in the mining, beneficiation, and pelletizing of iron ore, as well as steelmaking, including stamping and tooling. The company is ranked 22nd on the list of steel producers and is the second-largest steel producer in the United States after Nucor. It is the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America. The company is ranked 221st on the Fortune 500 and 1511th on the Forbes Global 2000.

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.

CLF vs ULTA — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CLF
CLF
1.5× larger
CLF
$4.3B
$2.9B
ULTA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ULTA
ULTA
+13.2% gap
ULTA
12.9%
-0.3%
CLF
Higher net margin
ULTA
ULTA
13.7% more per $
ULTA
8.1%
-5.6%
CLF
More free cash flow
ULTA
ULTA
$71.4M more FCF
ULTA
$-81.6M
$-153.0M
CLF
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ULTA
ULTA
Annualised
ULTA
7.2%
-8.9%
CLF

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Revenue
$4.3B
$2.9B
Net Profit
$-241.0M
$230.9M
Gross Margin
-5.0%
40.4%
Operating Margin
-7.9%
10.8%
Net Margin
-5.6%
8.1%
Revenue YoY
-0.3%
12.9%
Net Profit YoY
46.1%
-4.7%
EPS (diluted)
$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.

Revenue
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$4.3B
$2.9B
Q3 25
$4.7B
$2.8B
Q2 25
$4.9B
$2.8B
Q1 25
$4.6B
Q4 24
$4.3B
$2.5B
Q3 24
$4.6B
$2.6B
Q2 24
$5.1B
$2.7B
Q1 24
$5.2B
$3.6B
Net Profit
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$-241.0M
$230.9M
Q3 25
$-251.0M
$260.9M
Q2 25
$-470.0M
$305.1M
Q1 25
$-483.0M
Q4 24
$-447.0M
$242.2M
Q3 24
$-242.0M
$252.6M
Q2 24
$2.0M
$313.1M
Q1 24
$-67.0M
$394.4M
Gross Margin
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
-5.0%
40.4%
Q3 25
-1.0%
39.2%
Q2 25
-4.2%
39.1%
Q1 25
-8.4%
Q4 24
-6.3%
39.7%
Q3 24
-2.3%
38.3%
Q2 24
3.2%
39.2%
Q1 24
5.5%
37.7%
Operating Margin
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
-7.9%
10.8%
Q3 25
-4.3%
12.4%
Q2 25
-10.1%
14.1%
Q1 25
-11.6%
Q4 24
-10.8%
12.6%
Q3 24
-5.7%
12.9%
Q2 24
0.1%
14.7%
Q1 24
-0.7%
14.5%
Net Margin
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
-5.6%
8.1%
Q3 25
-5.3%
9.4%
Q2 25
-9.5%
10.7%
Q1 25
-10.4%
Q4 24
-10.3%
9.6%
Q3 24
-5.3%
9.9%
Q2 24
0.0%
11.5%
Q1 24
-1.3%
11.1%
EPS (diluted)
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$5.14
Q3 25
$-0.51
$5.78
Q2 25
$6.70
Q1 25
Q4 24
$-0.91
$5.14
Q3 24
$-0.52
$5.30
Q2 24
$0.00
$6.47
Q1 24
$-0.14
$8.06

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$57.0M
$204.9M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$7.3B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$6.1B
$2.6B
Total Assets
$20.0B
$7.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.19×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$57.0M
$204.9M
Q3 25
$66.0M
$242.7M
Q2 25
$61.0M
$454.6M
Q1 25
$57.0M
Q4 24
$54.0M
$177.8M
Q3 24
$39.0M
$414.0M
Q2 24
$110.0M
$524.6M
Q1 24
$30.0M
$766.6M
Total Debt
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$7.3B
Q3 25
$8.0B
Q2 25
$7.7B
Q1 25
$7.6B
Q4 24
$7.1B
Q3 24
$3.8B
Q2 24
$3.5B
Q1 24
$3.7B
Stockholders' Equity
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$6.1B
$2.6B
Q3 25
$5.5B
$2.6B
Q2 25
$5.8B
$2.4B
Q1 25
$6.3B
Q4 24
$6.7B
$2.3B
Q3 24
$6.9B
$2.3B
Q2 24
$7.1B
$2.3B
Q1 24
$7.2B
$2.3B
Total Assets
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$20.0B
$7.0B
Q3 25
$20.3B
$6.6B
Q2 25
$20.5B
$6.0B
Q1 25
$20.8B
Q4 24
$20.9B
$6.0B
Q3 24
$16.8B
$5.7B
Q2 24
$16.9B
$5.6B
Q1 24
$17.2B
$5.7B
Debt / Equity
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
1.19×
Q3 25
1.47×
Q2 25
1.33×
Q1 25
1.22×
Q4 24
1.06×
Q3 24
0.55×
Q2 24
0.49×
Q1 24
0.51×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-13.0M
$5.6M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-153.0M
$-81.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-3.5%
-2.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.2%
3.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.02×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-1.0B
$-92.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$-13.0M
$5.6M
Q3 25
$-143.0M
$96.5M
Q2 25
$45.0M
$220.0M
Q1 25
$-351.0M
Q4 24
$-472.0M
$-56.8M
Q3 24
$-84.0M
$199.5M
Q2 24
$519.0M
$159.3M
Q1 24
$142.0M
$1.1B
Free Cash Flow
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$-153.0M
$-81.6M
Q3 25
$-300.0M
$19.6M
Q2 25
$-67.0M
$141.0M
Q1 25
$-503.0M
Q4 24
$-677.0M
$-171.1M
Q3 24
$-235.0M
$104.3M
Q2 24
$362.0M
$68.3M
Q1 24
$-40.0M
$994.0M
FCF Margin
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
-3.5%
-2.9%
Q3 25
-6.3%
0.7%
Q2 25
-1.4%
4.9%
Q1 25
-10.9%
Q4 24
-15.7%
-6.8%
Q3 24
-5.1%
4.1%
Q2 24
7.1%
2.5%
Q1 24
-0.8%
28.0%
Capex Intensity
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
3.2%
3.1%
Q3 25
3.3%
2.8%
Q2 25
2.3%
2.8%
Q1 25
3.3%
Q4 24
4.7%
4.5%
Q3 24
3.3%
3.7%
Q2 24
3.1%
3.3%
Q1 24
3.5%
3.5%
Cash Conversion
CLF
CLF
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
0.02×
Q3 25
0.37×
Q2 25
0.72×
Q1 25
Q4 24
-0.23×
Q3 24
0.79×
Q2 24
259.50×
0.51×
Q1 24
2.84×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CLF
CLF

Hot Rolled Steel$1.1B27%
Automotive$1.1B27%
Steel Producers$555.0M13%
Cold Rolled Steel$530.0M12%
Other$409.0M9%
Stainless And Electrical Steel$404.0M9%
Other Businesses$159.0M4%

ULTA
ULTA

Segment breakdown not available.

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