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Side-by-side financial comparison of LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP (LNC) and Ulta Beauty (ULTA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($4.9B vs $2.9B, roughly 1.7× Ulta Beauty). LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP runs the higher net margin — 15.3% vs 8.1%, a 7.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Ulta Beauty posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (12.9% vs -2.8%). Over the past eight quarters, LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP's revenue compounded faster (9.4% CAGR vs 7.2%).

Lincoln National Corporation is a Fortune 200 American holding company, which operates multiple insurance and investment management businesses through subsidiary companies. Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for LNC and its subsidiary companies.

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.

LNC vs ULTA — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
LNC
LNC
1.7× larger
LNC
$4.9B
$2.9B
ULTA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ULTA
ULTA
+15.7% gap
ULTA
12.9%
-2.8%
LNC
Higher net margin
LNC
LNC
7.3% more per $
LNC
15.3%
8.1%
ULTA
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
LNC
LNC
Annualised
LNC
9.4%
7.2%
ULTA

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Revenue
$4.9B
$2.9B
Net Profit
$755.0M
$230.9M
Gross Margin
40.4%
Operating Margin
18.6%
10.8%
Net Margin
15.3%
8.1%
Revenue YoY
-2.8%
12.9%
Net Profit YoY
-55.2%
-4.7%
EPS (diluted)
$4.32
$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
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$4.9B
$2.9B
Q3 25
$4.6B
$2.8B
Q2 25
$4.0B
$2.8B
Q1 25
$4.7B
Q4 24
$5.1B
$2.5B
Q3 24
$4.1B
$2.6B
Q2 24
$5.2B
$2.7B
Q1 24
$4.1B
$3.6B
Net Profit
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$755.0M
$230.9M
Q3 25
$445.0M
$260.9M
Q2 25
$699.0M
$305.1M
Q1 25
$-722.0M
Q4 24
$1.7B
$242.2M
Q3 24
$-528.0M
$252.6M
Q2 24
$895.0M
$313.1M
Q1 24
$1.2B
$394.4M
Gross Margin
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
40.4%
Q3 25
39.2%
Q2 25
39.1%
Q1 25
Q4 24
39.7%
Q3 24
38.3%
Q2 24
39.2%
Q1 24
37.7%
Operating Margin
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
18.6%
10.8%
Q3 25
11.5%
12.4%
Q2 25
21.0%
14.1%
Q1 25
-20.2%
Q4 24
41.5%
12.6%
Q3 24
-17.1%
12.9%
Q2 24
21.3%
14.7%
Q1 24
37.1%
14.5%
Net Margin
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
15.3%
8.1%
Q3 25
9.8%
9.4%
Q2 25
17.3%
10.7%
Q1 25
-15.4%
Q4 24
33.3%
9.6%
Q3 24
-12.8%
9.9%
Q2 24
17.4%
11.5%
Q1 24
29.7%
11.1%
EPS (diluted)
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$4.32
$5.14
Q3 25
$2.12
$5.78
Q2 25
$3.80
$6.70
Q1 25
$-4.41
Q4 24
$9.66
$5.14
Q3 24
$-3.29
$5.30
Q2 24
$5.11
$6.47
Q1 24
$6.93
$8.06

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$204.9M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$6.3B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$10.9B
$2.6B
Total Assets
$417.2B
$7.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.57×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
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
Total Debt
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$6.3B
Q3 25
$5.8B
Q2 25
$5.8B
Q1 25
$5.9B
Q4 24
$6.1B
Q3 24
$5.9B
Q2 24
$5.7B
Q1 24
$5.7B
Stockholders' Equity
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$10.9B
$2.6B
Q3 25
$10.5B
$2.6B
Q2 25
$9.5B
$2.4B
Q1 25
$8.2B
Q4 24
$8.3B
$2.3B
Q3 24
$9.0B
$2.3B
Q2 24
$7.9B
$2.3B
Q1 24
$7.5B
$2.3B
Total Assets
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$417.2B
$7.0B
Q3 25
$415.3B
$6.6B
Q2 25
$399.1B
$6.0B
Q1 25
$382.9B
Q4 24
$390.8B
$6.0B
Q3 24
$396.8B
$5.7B
Q2 24
$384.5B
$5.6B
Q1 24
$383.4B
$5.7B
Debt / Equity
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
0.57×
Q3 25
0.55×
Q2 25
0.60×
Q1 25
0.72×
Q4 24
0.74×
Q3 24
0.65×
Q2 24
0.72×
Q1 24
0.76×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$233.0M
$5.6M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-81.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-2.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.31×
0.02×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-92.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$233.0M
$5.6M
Q3 25
$-1.1B
$96.5M
Q2 25
$1.0B
$220.0M
Q1 25
$-272.0M
Q4 24
$222.0M
$-56.8M
Q3 24
$-27.0M
$199.5M
Q2 24
$-859.0M
$159.3M
Q1 24
$-1.3B
$1.1B
Free Cash Flow
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
$-81.6M
Q3 25
$19.6M
Q2 25
$141.0M
Q1 25
Q4 24
$-171.1M
Q3 24
$104.3M
Q2 24
$68.3M
Q1 24
$994.0M
FCF Margin
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
-2.9%
Q3 25
0.7%
Q2 25
4.9%
Q1 25
Q4 24
-6.8%
Q3 24
4.1%
Q2 24
2.5%
Q1 24
28.0%
Capex Intensity
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
3.1%
Q3 25
2.8%
Q2 25
2.8%
Q1 25
Q4 24
4.5%
Q3 24
3.7%
Q2 24
3.3%
Q1 24
3.5%
Cash Conversion
LNC
LNC
ULTA
ULTA
Q4 25
0.31×
0.02×
Q3 25
-2.56×
0.37×
Q2 25
1.45×
0.72×
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.13×
-0.23×
Q3 24
0.79×
Q2 24
-0.96×
0.51×
Q1 24
-1.10×
2.84×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

LNC
LNC

Life Segment$1.6B33%
Group Protection Segment$1.5B31%
Annuities Segment$1.3B27%
Other$435.0M9%

ULTA
ULTA

Segment breakdown not available.

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