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Side-by-side financial comparison of Principal Financial Group (PFG) and Ulta Beauty (ULTA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Principal Financial Group is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($4.6B vs $3.9B, roughly 1.2× Ulta Beauty). Principal Financial Group runs the higher net margin — 11.3% vs 9.1%, a 2.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Ulta Beauty posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (100.0% vs -3.7%). Over the past eight quarters, Principal Financial Group's revenue compounded faster (6.3% CAGR vs 4.7%).

Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) is an American global financial investment management and insurance company headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, United States.

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.

PFG vs ULTA — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
PFG
PFG
1.2× larger
PFG
$4.6B
$3.9B
ULTA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ULTA
ULTA
+103.7% gap
ULTA
100.0%
-3.7%
PFG
Higher net margin
PFG
PFG
2.1% more per $
PFG
11.3%
9.1%
ULTA
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
PFG
PFG
Annualised
PFG
6.3%
4.7%
ULTA

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2027

Metric
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Revenue
$4.6B
$3.9B
Net Profit
$517.0M
$356.7M
Gross Margin
38.1%
Operating Margin
12.2%
Net Margin
11.3%
9.1%
Revenue YoY
-3.7%
100.0%
Net Profit YoY
-42.9%
9.1%
EPS (diluted)
$2.30
$8.01

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
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$3.9B
Q4 25
$4.6B
$2.9B
Q3 25
$3.7B
$2.8B
Q2 25
$3.7B
$2.8B
Q1 25
$3.7B
Q4 24
$4.8B
$2.5B
Q3 24
$3.0B
$2.6B
Q2 24
$4.3B
$2.7B
Net Profit
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$356.7M
Q4 25
$517.0M
$230.9M
Q3 25
$213.8M
$260.9M
Q2 25
$406.2M
$305.1M
Q1 25
$48.1M
Q4 24
$905.4M
$242.2M
Q3 24
$-220.0M
$252.6M
Q2 24
$353.1M
$313.1M
Gross Margin
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
38.1%
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%
Operating Margin
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
12.2%
Q4 25
10.8%
Q3 25
12.4%
Q2 25
14.1%
Q1 25
Q4 24
12.6%
Q3 24
12.9%
Q2 24
14.7%
Net Margin
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
9.1%
Q4 25
11.3%
8.1%
Q3 25
5.8%
9.4%
Q2 25
11.1%
10.7%
Q1 25
1.3%
Q4 24
19.1%
9.6%
Q3 24
-7.3%
9.9%
Q2 24
8.2%
11.5%
EPS (diluted)
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$8.01
Q4 25
$2.30
$5.14
Q3 25
$0.95
$5.78
Q2 25
$1.79
$6.70
Q1 25
$0.21
Q4 24
$3.92
$5.14
Q3 24
$-0.95
$5.30
Q2 24
$1.49
$6.47

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$4.4B
$494.2M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$3.9B
$62.3M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$11.9B
$2.8B
Total Assets
$341.4B
$7.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.33×
0.02×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$494.2M
Q4 25
$4.4B
$204.9M
Q3 25
$5.1B
$242.7M
Q2 25
$3.7B
$454.6M
Q1 25
$3.9B
Q4 24
$4.2B
$177.8M
Q3 24
$6.2B
$414.0M
Q2 24
$4.8B
$524.6M
Total Debt
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$62.3M
Q4 25
$3.9B
Q3 25
$3.9B
Q2 25
$3.9B
Q1 25
$4.3B
Q4 24
$4.0B
Q3 24
$3.9B
Q2 24
$3.9B
Stockholders' Equity
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$2.8B
Q4 25
$11.9B
$2.6B
Q3 25
$11.7B
$2.6B
Q2 25
$11.4B
$2.4B
Q1 25
$11.2B
Q4 24
$11.1B
$2.3B
Q3 24
$11.2B
$2.3B
Q2 24
$11.0B
$2.3B
Total Assets
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$7.0B
Q4 25
$341.4B
$7.0B
Q3 25
$334.5B
$6.6B
Q2 25
$323.1B
$6.0B
Q1 25
$313.0B
Q4 24
$313.7B
$6.0B
Q3 24
$322.9B
$5.7B
Q2 24
$308.8B
$5.6B
Debt / Equity
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
0.02×
Q4 25
0.33×
Q3 25
0.34×
Q2 25
0.34×
Q1 25
0.39×
Q4 24
0.36×
Q3 24
0.35×
Q2 24
0.36×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.7B
$1.5B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
11.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.37×
4.21×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
$1.5B
Q4 25
$1.7B
$5.6M
Q3 25
$1.0B
$96.5M
Q2 25
$811.9M
$220.0M
Q1 25
$977.3M
Q4 24
$1.5B
$-56.8M
Q3 24
$1.1B
$199.5M
Q2 24
$1.4B
$159.3M
Free Cash Flow
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
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
FCF Margin
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
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%
Capex Intensity
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
11.2%
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%
Cash Conversion
PFG
PFG
ULTA
ULTA
Q1 26
4.21×
Q4 25
3.37×
0.02×
Q3 25
4.70×
0.37×
Q2 25
2.00×
0.72×
Q1 25
20.32×
Q4 24
1.61×
-0.23×
Q3 24
0.79×
Q2 24
4.05×
0.51×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

PFG
PFG

Segment Retirement And Income Solutions$1.6B36%
Segment Benefits And Protection$1.1B23%
Other$582.8M13%
Segment Principal Asset Management$465.6M10%
Subsegment Investment Management$449.4M10%
Administrative Service$152.2M3%
Subsegment International Pension$91.2M2%
Segment Corporate$73.0M2%
Subsegment Life Insurance$26.1M1%
Financial Service Other$25.1M1%
Residential Mortgage$7.4M0%
Subsegment Specialty Benefits$3.7M0%
Deposit Account$3.4M0%
Commission Income$1.8M0%

ULTA
ULTA

Segment breakdown not available.

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