 | |
| Formerly | Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. (1990–2017) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Public |
| Founded | 1990; 35 years ago (1990) (as Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc.) |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Number of locations | 1,385 (2024) |
Key people | Kecia Steelman (CEO) |
| Revenue |  US$11.2 billion (2023) |
| US$1.68 billion (2023) | |
| US$1.29 billion (2023) | |
| Total assets | US$5.71 billion (2023) |
| Total equity | US$2.28 billion (2023) |
Number of employees | 56,000 (2024) |
| Website | ulta |
| Footnotes / references Financials as of February 3, 2024[update].[1] | |
Ulta Beauty, Inc., formerly known asUlta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. and before 2000 asUlta3, is an American chain of cosmetic stores headquartered inBolingbrook, Illinois.[2] Ulta Beauty carries both high- and low-endcosmetics,fragrances,nail products,bath and body products, beauty tools andhaircare products. Each location has abeauty salon available to the public.
Ulta was founded by Richard E. George, the former president ofOsco Drug, Inc., and Terry Hanson. George left work at Osco in 1989 to develop a business plan for a retailer that would offer beauty products at different price levels.[3] Other Osco executives joined George and Hanson in the business and raised $11.5 million inventure capital. The company, initially called Ulta3,[why?] was launched in 1990, with five stores inChicago suburbs. The first of these opened at High Point Centre inLombard, Illinois in early October 1990.[4] The name was changed from Ulta3 to Ulta at the end of 1999.[3][5]
George left Ulta3 in 1995, and Hanson became the company'schief executive officer.[5] In December 1999, Lyn Kirby became the president and CEO and Charles "Rick" Weber became senior executive vice president,chief operating and chief financial officer. On October 25, 2007, the company became publicly traded on theNASDAQ.[6]
In 2008, Ulta also opened a second distribution center inPhoenix, Arizona. In 2010, Carl "Chuck" Rubin was appointed as chief operating officer, president, and as a member of the board of directors.[7]
On June 24, 2013, it was announced thatMary Dillon would be appointed as CEO and a member of the board of directors, effective July 1, 2013.[8] Dillon was previously the chief ofU.S. Cellular and a senior executive atMcDonald's andPepsiCo.[9]
In 2020, before theCOVID-19 pandemic there were 44,000 employees.[10] As of 2021, Ulta employs approximately 37,000 people.[11]
On January 6th 2024, Dave Kimbell announced his retirement as CEO of Ulta Beauty effective immediately.
Ulta Beauty only operates in the United States Of America. As of January 28, 2023, Ulta had some 1,355 stores across all 50 stateswith about 250 of those stores located insideTarget stores.[12] Ulta Beauty had 168 retail locations across California, the highest number of any state.[13] Ulta Beauty has a total of 7 distribution centers in 7 different states.
Ulta Beauty offers both high-end and drugstore cosmetics, skincare, and fragrances, in addition to its own brands of beauty products and fragrances. They sell brands such asMAC Cosmetics,[14]Kylie Cosmetics,[15] andColourPop cosmetics[clarification needed].[16]
Ulta Beauty sales were $713.8 million for the first quarter ending in May 2014.[17] At the end of the second quarter ending in August 2014, Ulta Beauty reported that total sales increased by 22.2 percent and comparable store sales increased 9.8 percent.[18][19]
As of 2019, Ulta had stores in 48 states.[20] A majority of Ulta Beauty stores are located in theEast Coast region and in California.[21]
In August 2021, the retail chainTarget started selling Ulta's products.[22]
Ulta joined the15 Percent Pledge,[when?] which dedicates more store shelf space to Black-owned businesses.[23]
In 2022, Ulta collaborated withAllure, bringing a collection of its 25,000 products toAllure’s on- and offline stores. The collaboration ran from July to September 2022 and included brands such asFenty Beauty, Drybar, Olaplex, Tula, The Ordinary, Peter Thomas Roth, CosRX, NYX, Morphe, and Beekman 1802 selected by Ulta's merchandising team.[24][25]
On January 1, 2024, Ulta Beauty began construction to move out from their first distribution center located inRomeoville, IL 888-FFC to their newBolingbrook, IL 871-MFC building & began operations on August 5, 2024.
