ULTA vs SNA Comparison

Ulta Beauty is the largest specialized beauty retailer in the US with about 1,500 freestanding stores. The firm offers cosmetics (39% of 2024 sales), fragrances (13%), skin care (23%), and hair care products (19%). It also has salon services, including hair, makeup, skin, and brow, that account for about 4% of its revenue and drive traffic. Outside of the US, Ulta acquired premium beauty retailer Space NK and its 83 stores in the UK and Ireland in 2025, is opening franchised stores in Mexico, and has formed a joint venture to expand into the Middle East. In addition, Ulta collects royalties through its Target partnership (set to end in 2026) and credit card revenue. Ulta was founded in 1990 and is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.

Snap-on is a manufacturer of premium tools, equipment, and diagnostics for professional technicians, primarily involved in the repair of passenger cars but having expanded into other industrial applications. The company's legacy business is selling hand tools through franchisee-operated mobile vans to technicians who purchase the tools at their own expense. The company also operates a commercial and industrial business that is focused on repair facilities serving other industries. The third segment, repair systems and information, targets auto OEMs and large dealerships more directly and also offers substantial diagnostic solutions to aid repairs. The company's finance arm provides financing to franchisees to run their operations, as well as underwriting end customer purchases.