Ulta Beauty Inc. $ULTA experienced its sharpest single-day stock increase since 2020 following a robust first-quarter performance that outstripped Wall Street’s expectations. The specialty retailer reported earnings of $6.70 per share, significantly ahead of the $5.80 consensus forecast. Comparable sales also exceeded anticipation, prompting management to raise both full-year revenue and profit guidance. This earnings momentum underscores the enduring demand for beauty products despite inflationary pressures and macroeconomic volatility.

In the past quarter, Marks & Spencer Group Plc $MKS.L registered a significant 12.3% year-on-year increase in food sales, outperforming the 4.2% average expansion across the UK supermarket segment, as reported by research firm Kantar. This momentum persisted even as M&S grappled with a major cyberattack that temporarily hampered certain operational systems.