Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) had a good Thursday evening. The beauty retailer's stock climbed more than 5% in extended trading after delivering third quarter results that blew past Wall Street's expectations on both the top and bottom lines.

The Numbers That Matter

Ulta Beauty reported quarterly earnings of $5.14 per share, sailing past the analyst estimate of $4.54 by a solid 13.27%. Revenue came in at $2.858 billion, comfortably ahead of the $2.72 billion Street estimate and representing a meaningful jump from the $2.53 billion the company posted in the same quarter last year.

The details get even better when you dig into the quarterly metrics. Net sales increased 12.9% to $2.9 billion compared to $2.5 billion in the prior year quarter. Comparable sales, always a key metric for retailers, grew 6.3%. Gross profit expanded 14.9% to $1.2 billion from $1 billion a year earlier.

On the expansion front, Ulta opened 28 new stores during the quarter while remodeling 15 existing locations and closing just one store.

What Management Is Saying

"Our third quarter results exceeded our expectations, reflecting the steady progress and momentum our team is building as we execute our Ulta Beauty Unleashed Strategy," said Kecia Steelman, CEO of Ulta Beauty.

Steelman highlighted what's working: "Exciting assortment newness, improved in-store and digital experiences, and bold marketing efforts are resonating with our guests and drove strong sales results, market share gains, and growth across all categories and channels, with notable strength in ecommerce."

Looking Ahead

The strong quarter prompted Ulta to raise its fiscal 2025 guidance. The company now expects GAAP earnings per share between $25.20 and $25.50, well above the previous analyst estimate of $24.40. Full-year revenue guidance was bumped up to approximately $12.3 billion, compared to the $12.13 billion Wall Street had been expecting.

According to market data, Ulta Beauty stock jumped over 5% to $562 in Thursday's after-hours session, reflecting investor enthusiasm about the company's momentum and improved outlook.