retail

Ulta Hires New CMO From Samsung

Ulta, riding a hot streak that continues to be the envy of retailers everywhere, says Michelle Crossan-Matos is joining as its new chief marketing officer. She had been chief marketing, citizenship and communications officer at Samsung Electronics America, overseeing consumer and B2B marketing in the U.S. She's also held marketing roles at Vertu, the British cell phone customers, and spent 16 years in beauty and personal care at Procter & Gamble.

She replaces Shelley Haus, 49, who died from cancer last summer after nine years with the Bolingbrook, Illinois-based company.

Crossan-Matos will be responsible for integrated marketing, creative, store design, loyalty, public relations and consumer insights. She'll also have oversight of UB Media, the company's retail ad network.

Crossan-Matos isn't Ulta’s only recent high-level female appointment. Last month, the company added Heidi G. Petz, president and chief operating officer of the Sherwin-Williams Co, as an independent director. With this addition, the company says its board members are now 55% women and 36% racially diverse. They're also new, with 55% joining in the last five years.

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And while many competitors posted tepid results, often only bolstered by inflation, Ulta’s sales shot up 17% to $2.3 billion in its fiscal third quarter, compared to $2 billion in the prior year's comparable period. On a comparable basis, sales notched a 15% gain.

Net income climbed 28% to $274.6 million, compared to $215.3 million in the year-earlier period.

The company also bucked retail trends by raising its guidance for the months ahead. It now expects sales for the full fiscal year to advance 13.2%, or between $9.95 billion to $10 billion.

The retailer, which has 1,343 stores, says it will have added 47 new locations by the end of its fiscal year.

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