Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 8.610-8.770 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 7.310. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Ross Stores also updated its Q3 2026 guidance to 1.750-1.830 EPS.

Ross Stores Trading Up 4.4%

Shares of Ross Stores stock opened at $239.04 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $76.68 billion, a PE ratio of 28.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.30 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a current ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $233.81 and its 200 day moving average is $221.86. Ross Stores has a 1 year low of $143.39 and a 1 year high of $257.00.

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 20th. The apparel retailer reported $2.66 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.95 by $0.71. The business had revenue of $6.26 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.16 billion. Ross Stores had a net margin of 10.85% and a return on equity of 40.28%. The firm’s revenue was up 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.56 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Ross Stores will post 7.81 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ross Stores Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 8th will be paid a $0.445 dividend. This represents a $1.78 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 8th. Ross Stores’s dividend payout ratio is presently 21.55%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ROST has been the topic of several recent research reports. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price objective on Ross Stores from $230.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Friday. Evercore set a $290.00 target price on Ross Stores in a research report on Friday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “buy” rating and set a $294.00 price target on shares of Ross Stores in a research note on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Ross Stores from $262.00 to $272.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Truist Financial upped their price objective on Ross Stores from $290.00 to $310.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Ross Stores presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $263.76.

More Ross Stores News

Here are the key news stories impacting Ross Stores this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 results exceeded expectations: Ross reported diluted EPS of $2.66 versus the approximately $1.95 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 13.3% year over year to $6.26 billion, ahead of the $6.16 billion forecast. Comparable-store sales increased 10%, supported by stronger customer traffic, improved merchandising and higher margins. Ross Stores Q2 Earnings Top Estimates on Strong Sales Growth Momentum
• Positive Sentiment: Higher outlook signals continued momentum: Management raised fiscal 2026 EPS guidance to $8.61-$8.77, well above the prior outlook and the roughly $7.31 analyst consensus. Third- and fourth-quarter EPS guidance also came in above expectations. The company cited resilient demand for discounted apparel and accessories and raised its fiscal-year store-opening plan to 115 locations. Ross Stores raises annual profit forecast again on discounted apparel demand
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised price targets: JPMorgan increased its target to $272 and maintained an Overweight rating, while Robert W. Baird raised its target to $270 and kept an Outperform rating. These revisions reinforce expectations that Ross is gaining market share from rivals. Analysts Boost Forecasts on Ross Stores
• Neutral Sentiment: Approximately $253 million of tariff refunds benefited second-quarter operating income, creating a potential comparison headwind when assessing underlying profitability. Ross Stores Q2 Sales Rise 13% as Diluted EPS Reaches $2.66
• Negative Sentiment: BTIG analyst Robert Drbul reiterated a Hold rating, indicating that strong execution may already be reflected in ROST’s premium valuation. Recent insider activity also showed sales but no purchases, a modest sentiment caution. Analyst Reiterates Hold on Ross Stores

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ross Stores

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Virtus Advisers LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ross Stores in the fourth quarter worth approximately $32,000. Quarry LP boosted its holdings in Ross Stores by 1,124.0% in the fourth quarter. Quarry LP now owns 306 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $55,000 after acquiring an additional 281 shares during the last quarter. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Ross Stores during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $60,000. Quattro Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Ross Stores during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $70,000. Finally, Johnson Financial Group Inc. raised its holdings in Ross Stores by 189.1% during the 4th quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. now owns 396 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock worth $71,000 after purchasing an additional 259 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.86% of the company’s stock.

About Ross Stores

Ross Stores, Inc (NASDAQ: ROST) is an American off‑price retailer headquartered in Dublin, California, that operates the Ross Dress for Less and dd’s DISCOUNTS store formats. The company sells a broad assortment of apparel, footwear, home fashions, accessories and other soft goods, positioning itself as a value-oriented destination for brand‑name and fashion merchandise at reduced prices.

Ross’s business model centers on opportunistic buying of excess inventory, closeouts, cancelled orders and overstocks from manufacturers, department stores and other suppliers.