Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) Issues Q1 2026 Earnings Guidance

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) issued an update on its first quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Wednesday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 1.600-1.670 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 1.620. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Ross Stores also updated its FY 2026 guidance to 7.020-7.360 EPS.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Ross Stores from $205.00 to $235.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $200.00 price target on Ross Stores in a research note on Wednesday. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Ross Stores in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. Telsey Advisory Group raised Ross Stores from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their target price for the company from $220.00 to $240.00 in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $200.00 price objective on shares of Ross Stores in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Ross Stores has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $208.29.

Ross Stores Trading Up 0.6%

Shares of ROST stock opened at $214.83 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $69.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.15 and a beta of 0.97. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $192.72 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $171.54. The company has a quick ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. Ross Stores has a 12-month low of $122.36 and a 12-month high of $216.80.

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, March 3rd. The apparel retailer reported $2.00 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.90 by $0.10. Ross Stores had a net margin of 9.43% and a return on equity of 36.70%. The company had revenue of $6.64 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.42 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.65 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 12.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts anticipate that Ross Stores will post 6.17 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ross Stores Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.445 per share. This represents a $1.78 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 13th. This is a positive change from Ross Stores’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. Ross Stores’s payout ratio is presently 24.51%.

Trending Headlines about Ross Stores

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat, strong guidance and shareholder returns: Ross reported better‑than‑expected Q4 sales and EPS, guided Q1 comps and EPS well above consensus, raised the quarterly dividend (~10%) and authorized a $2.55B buyback — the main catalyst for the rally. Ross Stores Proves the Off-Price Uptrend Is Far From Over
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and price‑target raises: Multiple firms bumped ratings/targets after the print — Citigroup to $240, Goldman Sachs to $244, Wells Fargo to $235, Guggenheim to $226 and Telsey upgraded to Outperform — providing fresh buy‑side support. Citigroup Boosts Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) Price Target to $240.00
• Positive Sentiment: Momentum / market leadership: The stock hit a new 12‑month high and has outperformed the Dow over the past year, reinforcing momentum flows and headline attention. Is Ross Stores Stock Outperforming the Dow?
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor narratives and long‑term performance pieces: Several retrospectives and explainers (e.g., “If you invested $1,000…”) highlight strong multi‑year returns but add little near‑term catalytic information. If You Invested $1000 In Ross Stores Stock 15 Years Ago, You Would Have This Much Today
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and pullback risk: Some analysts and commentary warn the post‑release pop stretched valuation and that the stock may consolidate or pull back after the spike. That raises short‑term risk even if long‑term fundamentals remain solid. Ross Stores: Strong Q4 Results Stretch The Valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Insider and institutional flows mixed: reporting shows insider sales and sizeable institutional reductions at some large managers in recent quarters, which could add volatility if distribution continues. Ross Stores jumps after Q4 beat, upbeat spring commentary, and new buyback/dividend hike

Institutional Trading of Ross Stores

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Woodline Partners LP raised its stake in shares of Ross Stores by 39.9% in the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 27,875 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock worth $3,562,000 after purchasing an additional 7,951 shares during the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Ross Stores by 23.5% in the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 615 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock worth $79,000 after buying an additional 117 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Ross Stores by 35.8% in the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 10,581 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock worth $1,350,000 after acquiring an additional 2,792 shares during the period. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina increased its position in shares of Ross Stores by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 150,491 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $19,200,000 after purchasing an additional 1,508 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Main Street Financial Solutions LLC increased its holdings in Ross Stores by 2.2% during the second quarter. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC now owns 12,580 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $1,605,000 after buying an additional 265 shares during the last quarter. 86.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Ross Stores Company Profile

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.