Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) Issues Q2 2026 Earnings Guidance

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) updated its second quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 1.850-1.930 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 1.790. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Ross Stores also updated its FY 2026 guidance to 7.500-7.740 EPS.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have commented on ROST shares. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $200.00 price target on shares of Ross Stores in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. Truist Financial started coverage on shares of Ross Stores in a research note on Monday. They issued a “buy” rating and a $270.00 price target for the company. Wells Fargo & Company reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Ross Stores in a research note on Friday. Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $290.00 price target on shares of Ross Stores in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Ross Stores from $248.00 to $251.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $218.56.

Ross Stores Trading Down 0.3%

NASDAQ:ROST opened at $217.19 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $218.62 and a 200 day moving average of $196.78. Ross Stores has a 52 week low of $124.49 and a 52 week high of $231.16. The company has a quick ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. The firm has a market capitalization of $69.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.86, a P/E/G ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 0.87.

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 21st. The apparel retailer reported $2.02 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.73 by $0.29. The company had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.64 billion. Ross Stores had a net margin of 9.43% and a return on equity of 36.70%. The firm’s revenue was up 20.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.47 EPS. Ross Stores has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.500-7.740 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 1.850-1.930 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Ross Stores will post 7.37 earnings per share for the current year.

Ross Stores Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 9th will be given a dividend of $0.445 per share. This represents a $1.78 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 9th. Ross Stores’s payout ratio is presently 26.93%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Ross Stores

In other Ross Stores news, Director Patricia H. Mueller sold 1,881 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $213.13, for a total transaction of $400,897.53. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 2,159 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $460,147.67. The trade was a 46.56% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CMO Karen Sykes sold 5,506 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $213.40, for a total transaction of $1,174,980.40. Following the transaction, the chief marketing officer directly owned 104,648 shares in the company, valued at approximately $22,331,883.20. The trade was a 5.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 25,756 shares of company stock valued at $5,521,004. 2.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Ross Stores

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

• Positive Sentiment: Ross Stores beat Q1 expectations, reporting EPS of $2.02 versus estimates around $1.73 and revenue of $6.01 billion versus $5.64 billion expected, signaling strong demand and execution. Ross Stores Reports Robust First Quarter Sales and Earnings Results, Significantly Exceeding Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised full-year guidance, including FY2026 EPS of $7.50 to $7.74 and comparable sales growth of 6% to 7%, both above prior expectations, which supports the stock’s move. Ross Stores Lifts Outlook as Sales Jump
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remained constructive after the quarter, with William Blair reiterating a Buy rating and citing margin expansion and structural comp drivers. Dylan Carden Reiterates Buy on Ross Stores After Strong Q1 Beat, Margin Expansion, and Structural Comp Drivers
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor commentary noted that Ross Stores had an excellent quarter, but tougher year-over-year comparisons may slow momentum later in the year. Ross Stores: Q1 Was A Great Quarter, But There Are Tougher Comps Ahead
• Negative Sentiment: Broader retail commentary flagged tariff risks and cautious consumer spending trends, which could pressure off-price retailers if conditions soften. Ross Stores Balances Solid Quarter With Tariff Risks

Institutional Trading of Ross Stores

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Dorsey & Whitney Trust CO LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ross Stores in the 4th quarter worth about $242,000. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ross Stores in the 4th quarter worth about $239,000. XXI Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ross Stores in the 4th quarter worth about $239,000. Stirlingshire Investments Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Ross Stores in the 4th quarter worth about $226,000. Finally, Tiemann Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ross Stores in the 4th quarter worth about $204,000. 86.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.