Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) Price Target Raised to $272.00

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) had its price objective hoisted by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $262.00 to $272.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the apparel retailer’s stock.

ROST has been the topic of several other reports. Zacks Research downgraded Ross Stores from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Wall Street Zen cut Ross Stores from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, June 20th. Citigroup raised their price target on Ross Stores from $270.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Ross Stores from $265.00 to $285.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on Ross Stores from $260.00 to $298.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $263.76.

Ross Stores Stock Performance

Shares of ROST stock opened at $239.04 on Friday. Ross Stores has a 12-month low of $143.39 and a 12-month high of $257.00. The company has a market capitalization of $76.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.94, a P/E/G ratio of 2.30 and a beta of 0.86. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $233.81 and a 200 day moving average price of $222.09. The company has a quick ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 1.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12.

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 20th. The apparel retailer reported $2.66 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.95 by $0.71. The firm had revenue of $6.26 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.16 billion. Ross Stores had a net margin of 10.85% and a return on equity of 39.29%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.56 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Ross Stores will post 8.13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ross Stores Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 8th will be issued a dividend of $0.445 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 8th. This represents a $1.78 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. Ross Stores’s dividend payout ratio is currently 21.55%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ross Stores during the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Bard Associates Inc. bought a new position in Ross Stores in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Virtus Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in Ross Stores in the second quarter worth about $38,000. Twin Lakes Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Ross Stores in the second quarter worth about $41,000. Finally, Bell Investment Advisors Inc bought a new stake in Ross Stores during the 2nd quarter worth about $43,000. 86.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Ross Stores News Roundup

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

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.