Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) Reaches New 12-Month High on Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Posted by Geri Gentry on May 22nd, 2026

Shares of Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST – Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Friday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The company traded as high as $233.50 and last traded at $234.6450, with a volume of 372383 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $217.19.

The apparel retailer reported $2.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.73 by $0.29. The firm had revenue of $6.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.64 billion. Ross Stores had a return on equity of 36.70% and a net margin of 9.43%.The company’s revenue was up 20.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $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.

Ross Stores Announces Dividend

The firm 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 $0.445 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 9th. This represents a $1.78 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.8%. Ross Stores’s payout ratio is currently 26.93%.

Key Headlines Impacting Ross Stores

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

Positive Sentiment: Ross Stores delivered Q1 EPS of $2.02, well above estimates, and revenue of $6.01 billion, also topping forecasts, highlighting stronger-than-expected demand. Ross Stores Reports Robust First Quarter Sales and Earnings Results, Significantly Exceeding Guidance
Positive Sentiment: The company raised its full-year FY2026 EPS outlook to $7.50-$7.74 and Q2 guidance to $1.85-$1.93, signaling management confidence in continued momentum. Ross Stores Lifts Outlook as Sales Jump
Positive Sentiment: Comparable sales growth was strong, with reports pointing to about 17% same-store sales growth and margin expansion, reinforcing the view that Ross is benefiting from value-conscious shoppers. Dylan Carden Reiterates Buy on Ross Stores After Strong Q1 Beat, Margin Expansion, and Structural Comp Drivers
Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary remains constructive, with William Blair reiterating a Buy rating after the earnings beat, which may help support sentiment but is not a new fundamental catalyst.
Neutral Sentiment: Recent commentary also noted that off-price retailers like Ross may benefit in a cautious consumer environment, but tougher comparisons could limit upside later this year.
Negative Sentiment: Some analysts warned that tougher year-over-year comparisons are ahead, which could slow the pace of growth after an unusually strong quarter. Ross Stores: Q1 Was A Great Quarter, But There Are Tougher Comps Ahead

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ROST has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Ross Stores in a research note on Friday. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $240.00 price objective on shares of Ross Stores in a report on Thursday, March 26th. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Ross Stores from $205.00 to $221.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $200.00 target price on shares of Ross Stores in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Ross Stores in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Seventeen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Ross Stores presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $219.11.

Check Out Our Latest Report on Ross Stores

Insider Transactions at Ross Stores

In other Ross Stores news, Director Patricia H. Mueller sold 1,881 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $213.13, for a total value of $400,897.53. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 2,159 shares in the company, valued at $460,147.67. This trade represents a 46.56% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CMO Karen Sykes sold 5,506 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the transaction, the chief marketing officer owned 104,648 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $22,331,883.20. This trade represents a 5.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 25,756 shares of company stock worth $5,521,004 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 2.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. boosted its stake in Ross Stores by 7,000.0% during the fourth quarter. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. now owns 142 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 140 shares during the period. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in Ross Stores in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Grey Fox Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ross Stores in the 3rd quarter valued at about $29,000. Bard Associates Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Ross Stores during the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, City Holding Co. boosted its position in shares of Ross Stores by 1,080.0% during the 4th quarter. City Holding Co. now owns 177 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.86% of the company’s stock.

Ross Stores Stock Up 8.0%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 1.04. The company has a market cap of $75.58 billion, a PE ratio of 35.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 0.87. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $218.62 and a 200 day moving average price of $196.78.

About Ross Stores

(Get Free Report)

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.