Ross Stores Stock: Is ROST Outperforming the Consumer Discretionary Sector?

Dublin, California-based Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST) operates off-price retail apparel and home fashion stores under the Ross Dress for Less and dd's DISCOUNTS brands in the United States. Valued at a market capitalization of $74.8 billion, the company offers apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions products. 

Companies with a market cap of $10 billion or more are typically referred to as “big-cap stocks.” ROST fits squarely into that category, with its market cap exceeding this threshold and reflecting its substantial size and influence in the retail apparel industry.     

However, the stock currently trades 1.8% below its 52-week high of $237.41 recorded on May 27. ROST has grown 9.2% over the past three months, notably outperforming the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLY) marginal rise during the same time frame. 

In the longer term, ROST has delivered a similar performance. The stock surged 63.5% over the past 52 weeks, outperforming the 9.2% surge of XLY over the same period. ROST has been trading above its 200-day moving average since last year and above its 50-day moving average since the end of May.

On May 22, ROST stock rose 8.1% following the release of its Q1 2026 earnings. The company’s revenue for the quarter amounted to $6 billion and surpassed Wall Street’s estimates. Moreover, its adjusted EPS came in at $2.02, also coming in on top of the Street’s forecasts. Ross Stores expects full-year earnings to be $7.50 to $7.74 per share. 

When stacked against its rival, The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX) has grown 23.9% over the past year and has lagged behind ROST. 

Wall Street has a highly optimistic view of the stock currently. Among the 19 analysts tracking ROST, the overall consensus stands at a “Strong Buy.” Its mean price target of $261.19 suggests 12.1% upside potential from current price levels.