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With a market cap of $81.2 billion, Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST) is the largest off-price apparel and home fashion retailer in the United States, operating 1,917 Ross Dress for Less® stores and 365 dd's DISCOUNTS® stores across multiple states and territories. The company offers first-quality, in-season apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions for the entire family at significant savings compared with department, specialty, and discount store regular prices.
Shares of the value retailer have surpassed the broader market over the past 52 weeks. ROST stock has surged 78.6% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied 22.6%. In addition, shares of the company are up 40.6% on a YTD basis, compared to SPX’s 12.8% gain.
Focusing more closely, shares of the Dublin, California-based company have also outpaced the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLY) 8.4% return over the past 52 weeks and a marginal YTD decline.
Ross Stores' shares climbed 8.1% following its Q1 2026 results on May 21. The company raised its full-year guidance, increasing its comparable sales growth forecast to 6% - 7% and its EPS outlook to $7.50 - $7.74. Investor confidence was further supported by strong Q1 performance, with comparable sales surging 17% and EPS of $2.02, significantly exceeding analysts' expectations. The upbeat results reflected resilient demand for Ross's value-focused merchandise, as the company reported higher customer traffic across all income levels, age groups, and ethnicities.
For the fiscal year ending in January 2027, analysts expect ROST’s EPS to grow 17.1% year-over-year to $7.74. Moreover, the company's earnings surprise history is promising. It topped the consensus estimates in each of the last four quarters.
Among the 20 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on 14 “Strong Buy” ratings and six “Holds.”
This configuration has remained unchanged over the past three months.
On Jul. 27, JPMorgan cut its price target on Ross Stores to $262 while maintaining an “Overweight” rating.
The mean price target of $262.70 represents a 3.7% premium to ROST’s current price levels. The Street-high price target of $290 suggests a 14.5% potential upside.
On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
