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Ross Stores (ROST)
NASDAQ:ROST

Ross Stores (ROST) AI Stock Analysis

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Ross Stores

(NASDAQ:ROST)

73Outperform
Ross Stores is well-positioned in the apparel retail sector with strong financial performance and effective operational management. The cautious outlook for FY2025 due to softening sales trends and macroeconomic factors impacts the stock score, but the company's strategic expansion and robust financial health support a positive long-term view. Valuation and technical indicators are moderate, suggesting a balanced risk-reward profile.
Positive Factors
Consumer Behavior
A potentially weakening consumer environment will mean more consumers are likely to trade down to the off-price channel in search of value and the treasure hunt shopping experience.
Store Closures and Market Share
Store closures have benefitted the group over the past years, and the momentum may even increase if the current environment accelerates closures across the retail sector.
Tariffs and Market Disruption
Tariffs are likely to create significant disruption in the market, greatly increasing the availability of product available to off-pricers at attractive prices.
Negative Factors
Consumer Traffic
There is more recent speculation of weaker traffic from Hispanic customers in borderland territories.
Inflation Impact
Ross has a typically lower-income consumer when compared to TJX, with inflation a larger headwind over the last three years.
Leadership Experience
Ross shares continued to slide after Conroy’s appointment due to his lack of experience in off-price, an industry known for home-grown talent.

Ross Stores (ROST) vs. S&P 500 (SPY)

Ross Stores Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionRoss Stores, Inc. is an S&P 500 and Fortune 500 company headquartered in Dublin, California. It operates under the brand names Ross Dress for Less, the largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain in the United States, and dd's DISCOUNTS. The company specializes in offering significant savings on a wide range of products, including apparel, footwear, accessories, and home décor, compared to traditional department and specialty stores. Ross Stores targets value-conscious customers by providing a constantly changing assortment of high-quality and name-brand merchandise at competitive prices.
How the Company Makes MoneyRoss Stores makes money primarily through the sale of discounted merchandise in its retail stores. The company's revenue model is centered around purchasing excess inventory and overruns from manufacturers and other retailers at reduced prices, allowing it to offer products at lower costs than traditional retail stores. This off-price retail model enables Ross to provide significant discounts to consumers while maintaining healthy profit margins. Key revenue streams include the sale of apparel, footwear, accessories, and home-related products. Additionally, the company's substantial store footprint and strategic buying practices contribute to its earnings by leveraging economies of scale and minimizing operational costs. Ross Stores does not rely heavily on e-commerce, focusing instead on the in-store shopping experience to drive sales.

Ross Stores Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Store Count
Store Count
Indicates the total number of retail locations, highlighting the company's expansion strategy and market penetration. A growing store count can signal aggressive growth and increased market presence.
Chart InsightsRoss Stores has consistently expanded its store count, reaching 2,148 by mid-2024. This growth aligns with their strategic focus on expansion, as highlighted in the earnings call, which revealed plans to open 90 more locations in 2025. Despite strong past performance, management is cautious about 2025 due to softening sales trends and macroeconomic pressures. The company's robust cash position and share repurchase program underscore confidence, but the anticipated sales fluctuations and slight decline in operating margin suggest a more challenging retail environment ahead.
Data provided by:Main Street Data

Ross Stores Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Ross Stores showcases a solid financial standing with strong income statement metrics, a stable balance sheet, and healthy cash flow generation. The company demonstrates consistent revenue and profit growth, efficient equity utilization, and strong cash conversion, positioning it well for future expansion and resilience in the discretionary retail market.
Income Statement
85
Very Positive
Ross Stores has demonstrated robust financial performance with a consistent increase in revenue and profitability. The TTM shows a Gross Profit Margin of 28.0% and a Net Profit Margin of 9.9%, reflecting strong operational efficiency. Revenue growth from the previous year is impressive, and the EBIT and EBITDA margins are healthy at 12.2% and 14.5%, respectively. These metrics indicate a solid and improving income statement performance.
Balance Sheet
78
Positive
Ross Stores maintains a stable balance sheet with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.09, indicating moderate leverage which is manageable. The Return on Equity (ROE) stands at 40.2%, showcasing efficient use of equity to generate profits. The Equity Ratio of 35.3% reflects a healthy balance between debt and equity, though there is room for improvement in reducing liabilities.
Cash Flow
82
Very Positive
The company's cash flow position is strong, evidenced by a Free Cash Flow Growth Rate of -3.7%, which is slightly down but remains robust overall. The Operating Cash Flow to Net Income Ratio is 1.15, indicating good cash generation relative to net income. Additionally, the Free Cash Flow to Net Income Ratio is 0.80, showing effective conversion of earnings into free cash flow, supporting liquidity and potential for reinvestment.
Breakdown
Mar 2024Mar 2023Mar 2022Mar 2021Mar 2020
Income StatementTotal Revenue
20.38B18.70B18.92B12.53B16.04B
Gross Profit
5.58B4.75B5.21B2.69B4.50B
EBIT
2.31B1.99B2.33B189.71M2.15B
EBITDA
2.97B2.38B2.69B553.96M2.52B
Net Income Common Stockholders
1.87B1.51B1.72B85.38M1.66B
Balance SheetCash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
4.87B4.55B4.92B4.82B1.35B
Total Assets
14.30B13.42B13.64B12.72B9.35B
Total Debt
5.75B5.71B5.62B5.73B3.49B
Net Debt
875.26M1.15B699.77M913.51M2.14B
Total Liabilities
9.43B9.13B9.58B9.43B5.99B
Stockholders Equity
4.87B4.29B4.06B3.29B3.36B
Cash FlowFree Cash Flow
1.75B1.04B1.18B1.84B1.62B
Operating Cash Flow
2.51B1.69B1.74B2.25B2.17B
Investing Cash Flow
-762.81M-654.07M-557.84M-405.43M-554.97M
Financing Cash Flow
-1.43B-1.41B-1.15B1.70B-1.68B

Ross Stores Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price143.37
Price Trends
50DMA
134.02
Positive
100DMA
140.48
Positive
200DMA
143.22
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
2.26
Negative
RSI
63.04
Neutral
STOCH
82.76
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For ROST, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 143.37 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 140.13, above the 50-day MA of 134.02, and above the 200-day MA of 143.22, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 2.26 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 63.04 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 82.76 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for ROST.

Ross Stores Risk Analysis

Ross Stores disclosed 21 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Ross Stores reported the most risks in the “Ability to Sell” category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Ross Stores Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
80
Outperform
$15.61B56.3919.62%31.95%209.45%
TJTJX
77
Outperform
$143.42B30.2761.98%1.17%3.95%10.34%
GAGAP
73
Outperform
$8.53B10.4128.81%2.64%1.32%65.83%
73
Outperform
$46.57B22.4040.28%1.06%3.69%13.71%
AEAEO
73
Outperform
$1.90B6.6218.80%4.48%1.27%96.32%
70
Outperform
$14.93B30.4242.55%9.33%50.05%
61
Neutral
$6.59B11.773.06%3.98%2.56%-20.85%
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
ROST
Ross Stores
143.37
9.92
7.43%
AEO
American Eagle
11.35
-12.42
-52.25%
GAP
Gap Inc
23.02
0.60
2.68%
TJX
TJX Companies
128.09
30.49
31.24%
BURL
Burlington Stores
249.00
58.05
30.40%
ONON
On Holding AG
49.72
18.42
58.85%

Ross Stores Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Mar 04, 2025
(Q4-2024)
|
% Change Since: 5.78%|
Next Earnings Date:May 15, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call reflected a solid performance in fiscal 2024 with strong sales growth and strategic expansion plans. However, there is caution going forward due to softening sales trends and external macroeconomic pressures. While the company is well-positioned with a strong cash position and continued store expansion, the outlook for fiscal 2025 remains cautious.
Q4-2024 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Fourth Quarter Sales Performance
Sales for the fourth quarter of 2024 were $5.9 billion with a comparable store sales gain of 3% on top of a 7% gain in the same period last year.
Fiscal Year 2024 Revenue and Earnings Growth
For fiscal 2024, earnings per share were $6.32, up from $5.56 in the prior year. Net income increased to $2.1 billion compared to $1.9 billion last year. Total sales for the year increased to $21.1 billion, up from $20.4 billion.
Store Expansion and Share Repurchase Program
The company added 75 new Ross Dress for Less stores and 14 dd’s DISCOUNTS stores during the year, ending with 2,186 stores. Additionally, 7.3 million shares were repurchased for $1.05 billion.
Increased Dividends
The Board approved a 10% increase in the quarterly cash dividend to $0.405 per share.
Negative Updates
Slight Decline in Fourth Quarter Earnings Per Share
Earnings per share for the fourth quarter were $1.79 compared to $1.82 in the previous year, with net income decreasing from $610 million to $587 million.
Cautious Outlook for Fiscal 2025
Comparable store sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 are expected to be down 3% to flat, with earnings per share projected at $1.33 to $1.47, compared to $1.46 last year.
Softening Sales Trends
Sales trends began softening later in January and into February, attributed to unseasonable weather and macroeconomic factors affecting customer traffic.
Flat Operating Margin
Fourth quarter operating margin of 12.4% was flat compared to last year.
Company Guidance
During the Ross Stores Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2024 Earnings Release Conference Call, management provided guidance for fiscal 2025, projecting earnings per share to range from $5.95 to $6.55, compared to $6.32 in fiscal 2024. They anticipate comparable store sales for the year to fluctuate between a 1% decrease and a 2% increase. Total sales for fiscal 2025 are expected to rise by 1% to 5%. The company plans to open approximately 90 new locations, comprising about 80 Ross and 10 dd’s DISCOUNTS stores. Operating margin for the full year is projected to be between 11.5% and 12.2%, slightly down from 12.2% in 2024. Capital expenditures for 2025 are estimated to be around $855 million. Additionally, Ross Stores plans to complete the remaining $1.05 billion under its two-year $2.1 billion share repurchase program and has increased its quarterly cash dividend by 10% to $0.405 per share.

Ross Stores Corporate Events

Executive/Board Changes
Ross Stores Announces CFO Transition Plan for 2025
Neutral
Feb 20, 2025

On February 20, 2025, Ross Stores announced the upcoming retirement of Adam Orvos as Chief Financial Officer, effective September 30, 2025. William Sheehan has been appointed Deputy Chief Financial Officer as of February 16, 2025, and is set to succeed Mr. Orvos on October 1, 2025. The transition is expected to be smooth due to Sheehan’s extensive experience within the company and the retail industry. This leadership change is anticipated to maintain Ross Stores’ strong financial position and ensure continued expertise in financial operations.

Glossary
OutperformA stock rated as "Outperform" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider this stock a good buying opportunity.
NeutralA stock rated as "Neutral" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly attractive nor unattractive for investment. Investors may consider holding onto the stock, as it is not expected to either significantly outperform or underperform the market.
UnderperformA stock rated as "Underperform" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock may deliver lower returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider selling the stock or avoiding it as an investment.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.