Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST)

Over the past six months, Ross Stores, Inc. stock price has experienced a decline of approximately 14.9% to 16.28%. Key events impacting the stock include mixed fourth quarter fiscal 2024 results, softening consumer demand, a cautious outlook with withdrawn guidance due to macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, and first quarter fiscal 2025 results with flat comparable store sales.

Ross Stores' products and services exhibit demand seasonality, influenced by consumer shopping patterns throughout the year. The company strategically promotes seasonal sales events to attract budget-conscious consumers, including Back-to-School Sales Campaigns, Holiday Discount Promotions, and Summer Clearance Events. Demand for seasonal apparel and other merchandise is a key factor for the company. Sales trends began softening in late January and February, which can be attributed to factors like unseasonable weather, suggesting a seasonal impact on consumer traffic.

Ross Stores, Inc. is an off-price retail company operating apparel and home accessories stores under the Ross Dress for Less and dd's DISCOUNTS brands. Ross Dress for Less is the largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain in the United States. The company offers branded and designer apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions at discounted prices, typically 20% to 60% off department and specialty store regular prices for Ross, and 20% to 70% off moderate department and discount store regular prices for dd's DISCOUNTS. Ross Stores, Inc. operates within the Retail Trade sector, specifically in the Apparel/Footwear Retail industry.

As of March 2025, Ross Stores operates 2,205 locations across 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam, including 1,847 Ross Dress for Less stores and 358 dd's DISCOUNTS stores. The company has a significant physical presence focused purely on the domestic U.S. market, with no presence in New England and Alaska. Ross Stores plans to add approximately 90 new stores in fiscal 2025, including 80 Ross and 10 dd's DISCOUNTS locations. Recent expansions in March 2025 included new Ross stores in Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey, and New York, while dd's DISCOUNTS focused on existing markets in California, Georgia, and Texas. In fiscal 2024, the company added 89 new locations across 22 different states and expanded into Puerto Rico in 2025.

Ross Stores maintains a competitive edge through its strong value proposition, attracting a loyal customer base with branded goods at substantial discounts. The company's customer satisfaction rating is approximately 3.8 out of 5. Customer feedback has highlighted areas for improvement in brand reputation related to in-store experience and customer service, including disorganized store conditions, long checkout lines, and issues with the return policy and product quality. These reflect ongoing challenges in maintaining a consistent in-store experience and managing customer expectations within the off-price model.

Ross Stores, Inc. has a significant portion of its shares held by institutional investors, accounting for 89.14% of ownership. Major institutional owners include Vanguard Group Inc., BlackRock, Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Price T Rowe Associates Inc, State Street Corp, PRIMECAP Management Company, Geode Capital Management, LLC, FMR LLC, and Bank Of America Corp. The largest individual shareholder of Ross Stores is George Orban, owning 10.77 million shares, representing 3.29% of the company. Insiders hold 5.05% of the company's shares.