Ross Stores, Inc. · ROST · FY2026 Q2 · Calendar Q3 2026
Ross Stores raises outlook as Q2 comps grow 10%
The quarter supports a constructive operating picture: demand broadened, comparable sales remained strong, and management raised its outlook. The main qualification is that part of the margin benefit came from tariff refunds, while freight costs and the durability of traffic gains remain open questions.
Earnings scorecard
Reported versus consensusMarket reaction
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Transcript intelligence
What changed
Compared with the prior quarter, comparable-store sales remained in double digits, full-year EPS guidance moved to $8.61-$8.77, and the 2026 store-opening plan increased to 115 locations. Management also emphasized lapsed-customer recapture, inventory flexibility, and AI integration.
Guidance delta
Management raised full-year EPS guidance to $8.61-$8.77 and increased the 2026 store-opening plan to 115 locations.
Key takeaways
- Q2 comparable-store sales grew 10% and total sales grew 13%.
- Customer growth reflected new shoppers, recaptured lapsed shoppers, and higher visit frequency.
- Home goods and cosmetics were highlighted among strong categories.
- Tariff refunds and better merchandise margins supported operating-margin improvement despite higher freight costs.
Management priorities
- Open 115 new stores in 2026, including 51 in Q3.
- Use test-and-learn merchandising, store, and marketing initiatives.
- Integrate AI into planning, allocation, and analytics.
- Maintain inventory flexibility and increase marketing in line with sales growth.
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Analyst 52W Price Targets
Latest persisted target per named analyst; persisted previous close from FN2's market snapshot as of Sep 21, 2026. Not an FN2 forecast.
Firm-level rating actions
FMP grade actions identify the grading firm, not a named analyst.
| Firm | Rating | Prior rating | Action | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo | Equal Weight | Equal Weight | Maintain | Aug 21, 2026 |
| UBS | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Truist Securities | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Morgan Stanley | Equal Weight | Equal Weight | Maintain | Aug 21, 2026 |
| JP Morgan | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Jefferies | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Evercore ISI Group | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Citigroup | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Bernstein | Market Perform | Market Perform | Maintain | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Barclays | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Baird | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Telsey Advisory Group | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Guggenheim | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Mar 4, 2026 |
| Goldman Sachs | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Mar 4, 2026 |
| B of A Securities | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Nov 21, 2025 |
| TD Cowen | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Nov 10, 2025 |
| Loop Capital | Buy | Buy | Maintain | May 23, 2025 |
| BMO Capital | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Mar 5, 2025 |
| Gordon Haskett | Buy | Accumulate | Maintain | Nov 3, 2023 |
| Credit Suisse | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Mar 1, 2023 |
| Deutsche Bank | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Nov 18, 2022 |
| Cowen & Co. | Market Perform | Market Perform | Maintain | Feb 22, 2022 |
| RBC Capital | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | May 21, 2021 |
| Northcoast Research | Buy | Neutral | Upgrade | May 19, 2021 |
| OTR Global | Positive | Mixed | Upgrade | May 3, 2021 |
| MKM Partners | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Aug 21, 2020 |
| Nomura Instinet | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | May 22, 2020 |
| Nomura | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | May 22, 2020 |
| CFRA | Buy | Buy | Maintain | May 22, 2020 |
| DA Davidson | Buy | Neutral | Upgrade | Apr 28, 2020 |
| Odeon Capital | Sell | Sell | Maintain | Jan 24, 2020 |
| Buckingham Research | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Aug 20, 2018 |
| Buckingham | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Aug 20, 2018 |
| Wedbush | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Jun 22, 2018 |
| Susquehanna | Outperform | Positive | Maintain | Feb 10, 2017 |
| SunTrust Robinson Humphrey | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Aug 19, 2016 |
| PiperJaffray | Underweight | Underweight | Maintain | May 11, 2016 |
| Piper Sandler | Underweight | Neutral | Downgrade | May 11, 2016 |
| Wolfe Research | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Feb 2, 2016 |
| Cantor Fitzgerald | Hold | Hold | Maintain | Aug 21, 2015 |
| Maxim Group | Hold | Sell | Upgrade | Nov 21, 2014 |
| Canaccord Genuity | Sell | Hold | Downgrade | Nov 14, 2014 |
| Sterne Agee | Neutral | Buy | Downgrade | Jul 16, 2014 |
| ISI Group | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Nov 15, 2012 |
| Bank of America | Buy | Neutral | Upgrade | Aug 20, 2012 |
| Oppenheimer | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Aug 16, 2012 |
| Collins Stewart | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Mar 15, 2012 |
Named analyst price targets
Upside is calculated against the persisted previous close $226.61. FMP does not supply a rating on these named-analyst rows.
| Firm | Analyst | 52W target | Price when posted | Upside | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deutsche Bank | Analyst unavailable | $294 | $240.15 | +29.7% | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Jefferies | Analyst unavailable | $285 | $238.34 | +25.8% | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Evercore ISI | Analyst unavailable | $290 | $238.82 | +28.0% | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Morgan Stanley | Analyst unavailable | $234 | $238.36 | +3.3% | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Bernstein | Aneesha Sherman | $240 | $228.99 | +5.9% | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Truist Financial | Analyst unavailable | $310 | $228.99 | +36.8% | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Robert W. Baird | Analyst unavailable | $270 | $228.99 | +19.1% | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $248 | $228.99 | +9.4% | Aug 21, 2026 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $239 | $228.99 | +5.5% | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Macquarie | Analyst unavailable | $290 | $228.99 | +28.0% | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Barclays | Adrienne Yih | $298 | $228.99 | +31.5% | Aug 21, 2026 |
| Evercore ISI | Analyst unavailable | $276 | $245.36 | +21.8% | Aug 17, 2026 |
| Telsey Advisory | Analyst unavailable | $280 | $244.5 | +23.6% | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Morgan Stanley | Analyst unavailable | $231 | $251.06 | +1.9% | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $260 | $234.81 | +14.7% | May 26, 2026 |
| Telsey Advisory | Dana Telsey | $265 | $231.38 | +16.9% | May 22, 2026 |
| Truist Financial | Analyst unavailable | $290 | $231.31 | +28.0% | May 22, 2026 |
| Deutsche Bank | Analyst unavailable | $257 | $232.46 | +13.4% | May 22, 2026 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $232 | $230 | +2.4% | May 22, 2026 |
| Goldman Sachs | Analyst unavailable | $270 | $217.19 | +19.1% | May 22, 2026 |
| Bernstein | Aneesha Sherman | $230 | $229.8 | +1.5% | May 22, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $245 | $217.19 | +8.1% | May 22, 2026 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $227 | $211.75 | +0.2% | May 18, 2026 |
| Truist Financial | Joseph Civello | $270 | $212.75 | +19.1% | May 18, 2026 |
| Guggenheim | Analyst unavailable | $290 | $226.41 | +28.0% | Apr 27, 2026 |
| UBS | Jay Sole | $208 | $213.29 | -8.2% | Mar 5, 2026 |
| Bernstein | Aneesha Sherman | $200 | $209.99 | -11.7% | Mar 4, 2026 |
| Bernstein | Analyst unavailable | $180 | $201.05 | -20.6% | Feb 23, 2026 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $199 | $196.59 | -12.2% | Feb 17, 2026 |
| Goldman Sachs | Analyst unavailable | $214 | $194.5 | -5.6% | Feb 10, 2026 |
| Deutsche Bank | Analyst unavailable | $221 | $189.56 | -2.5% | Jan 8, 2026 |
| UBS | Jay Sole | $181 | $186.99 | -20.1% | Jan 8, 2026 |
| Bernstein | Analyst unavailable | $170 | $187.38 | -25.0% | Jan 6, 2026 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $205 | $186.68 | -9.5% | Jan 6, 2026 |
| Robert W. Baird | Mark Altschwager | $200 | $182.4 | -11.7% | Dec 17, 2025 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $200 | $184.23 | -11.7% | Dec 16, 2025 |
| Guggenheim | Analyst unavailable | $199 | $177.02 | -12.2% | Dec 9, 2025 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $203 | $177.89 | -10.4% | Dec 4, 2025 |
| Jefferies | Corey Tarlowe | $205 | $177.5 | -9.5% | Dec 1, 2025 |
| Robert W. Baird | Analyst unavailable | $182 | $167.5 | -19.7% | Nov 21, 2025 |
| Evercore ISI | Analyst unavailable | $195 | $167.48 | -13.9% | Nov 21, 2025 |
| UBS | Jay Sole | $169 | $160.5 | -25.4% | Nov 21, 2025 |
| Bernstein | Aneesha Sherman | $159 | $160.5 | -29.8% | Nov 21, 2025 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $183 | $160.5 | -19.2% | Nov 21, 2025 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $163 | $162.02 | -28.1% | Nov 5, 2025 |
| Wells Fargo | Ike Boruchow | $180 | $156.75 | -20.6% | Oct 27, 2025 |
| Telsey Advisory | Analyst unavailable | $160 | $147.25 | -29.4% | Aug 22, 2025 |
| Robert W. Baird | Analyst unavailable | $170 | $147.25 | -25.0% | Aug 22, 2025 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $164 | $147.25 | -27.6% | Aug 22, 2025 |
| Morgan Stanley | Analyst unavailable | $130 | $138.64 | -42.6% | Mar 5, 2025 |
| Robert W. Baird | Analyst unavailable | $160 | $138.64 | -29.4% | Mar 5, 2025 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $150 | $138.64 | -33.8% | Mar 5, 2025 |
| Wells Fargo | Ike Boruchow | $165 | $151.74 | -27.2% | Jan 10, 2025 |
| Citigroup | Paul Lejuez | $179 | $154.44 | -21.0% | Sep 20, 2024 |
| Goldman Sachs | Brooke Roach | $185 | $155.21 | -18.4% | Aug 23, 2024 |
| Telsey Advisory | Dana Telsey | $175 | $157.62 | -22.8% | Aug 23, 2024 |
| Loop Capital Markets | Laura Champine | $190 | $155.48 | -16.2% | Aug 23, 2024 |
| BMO Capital | Simeon Siegel | $168 | $155.5 | -25.9% | Aug 23, 2024 |
| Wells Fargo | Ike Boruchow | $175 | $152.52 | -22.8% | Aug 23, 2024 |
| Robert W. Baird | Mark Altschwager | $180 | $155.37 | -20.6% | Aug 23, 2024 |
| UBS | Jay Sole | $167 | $152.52 | -26.3% | Aug 23, 2024 |
| CFRA | Zachary Warring | $138 | $144.03 | -39.1% | May 24, 2024 |
| Guggenheim | Robert Drbul | $170 | $131.86 | -25.0% | May 24, 2024 |
| Barclays | Adrienne Yih | $165 | $131.86 | -27.2% | May 24, 2024 |
| Deutsche Bank | Paul Trussell | $164 | $131.86 | -27.6% | May 24, 2024 |
| Evercore ISI | Michael Binetti | $165 | $131.86 | -27.2% | May 24, 2024 |
| UBS | Jay Sole | $147 | $131.86 | -35.1% | May 24, 2024 |
| BMO Capital | Simeon Siegel | $138 | $149.24 | -39.1% | Mar 5, 2024 |
| UBS | Jay Sole | $142 | $148.03 | -37.3% | Feb 23, 2024 |
| Loop Capital Markets | Simeon Siegel | $127 | $118.72 | -44.0% | Aug 18, 2023 |
| Gordon Haskett Capital Corporation | Chuck Grom | $120 | $115.66 | -47.0% | Aug 17, 2023 |
| Loop Capital Markets | Analyst unavailable | $115 | $104.14 | -49.3% | Mar 22, 2023 |
| Loop Capital Markets | Simeon Siege | $113 | $108.51 | -50.1% | Mar 1, 2023 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $139 | $118.75 | -38.7% | Jan 13, 2023 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $135 | $114.93 | -40.4% | Dec 20, 2022 |
| Goldman Sachs | Analyst unavailable | $134 | $115.06 | -40.9% | Dec 12, 2022 |
| Telsey Advisory | Dana Telsey | $120 | $110.07 | -47.0% | Nov 18, 2022 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $108 | $113.09 | -52.3% | Nov 18, 2022 |
| Citigroup | Analyst unavailable | $116 | $111.2 | -48.8% | Nov 18, 2022 |
| Morgan Stanley | Analyst unavailable | $127 | $114.74 | -44.0% | Nov 18, 2022 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $120 | $97.93 | -47.0% | Nov 18, 2022 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $98 | $91.01 | -56.8% | Aug 22, 2022 |
| Credit Suisse | Michael Binetti | $99 | $91.01 | -56.3% | Aug 19, 2022 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $92 | $89.86 | -59.4% | Aug 19, 2022 |
| Robert W. Baird | Analyst unavailable | $105 | $92.5 | -53.7% | Aug 19, 2022 |
| Goldman Sachs | Brooke Roach | $102 | $82.3 | -55.0% | Aug 2, 2022 |
| Barclays | Analyst unavailable | $85 | $71.87 | -62.5% | May 23, 2022 |
| Morgan Stanley | Kimberly Greenberger | $129 | $72.13 | -43.1% | May 20, 2022 |
| Robert W. Baird | Analyst unavailable | $90 | $92.7 | -60.3% | May 20, 2022 |
| Loop Capital Markets | Analyst unavailable | $80 | $92.7 | -64.7% | May 20, 2022 |
| Telsey Advisory | Dana Telsey | $80 | $92.7 | -64.7% | May 20, 2022 |
| Morgan Stanley | Analyst unavailable | $139 | $104.08 | -38.7% | Apr 26, 2022 |
| Bernstein | Aneesha Sherman | $125 | $93.33 | -44.8% | Mar 18, 2022 |
| Deutsche Bank | Gabriella Carbone | $122 | $94.66 | -46.2% | Mar 2, 2022 |
| Robert W. Baird | Mark Altschwager | $115 | $89.23 | -49.3% | Mar 1, 2022 |
| UBS | Jay Sole | $100 | $90.32 | -55.9% | Feb 24, 2022 |
| Truist Financial | Beth Reed | $122 | $93.14 | -46.2% | Feb 18, 2022 |
| J.P. Morgan | Matthew Boss | $125 | $91.42 | -44.8% | Feb 17, 2022 |
| Deutsche Bank | Gabriella Carbone | $128 | $95.7 | -43.5% | Feb 16, 2022 |
| Gordon Haskett Capital Corporation | Charles Grom | $106 | $96.23 | -53.2% | Feb 10, 2022 |
| Jefferies | Corey Tarlowe | $131 | $108.42 | -42.2% | Nov 30, 2021 |
| Loop Capital Markets | Laura Champine | $105 | $107.48 | -53.7% | Oct 14, 2021 |
| MKM Partners | Roxanne Meyer | $153 | $121.91 | -32.5% | May 21, 2021 |
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Start freeCompany context
Snapshot as of publicationRoss Stores, Inc., through its various subsidiaries, manages a chain of off-price retail establishments focusing on apparel and home goods. These stores operate under two main brand names: Ross Dress for Less and dd's DISCOUNTS. Their product selection primarily includes clothing, accessories, footwear, and household decor. The Ross Dress for Less outlets primarily serve middle-income households, offering merchandise at prices considerably lower than traditional department and specialty stores. Conversely, dd's DISCOUNTS stores cater to moderate-income households, providing products at prices below those typically found in department and discount stores. As of July 5, 2022, the company had approximately 1,950 stores operating across 40 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam. Ross Stores, Inc. was founded in 1957 and is based in Dublin, California.
Historical context
All ROST earningsConsumer Cyclical peers this season
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| FIVE Five Below, Inc. | FY2027 Q2 · Calendar Q3 2026 | +20.0% | -1.3% | Five Below raises outlook as its retail flywheel gains momentum |
Latest beats and misses
Who reports nextBeat on EPS
- FPSFY2026 Q4 · September 15, 2026+4.3% EPS+9.5% move
- TCOMFY2026 Q2 · September 15, 2026+22.3% EPS+3.0% move
- KRFY2026 Q2 · September 11, 2026+2.8% EPS+2.7% move
- ADBEFY2026 Q3 · September 10, 2026+0.8% EPS+1.4% move
- ORCLFY2027 Q1 · September 10, 2026+10.3% EPS-1.7% move
- CASYFY2027 Q1 · September 8, 2026+8.7% EPS-14.2% move
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Sources
- Earnings call transcript and parsed analysis · 2026-08-20T22:19:15.822526+00:00
- FN2 earnings calendar · 2026-09-21T01:23:13.071796+00:00
- Polygon adjusted daily market bars · 2026-09-21T10:30:52.210260+00:00
- Financial Modeling Prep analyst price-target consensus and quote snapshot · 2026-09-21T10:30:52.207638+00:00
Methodology
Reported and consensus figures come from FN2's earnings event records. Market reaction and volume are calculated from daily adjusted bars around the event; abnormal move subtracts the SPY move over the same window.
Analyst target low, average, and high values are derived at request time from each named analyst's latest persisted FMP target. The current-price marker comes from FN2's persisted market snapshot. They are sell-side estimates, not an FN2 valuation or recommendation.
Transcript intelligence is a structured synthesis of the current and prior earnings-call analyses. Missing values stay missing and are never estimated.
By FN2 Research · Updated . For educational purposes only; not investment advice.