Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) Updates Q2 2026 Earnings Guidance

Key Points

• Ross Stores raised its Q2 2026 EPS guidance to $1.85-$1.93, above the analyst consensus of $1.79, signaling expectations for stronger near-term earnings.
• The company also lifted full-year FY 2026 EPS guidance to $7.50-$7.74, topping the Street’s outlook and reinforcing a positive earnings trajectory.
• Ross Stores recently posted a strong quarter, with Q1 EPS of $2.02 and revenue of $6.01 billion, both well ahead of estimates, while the stock traded slightly lower on the day.

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST - Get Free Report) issued an update on its second quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 1.850-1.930 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 1.790. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Ross Stores also updated its FY 2026 guidance to 7.500-7.740 EPS.

Ross Stores Trading Down 0.3%

NASDAQ ROST traded down $0.58 during trading on Thursday, reaching $217.21. 2,360,560 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,543,277. The firm has a market cap of $69.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 0.87. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $218.54 and its 200 day moving average price is $196.37. The company has a quick ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. Ross Stores has a fifty-two week low of $124.49 and a fifty-two week high of $231.16.

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 21st. The apparel retailer reported $2.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.70 by $0.32. The firm had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $5.64 billion. Ross Stores had a net margin of 9.43% and a return on equity of 36.70%. Ross Stores has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.500-7.740 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 1.850-1.930 EPS. Analysts predict that Ross Stores will post 7.37 EPS for the current year.

Ross Stores Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 9th will be issued a $0.445 dividend. This represents a $1.78 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 9th. Ross Stores's dividend payout ratio is 26.93%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently weighed in on ROST. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Ross Stores from $205.00 to $221.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Truist Financial began coverage on shares of Ross Stores in a report on Monday. They issued a "buy" rating and a $270.00 price target for the company. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Ross Stores from $205.00 to $235.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Ross Stores from $208.00 to $227.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on shares of Ross Stores from $214.00 to $244.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Ross Stores has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $218.56.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Ross Stores news, Director Patricia H. Mueller sold 1,881 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $213.13, for a total transaction of $400,897.53. Following the transaction, the director owned 2,159 shares of the company's stock, valued at $460,147.67. The trade was a 46.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CMO Karen Sykes sold 5,506 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $213.40, for a total value of $1,174,980.40. Following the transaction, the chief marketing officer directly owned 104,648 shares in the company, valued at approximately $22,331,883.20. This trade represents a 5.00% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 25,756 shares of company stock valued at $5,521,004. 2.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Trending Headlines about Ross Stores

Here are the key news stories impacting Ross Stores this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ross Stores reported Q1 EPS of $2.02, topping estimates of $1.70, and revenue of $6.01 billion versus expectations of $5.64 billion, highlighting a significant beat on both profit and sales. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised second-quarter 2026 EPS guidance to $1.85-$1.93, above the consensus estimate of $1.79, suggesting management sees continued momentum. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Ross Stores also lifted fiscal 2026 EPS guidance to $7.50-$7.74, ahead of the Street’s $7.31 estimate, reinforcing a favorable earnings outlook. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.445 per share, which supports the investment case but is unlikely to be the main driver of the stock move. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Some commentary still flags tariff risks as a potential headwind, which could temper optimism if costs rise or margins come under pressure. Article Title

Institutional Trading of Ross Stores

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of ROST. Woodline Partners LP lifted its stake in shares of Ross Stores by 39.9% during the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 27,875 shares of the apparel retailer's stock worth $3,562,000 after buying an additional 7,951 shares during the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Ross Stores by 23.5% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 615 shares of the apparel retailer's stock worth $79,000 after buying an additional 117 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Ross Stores by 35.8% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 10,581 shares of the apparel retailer's stock worth $1,350,000 after buying an additional 2,792 shares during the last quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lifted its stake in shares of Ross Stores by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 150,491 shares of the apparel retailer's stock worth $19,200,000 after buying an additional 1,508 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Main Street Financial Solutions LLC lifted its stake in shares of Ross Stores by 2.2% during the 2nd quarter. Main Street Financial Solutions LLC now owns 12,580 shares of the apparel retailer's stock worth $1,605,000 after buying an additional 265 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.86% of the company's stock.

About Ross Stores

Ross Stores, Inc NASDAQ: ROST is an American off‑price retailer headquartered in Dublin, California, that operates the Ross Dress for Less and dd's DISCOUNTS store formats. The company sells a broad assortment of apparel, footwear, home fashions, accessories and other soft goods, positioning itself as a value-oriented destination for brand‑name and fashion merchandise at reduced prices.

Ross's business model centers on opportunistic buying of excess inventory, closeouts, cancelled orders and overstocks from manufacturers, department stores and other suppliers.

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