We recently published an article titled The 12 best retail stocks to buy, according to analysts.
On February 23, Bernstein raised its price target on Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROST ) to $180 from $170 while maintaining a market perform rating as part of the discount retailer’s fourth-quarter preview. The company cited very strong holiday trends across the segment, with real-time data showing positive and growing traffic throughout the quarter, as well as strong credit card spending.
In the third quarter of 2025, Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROST ) reported total sales increasing 10% to $5.6 billion, with comparable store sales increasing 7%. Operating margin came in at 11.6%, despite headwinds of $0.05 per share from tariff-related costs. Earnings per share were $1.58, up from $1.48 last year. For the first nine months, earnings per share totaled $4.61 on sales of $16.1 billion, with comparable store sales up 3% year over year. Overall inventory levels increased by 9% and each store increased by 15% to support anticipated holiday demand. The company opened 36 new Ross stores and four DD’s Discounts stores during the quarter, completing its expansion plan to open 90 new stores in 2025. Ross expects fourth-quarter comparable sales growth of 3%–4% and earnings per share of $1.77–1.85, with minimal tariff-related costs, and expects the full-year tariff impact to be approximately $0.15 per share. Strong traffic trends, disciplined cost management and continued unit growth strengthen Ross’s resilience in the value-focused retail segment and support a constructive investment outlook.
Ross Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq: ROST) operates the Ross Dress for Less chain of stores, which offers branded apparel and home fashions at discounted prices through a high-volume, opportunistic purchasing model. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Dublin, California, the company leverages inventory flexibility and cost control to drive continued profitability.
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