Ross Stores (ROST): analysis in plain words
Is Ross Stores cheap or expensive? How it makes money, whether it grows and its risks, explained in plain words and with its official accounts.
Ross Stores (ROST) is listed on the Nasdaq and we classify it in retail. Below are its key dated figures, how it makes money, how it compares with its sector, what works for and against Ross Stores according to those figures, and the questions people ask most about the stock. No buy or sell tips.
Ross Stores (ROST) key figures as of November 4, 2026
| Figure | Value | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $245.74 | Last price on November 4, 2026 |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 29.7x | Price over earnings per share |
| Revenue growth | +13.3% | Latest quarter vs the same quarter a year earlier |
| Net margin (TTM) | 10.8% | Profit for every 100 of sales |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 0.1x | Years of operating profit to repay debt |
| Dividend yield | 0.77% | Annual dividend over price |
| Market cap | $78.8 billion | What the stock market values it at |
The Ross Stores figures come from Yahoo Finance, the same source the Fintols analysis uses, retrieved on November 4, 2026. Any ROST figure that is not available shows as N/A: we do not estimate it.
How Ross Stores makes money
Ross Stores runs off-price stores across the United States under two banners: Ross Dress for Less, the main chain, and dd's DISCOUNTS, aimed at lower-income households. It sells brand-name clothing, shoes, accessories and home goods below department-store prices by snapping up closeouts and excess seasonal inventory.
Over the last 12 months, Ross Stores brought in revenue of $24.5 billion. For every 100 it sells, Ross Stores keeps 33.4 after the direct cost of what it sells (gross margin) and 13.6 after all operating costs (operating margin). With 111,000 full-time employees, that is about $221,000 of revenue per employee.
Ross Stores against its sector
To know whether a Ross Stores figure is high or low you have to put it next to similar companies. This table compares Ross Stores with the median of the 18 retail companies Fintols covers, with data as of November 4, 2026.
| Figure | Ross Stores | retail median |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 29.7x | 26.2x (18) |
| Revenue growth | +13.3% | +7.1% (18) |
| Net margin | 10.8% | 7.2% (18) |
| Dividend yield | 0.77% | 0.78% (18) |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 0.1x | 1.5x (18) |
In short, against the typical retail company, Ross Stores grows faster, earns a wider margin and carries less debt. By size, Ross Stores ranks number 10 of 17 retail companies quoted in USD on Fintols.
The bull case for Ross Stores
What works in favour of Ross Stores, according to its figures as of November 4, 2026:
- Ross Stores earns 42.6% a year on its shareholders' money (return on equity).
- Ross Stores grew sales +13.3% in its latest quarter against the same quarter a year earlier, while the median retail company Fintols tracks grew +7.1%.
- Its debt is low: Ross Stores would need 0.1x its annual operating profit (EBITDA) to repay its net debt.
The main risk for Ross Stores
The Ross Stores figures as of November 4, 2026 show no clear red flag (no heavy debt, no losses, no falling sales). Its main risk is the one built into its business: price competition, which keeps margins thin, and a slowdown in consumer spending.
Frequently asked questions about Ross Stores
Is it a good time to buy Ross Stores stock?
Fintols does not tell you whether to buy or sell Ross Stores, and nobody knows what the price will do tomorrow. What we can show you is where it stands today. As of November 4, 2026, Ross Stores stock trades at $245.74, 4% below its 52-week high ($257.00) and 56% above its low ($157.73). Its P/E is 29.7x against a retail median of 26.2x, and 27.3x on the earnings analysts expect over the next 12 months. With Ross Stores, as with any stock, timing matters less than understanding the business, investing for the long run and not betting everything on a single company.
Does Ross Stores pay a dividend?
Yes. As of November 4, 2026, Ross Stores pays $1.78 per share a year, which at today's price is a yield of 0.77%. It uses 21% of its profit to pay it, which leaves room to keep paying it if profit dips. Its average dividend yield over the last five years is 1.01%. The retail median on Fintols is 0.78%.
Is Ross Stores stock expensive?
It depends on what you compare it with. On P/E, Ross Stores trades at 29.7x its last 12 months of earnings: in line with the retail median (26.2x). Including its debt, Ross Stores is valued at 20.4x its EBITDA (EV/EBITDA). A high P/E alone does not make Ross Stores expensive: it can be justified if earnings grow fast, and a low one can reflect a business in trouble.
Who are Ross Stores's competitors?
On Fintols we compare Ross Stores with Kroger, Sea Limited and Dollar General, which are also in retail. As of November 4, 2026, Kroger is worth $40.7 billion and trades on a P/E of 38.3; Sea Limited is worth $49.1 billion and trades on a P/E of 31.0; Dollar General is worth $31.2 billion and trades on a P/E of 18.4. Each has a side-by-side comparison with Ross Stores below.
Ross Stores competitors
- Kroger (KR) analysis · Ross Stores vs Kroger comparison
- Sea Limited (SE) analysis · Ross Stores vs Sea Limited comparison
- Dollar General (DG) analysis · Ross Stores vs Dollar General comparison
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More companies like Ross Stores: retail stocks and S&P 500 companies. Open the full ROST analysis with its valuation and scenarios. Educational content about Ross Stores, not investment advice.