Key Takeaways Ross Stores expects Q4 FY25 revenues of $6.37B, marking a 7.8% increase from last year.ROST's earnings are projected at $1.87 per share, up 4.5% YoY, with consistent upside in past quarters.The off-price model, micro-merchandising and store expansion likely boosted traffic, sales and profitability.Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST) is likely to post year-over-year top and bottom line growth when it reports fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings on March 3, after market close. The Zacks Consensus Estimate f ...

The Retail – Discount Stores industry remains a strong pillar of the broader retail sector, benefiting from its focus on value, efficiency and consumer accessibility. Even as households face ongoing inflationary pressures and shifting spending patterns, discount retailers continue to attract steady foot traffic by offering competitive pricing, compelling assortments and convenient store formats. The ability to blend affordability with quality, spanning essentials, discretionary goods and private-label offer ...

We recently published an article titled 12 Best Retail Stocks to Buy According to Analysts. On February 23, Bernstein raised its price target for Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) to $180 from $170 while maintaining a Market Perform rating as part of a fourth-quarter preview for off-price retailers. The firm cited very strong holiday trends across the segment, supported by real-time data showing positive and accelerating foot traffic as well as robust card spending throughout the quarter. During the third ...

Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) has a price target of $180 set by Bernstein, with the current stock price at $201.05, indicating a potential downside.The company is ranked #10 in the Zacks Sector Rank within the Retail-Wholesale sector, highlighting its strong earnings outlook compared to peers.Ross Stores receives a favorable average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.40, with 80% of brokerage firms giving it a Strong Buy rating.Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) is a prominent player in the Retail-Wholesale ...

We came across a bullish thesis on Ross Stores, Inc. on The Wealth Dynasty Report’s Substack. In this article, we will summarize the bulls’ thesis on ROST. Ross Stores, Inc.'s share was trading at $190.74 as of February 6th. ROST’s trailing and forward P/E were 29.80 and 26.81 respectively according to Yahoo Finance. The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX) Is Offering Great Value & Variety, Says Jim Cramer Pixabay/Public Domain Ross Stores, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates off-price retail apparel a ...

Company Performance - Ross Stores has returned 11.2% year-to-date, outperforming the average loss of 0.8% in the Retail-Wholesale group [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ross Stores' full-year earnings has increased by 2.1% over the past three months, indicating improving analyst sentiment [3] Industry Comparison - Ross Stores belongs to the Retail - Discount Stores industry, which has gained about 11.3% year-to-date, indicating that Ross is slightly underperforming its industry group [5] - Dillard's, another stock in the Retail-Wholesale sector, has returned 9.4% year-to-date and has a consensus EPS estimate that increased by 6.9% over the past three months [4][5] Sector Ranking - The Retail-Wholesale group is currently ranked 10 within the Zacks Sector Rank, which evaluates 16 different sector groups [2] - The Retail - Regional Department Stores industry, to which Dillard's belongs, is ranked 7 and has moved up by 4.3% year-to-date [6]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the reliability of brokerage recommendations, particularly focusing on Ross Stores (ROST), and emphasizes the importance of using these recommendations in conjunction with other analytical tools like the Zacks Rank. Brokerage Recommendations - Ross Stores has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.40, indicating a consensus between Strong Buy and Buy, based on recommendations from 20 brokerage firms, with 80% (16 out of 20) being Strong Buy [2][5]. - Despite the positive ABR, the article cautions against making investment decisions solely based on this metric, as studies show limited success of brokerage recommendations in predicting stock price increases [5][11]. Analyst Bias - Brokerage analysts often exhibit a positive bias in their ratings due to vested interests, leading to a disproportionate number of Strong Buy recommendations compared to Strong Sell [6][11]. - This misalignment of interests can mislead investors, making it essential to validate brokerage recommendations with independent research [7][11]. Zacks Rank vs. ABR - The Zacks Rank, which classifies stocks from 1 (Strong Buy) to 5 (Strong Sell), is based on earnings estimate revisions and is considered a more reliable indicator of near-term stock performance compared to ABR [8][12]. - The Zacks Rank is updated more frequently and reflects timely changes in earnings estimates, while ABR may not always be current [13]. Earnings Estimates for Ross Stores - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ross Stores has remained stable at $6.47 over the past month, indicating analysts' optimism regarding the company's earnings prospects [14]. - The recent consensus estimate change, along with other factors, has resulted in a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) for Ross Stores, suggesting a favorable outlook for the stock [15].

Market Overview - The U.S. stock market showed mixed results with the Dow Jones up by 0.46%, while the Nasdaq fell by 0.31% and the S&P 500 increased by 0.09% [1] - Major tech stocks experienced varied performance, with Nvidia rising by 0.7% and Amazon and Apple both declining by over 1% [3] Semiconductor Sector - Storage concept stocks continued to perform well, with Seagate Technology rising by 11%, Western Digital by over 8%, SanDisk by over 8%, and Micron Technology by over 3% [3] - Micron Technology announced that its new NAND flash wafer plant is on track to begin shipments in the second half of 2028, with HBM4 customer shipments expected to increase in the first quarter of 2028, one quarter ahead of schedule. The CFO indicated that market demand exceeds supply, and this tight supply situation is expected to persist until after 2026 [3] Retail Sector - Major U.S. retailers saw collective gains, with Walmart rising over 2% to reach a historical high, Macy's up nearly 4%, Kohl's up nearly 3%, and Ross Stores up over 2% [4] - McDonald's reported a 9.5% year-over-year revenue increase to $7 billion for the fourth quarter, with adjusted earnings per share of $3.12, exceeding expectations [4] Software Sector - Software stocks faced significant sell-offs, with Cisco's stock plummeting over 9%, marking its largest drop in 2023. Despite an increase in AI demand leading to an upward revision of annual guidance, the gross margin guidance for the current quarter fell short of expectations [4] - Other software stocks showed mixed results post-earnings, with Fastly surging over 60%, HubSpot up over 10%, and Applovin dropping over 14% [4][5] Chinese Stocks - Chinese stocks listed in the U.S. experienced a collective decline, with the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index falling by 1.4%. Tencent Music dropped nearly 6%, while other companies like Huya, Boss Zhipin, and Beike fell over 4% [6] Commodity Market - Precious metals saw a decline, with spot gold down by 0.37% at $5065 per ounce and spot silver down by 1.43% at $83 per ounce [8] - International oil prices also fell, with Brent crude futures down about 1% to $68.75 per barrel and WTI crude futures down about 1% to $63.99 per barrel [8] Cryptocurrency Market - The majority of cryptocurrencies saw an increase, with Bitcoin rising by 0.96%, remaining below $68,000. In the last 24 hours, 118,000 individuals experienced liquidations [10][11]

Core Insights - December retail sales in the U.S. were flat month-over-month, a significant slowdown from November's 0.6% increase, indicating a cautious consumer environment amid rising prices and policy uncertainty [1][2] Retail Sales Overview - Retail sales showed no growth in December, with declines in eight of the thirteen categories tracked by the Census Bureau, suggesting households are becoming more cautious in their spending [1][2][7] - Categories that saw gains included building materials and garden equipment (1.2%), food and beverage stores (0.2%), and sporting goods (0.4) [3] - Conversely, declines were noted in motor vehicle and parts dealers (-0.2%), clothing stores (-0.7%), and general merchandise stores (-0.1%) [4] Retail Sector Opportunities - Despite subdued sales, certain retailers are well-positioned to thrive in a cautious consumer environment, including Dollar General, Walmart, Ross Stores, and TJX Companies, due to their scale, pricing flexibility, and loyal customer bases [5][7] Company-Specific Insights Dollar General - Dollar General is enhancing its market position through remodel strategies and digital expansion, targeting both consumable and non-consumable categories [8] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a 4.8% growth in sales and 9.6% in EPS for the current financial year, with a 4.1% rise in sales and 9.2% in earnings projected for the next fiscal year [9] Walmart - Walmart is leveraging its scale and diversified business model to drive market share gains, focusing on high-growth initiatives in advertising and membership services [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate suggests a 4.6% growth in sales and 5.2% in EPS for the current financial year, with similar growth expected in the next fiscal year [11] Ross Stores - Ross Stores is capitalizing on its off-price model, with strong customer engagement and effective merchandising driving traffic and sales [14] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a 6.4% growth in sales and 2.4% in EPS for the current financial year, with a 5.4% rise in sales and 10% growth in earnings projected for the next fiscal year [15] TJX Companies - TJX's off-price business model and "treasure hunt" shopping experience are driving consistent foot traffic and market share gains [16] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate shows a 6.5% growth in sales and 9.6% in EPS for the current financial year, with a 5.5% rise in sales and 9.7% growth in earnings expected for the next fiscal year [17]

Core Viewpoint - Dillard's (DDS) is currently outperforming its peers in the Retail-Wholesale sector, with a year-to-date return of 5.8% compared to the sector average of 5.6% [4]. Group Performance - Dillard's is part of the Retail-Wholesale group, which consists of 193 companies and ranks 6 in the Zacks Sector Rank [2]. - The Zacks Rank system indicates that Dillard's holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), reflecting a positive earnings outlook with a 9.8% increase in the consensus estimate for full-year earnings over the past three months [3]. Industry Comparison - Dillard's belongs to the Retail - Regional Department Stores industry, which includes 3 stocks and currently ranks 4 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This industry has seen an average gain of 0.4% year-to-date, indicating Dillard's superior performance [5]. - In contrast, Ross Stores, another outperforming stock in the Retail-Wholesale sector, belongs to the Retail - Discount Stores industry, which has a lower ranking (58) but has increased by 8.7% year-to-date [6].