IFG Advisory LLC Has $2.44 Million Holdings in Ross Stores, Inc. $ROST

IFG Advisory LLC lifted its position in Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) by 32.3% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 16,017 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 3,911 shares during the period. IFG Advisory LLC’s holdings in Ross Stores were worth $2,441,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Ross Stores by 14.8% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 39,182,660 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $4,998,924,000 after buying an additional 5,060,954 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Ross Stores during the 2nd quarter worth about $521,159,000. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in shares of Ross Stores by 20.9% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 9,582,401 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $1,222,523,000 after acquiring an additional 1,657,008 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP increased its stake in Ross Stores by 30.1% in the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 3,669,876 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $468,203,000 after acquiring an additional 849,391 shares during the period. Finally, Scopus Asset Management L.P. bought a new stake in Ross Stores in the second quarter valued at about $102,281,000. 86.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Ross Stores Stock Up 0.6%

NASDAQ ROST opened at $214.83 on Friday. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $192.72 and its 200 day simple moving average is $171.54. Ross Stores, Inc. has a one year low of $122.36 and a one year high of $216.80. The firm has a market cap of $69.49 billion, a PE ratio of 32.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.15 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 0.90.

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, March 3rd. The apparel retailer reported $2.00 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.90 by $0.10. Ross Stores had a return on equity of 36.70% and a net margin of 9.43%.The company had revenue of $6.64 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.42 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.65 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 12.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Ross Stores, Inc. will post 6.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ross Stores Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be given a $0.445 dividend. This represents a $1.78 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 13th. This is a boost from Ross Stores’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. Ross Stores’s dividend payout ratio is 24.51%.

Ross Stores News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 outperformance: Ross reported stronger-than-expected Q4 revenue (~$6.64B) and EPS ($2.00), with comps up ~9%, signaling traffic and mix improvements that support upside to sales and earnings. Ross Stores Fourth-Quarter Sales Rise as Traffic Picks Up
• Positive Sentiment: Upbeat guidance and capital returns: Management gave Q1 and FY26 guidance above prior consensus, raised the quarterly dividend ~10% (to $0.445) and authorized a two‑year $2.55B buyback — a material share‑count tailwind. These actions drove much of the buying momentum. Ross Stores Proves the Off-Price Uptrend Is Far From Over
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst follow‑through: Multiple firms raised ratings and price targets (Goldman, Citi, Wells Fargo, Guggenheim, Telsey), reflecting confidence the off‑price cycle and Ross’s execution can sustain growth. Ross Stores Analysts Boost Their Forecasts After Upbeat Q4 Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-term performance context: Commentary and retrospectives (e.g., “If you invested $1,000 … 15 years ago”) provide background on shareholder returns but don’t change the near‑term thesis. If You Invested $1000 In Ross Stores Stock 15 Years Ago, You Would Have This Much Today
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and profit‑taking risk: Some analysts and commentators warn Q4 strength has stretched near‑term valuation and the post‑release pop leaves the stock vulnerable to consolidation or pullback if execution slips. Ross Stores: Strong Q4 Results Stretch The Valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Insider/institutional flows: Reports show notable insider selling and mixed institutional activity (large trims by some managers offset by adds from others), creating a potential overhang if selling accelerates. Ross Stores jumps after Q4 beat, upbeat spring commentary, and new buyback/dividend hike

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have commented on ROST shares. Evercore lifted their price objective on Ross Stores from $175.00 to $195.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. Citigroup raised their target price on Ross Stores from $224.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Zacks Research lowered Ross Stores from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Ross Stores in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $205.00 price objective on shares of Ross Stores in a report on Monday, December 1st. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Ross Stores has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $208.29.

Ross Stores Company Profile

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.