Ross Stores closed fiscal 2025 with stronger than expected fourth quarter earnings, giving the off price retailer a solid end to the year and a confident start to 2026. Fourth quarter sales rose 12% to $6.6 billion, while comparable store sales jumped 9%, well ahead of the company’s own expectations.
The quarter also came in stronger on profitability. Diluted earnings per share reached $2.00, ahead of guidance of $1.77 to $1.85, while operating margin landed at 12.3%, above the planned range of 11.5% to 11.8%.
A Holiday Quarter That Carried More Momentum
The company’s performance suggests customer demand strengthened as the holiday season progressed. The fourth quarter built on a 3% comparable sales gain in the prior year, showing that the latest growth came on top of an already solid comparison.
Jim Conroy, Chief Executive Officer of Ross Stores, said, “We are pleased to report that business momentum accelerated further…
in the fourth quarter, with both sales and earnings significantly surpassing our expectations.
Throughout the holiday season, we delivered compelling merchandise assortments to our stores, benefited from higher customer engagement through our new marketing campaigns, and executed in store initiatives that enhanced the customer experience.” That combination of assortments, marketing, and in store execution helped Ross finish the year on firmer footing than it had earlier in 2025, when macro pressure and tariff related costs were still weighing more heavily on the business.
Full Year Sales Hit a Record For the full year, sales reached a record $22.8 billion, up 8% from $21.1 billion. Comparable store sales increased 5%, while diluted earnings per share rose to $6.61 from $6.32. The earnings picture looks stronger after adjusting for one time items.
Excluding a $0.14 per share gain from the sale of a packaway facility in 2024 and an approximate $0.16 per share impact from tariff related costs in 2025, full year EPS growth was 10%. Shareholder Returns Stay a Priority Alongside the earnings report, Ross Stores announced bigger shareholder payouts…
Discussion
0 Comments
No comments yet
Start the conversation
Share your take on this story and help shape the discussion.
Sign in to join the discussion.