← Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST)

events.md

Published

# Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST) - Recent Filing Events

## Filings that contain financial statements

Ross furnishes condensed quarterly financial statements in the Exhibit 99.1 earnings release attached to each Item 2.02 Form 8-K.

- Form 8-K dated August 20, 2026, accession 0000745732-26-000038: second quarter of fiscal 2026 (13 weeks ended August 1, 2026, with comparatives to August 2, 2025). Holds the condensed statements of earnings (three and six months), the balance sheet at August 1, 2026 and August 2, 2025, and the six-month statement of cash flows.
- Form 8-K dated May 21, 2026, accession 0000745732-26-000025: first quarter of fiscal 2026 (13 weeks ended May 2, 2026). Holds the condensed statement of earnings, balance sheet and statement of cash flows.
- Form 8-K dated March 3, 2026, accession 0000745732-26-000003: fourth quarter and full fiscal 2025 (ended January 31, 2026). Holds the condensed statements of earnings, balance sheet and statement of cash flows.
- Form 8-K dated November 20, 2025, accession 0000745732-25-000055: third quarter of fiscal 2025 (13 weeks ended November 1, 2025). Holds the condensed statements of earnings, balance sheet and statement of cash flows.

## Earnings and guidance

**August 20, 2026 - second quarter fiscal 2026 results and raised outlook (0000745732-26-000038).**
- Sales rose 13% to $6.3 billion (from $5.5 billion). Comparable store sales rose 10%, primarily driven by customer traffic, on top of a 2% gain last year.
- Operating income was $1.1 billion and net income $851 million (diluted EPS $2.66 versus $1.56). Results include about $253 million of IEEPA tariff refunds, worth roughly $0.60 per share and 405 basis points of the 610 basis point operating margin increase. Excluding the refunds, operating margin rose 205 basis points against a plan of 130 to 150 basis points. Second quarter EPS guidance had been $1.85 to $1.93.
- Six-month sales were $12.3 billion, up 17%, with comparable store sales up 13%; net income was $1.5 billion (EPS $4.69 versus $3.03).
- Guidance raised: third quarter comparable store sales of 6% to 7% and EPS of $1.75 to $1.83; fourth quarter comparable store sales of 4% to 5% and EPS of $2.17 to $2.26. Fiscal 2026 EPS is now $8.61 to $8.77, including the roughly $0.60 tariff refund benefit.
- Planned 2026 new store openings increased to 115 (about 90 Ross Dress for Less and 25 dd's DISCOUNTS). 47 stores opened in the quarter; the company had 2,328 stores at quarter end.
- Balance sheet at August 1, 2026: cash and equivalents of $4.29 billion; total debt (current plus long-term) of about $1.02 billion. The six-month cash flow statement shows a $500 million payment of long-term debt.

**May 21, 2026 - first quarter fiscal 2026 results (0000745732-26-000025).**
- Sales rose 21% to $6.0 billion with comparable store sales up 17%. Net income was $650 million; EPS of $2.02 (up 37%) compared with guidance of $1.60 to $1.67. Operating margin was 13.4% against a plan of 11.8% to 12.1%.
- Guidance: second quarter comparable store sales up 6% to 7% with EPS of $1.85 to $1.93; fiscal 2026 comparable store sales raised to 6% to 7% and EPS to $7.50 to $7.74 (from $7.02 to $7.36 given in March).

**March 3, 2026 - fourth quarter and fiscal 2025 results (0000745732-26-000003).**
- Fourth quarter sales grew 12% to $6.6 billion, comparable store sales up 9%, EPS $2.00 versus guidance of $1.77 to $1.85. Fiscal 2025 sales were a record $22.8 billion (up 8%), comparable store sales up 5%, EPS $6.61 versus $6.32.
- Initial fiscal 2026 guidance: first quarter comparable store sales up 7% to 8% with EPS of $1.60 to $1.67; full year comparable store sales up 3% to 4% with EPS of $7.02 to $7.36.

**November 20, 2025 - third quarter fiscal 2025 results (0000745732-25-000055).**
- EPS of $1.58 on net income of $512 million (including about a $0.05 per share tariff cost impact); sales grew 10% to $5.6 billion. Fiscal 2025 EPS guidance raised to $6.38 to $6.46, and fourth quarter guidance to comparable store sales up 3% to 4% and EPS of $1.77 to $1.85.

## Capital returns

- **March 3, 2026 (0000745732-26-000003):** The Board approved a new two-year, $2.55 billion stock repurchase authorization for fiscal 2026 and 2027 (a 21% increase over the $2.1 billion repurchased in 2024 and 2025). The quarterly cash dividend was raised 10% to $0.445 per share, payable March 31, 2026 to holders of record March 13, 2026. The prior two-year program was completed, with $1.05 billion repurchased in fiscal 2025.
- **August 20, 2026 (0000745732-26-000038):** In the second quarter the company repurchased 1.4 million shares for $319 million under the new authorization (the same amount as in the first quarter, per the May 21 release, 0000745732-26-000025). It remains on track to repurchase $1.275 billion of stock in fiscal 2026.

## Management and board

- **September 17, 2026 (0000745732-26-000043):** Director Sharon D. Garrett will retire from the Board effective October 1, 2026 (she tendered her resignation on September 11, 2026). The Board appointed Shelley H. Bransten and Christian B. Johnson as independent directors effective October 1, 2026, both also joining the Audit Committee; the Board size increases to ten members.
- **May 27, 2026 (0000745732-26-000027):** Results of the May 20, 2026 annual meeting: nine directors elected, the 2026 Equity Incentive Plan approved (257,919,061 votes for, 8,132,534 against), executive compensation approved in an advisory vote, and Deloitte & Touche LLP ratified as auditor for the fiscal year ending January 30, 2027.
- **November 24, 2025 (0000745732-25-000058):** Board Chair succession announced. Executive Chairman Michael Balmuth stepped down from that role and retired from the Board on January 31, 2026, remaining a Senior Advisor through March 31, 2026. Lead Independent Director K. Gunnar Bjorklund became Chairman of the Board effective February 1, 2026.
- **September 2, 2025 (0000745732-25-000049):** William Sheehan was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer effective October 1, 2025, succeeding Adam Orvos, who retired September 30, 2025.

## Not reflected in these filings

The reviewed filings report no acquisitions, divestitures, debt issuances, stock splits, impairments or restructurings.