Ross Stores stock reports 13 percent sales growth in Q2
Published on 09/24/2026 at 23:39 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Ross Stores stock reported fiscal Q2 2026 sales of USD 6.265 billion, up 13 percent from USD 5.529 billion in the prior-year quarter. The shares stood at USD 235.40 on Nasdaq on September 24, 2026, while the company carried a market capitalization of USD 75.51 billion.
Sales growth reaches 13 percent
According to the SEC filing for the fiscal quarter ended August 1, 2026, comparable-store sales increased 10 percent, compared with 2 percent in fiscal Q2 2025. Traffic increased 7 percent and the average basket increased 3 percent.
The operating result reached USD 1.104 billion, compared with USD 638 million a year earlier. Operating margin consequently expanded to 17.6 percent from 11.5 percent, a 6.1 percentage-point improvement.
Profit includes tariff refund
Net earnings rose to USD 851 million from USD 508 million in fiscal Q2 2025, while diluted EPS increased to USD 2.66 from USD 1.56. The filing attributes USD 253 million of operating income to refunds of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
The refund contributed USD 0.60 per share to fiscal Q2 2026 EPS. That benefit explains part of the 70.5 percent year-over-year EPS increase, making the operating-margin improvement an important measure of the underlying quarter.
Store expansion adds another growth lever
Ross Stores opened 47 locations during fiscal Q2 2026, including 35 Ross Dress for Less stores and 12 dd's DISCOUNTS locations. The company increased its fiscal 2026 store-opening plan to 115 locations, up from the previous plan of 110.
The combination of 10 percent comparable-store growth and 47 new locations points to two distinct contributors to fiscal Q2 sales. For investors, the tariff refund lifted reported earnings, but traffic, basket growth and store expansion provide the cleaner operating indicators.
Stock remains below yearly high
Ross Stores stock was USD 235.40 on Nasdaq on September 24, 2026, up USD 1.42, or 0.61 percent, from the previous close. The price was 8.4 percent below the 52-week high of USD 257.00 and above the 52-week low of USD 147.49.
Ross Stores market and company data
- Company: Ross Stores, Inc.
- Ticker: ROST
- Trading venue: Nasdaq
- Price as of September 24, 2026: USD 235.40
- Market capitalization: USD 75,511,865,290 as of September 24, 2026
- 52-week range: USD 147.49-257.00 as of September 24, 2026
- Sector / Industry: Consumer Cyclical / Apparel Retail
