ROSS STORES, INC. (ROST)

Ross Stores, Inc. operates two off-price retail apparel and home fashion chains: Ross Dress for Less and dd's DISCOUNTS. Ross is described as the largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain in the United States. Both brands sell first-quality, in-season, brand name merchandise at everyday discounts to department, specialty and discount store regular prices. The company buys later in the merchandise buying cycle than other retailers, using opportunistic "close-out" purchases, "upfront" purchases from brands and factories, and some in-house or vendor brands. It marks goods up less than department and specialty stores to keep prices consistently low.

As of January 31, 2026, the company operated 2,267 stores: 1,904 Ross stores in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico, and 363 dd's DISCOUNTS stores in 22 states. Ross offers apparel, accessories, footwear and home fashions for the entire family at 20% to 60% off department and specialty store prices. dd's DISCOUNTS offers more moderately priced goods at 20% to 70% off moderate department and discount store prices. Merchandise categories include apparel, footwear, home accents and furniture, beauty, bed and bath, accessories, gourmet food, toys, luggage, pet accessories, electronics, jewelry and watches, and cookware.

Ross targets value-driven customers, primarily from middle income households. dd's DISCOUNTS targets households with lower to more moderate incomes. Stores are located mainly in community and neighborhood shopping centers in heavily populated urban and suburban areas, with a self-service, "treasure-hunt" format and a single-floor racetrack aisle layout. The company promotes its value message through traditional and streaming television, digital channels including social media and influencer marketing, and new store grand openings. Sales are generally higher in the second half of the year, which includes the back-to-school and holiday seasons.

The company buys most of its merchandise directly from manufacturers through a large vendor network. It has over 800 merchants, with separate buying organizations for Ross and dd's DISCOUNTS. Its primary buying offices are in New York City and Los Angeles, with a smaller office in Boston. Merchandise is received at highly automated distribution centers, and some is held in warehouses as "packaway" inventory. It then moves through owned, leased and third-party regional cross-dock facilities to stores by contract carriers three to six times per week. The company had about 111,000 associates, over 85% of them in stores, none covered by collective bargaining agreements. It competes with online retailers, department, specialty, discount and warehouse stores, other off-price retailers, and manufacturer-owned outlets. Its principal trademarks are ROSS, Ross Dress For Less and dd's DISCOUNTS. The text does not state the headquarters location.