Ross Stores Inc's Competitiveness
A competitive positioning analysis and financial ratio benchmarking of Ross Stores Inc (ROST) against its publicly traded competitors: sales growth, net income, profitability, valuation and market share, plus each peer's market capitalization, revenue, income and employees. Free below: the top 5 peers. Subscriber access adds the full competitor list and CSV downloads.
Key Findings: Ross Stores Inc vs Its Competitors
- TTM: Trailing 12-month revenue of 23,776M vs 1,145,647M combined for tracked competitors (2.0% combined share).
- Trending: Latest-quarter revenue run-rate is holding steady (+1.1% annualized vs trailing 12 months), vs decelerating (-4.3%) for its tracked peer group.
- Growth: Ross Stores Inc generated 20.6% revenue growth year over year in Q1 2026, vs 6.6% for its tracked competitors combined.
- Profitability: Its 10.8% net margin compares with 3.8% for the peer group.
- Scale: Ross Stores Inc ranks #2 of 23 companies by market capitalization in the Retail Apparel industry, holding 28.3% of industry market cap.
- Peer revenue share: Ross Stores Inc accounted for 2.2% of combined revenue among its tracked peer group, up from 1.9% a year earlier.
- Peer differentiation: Revenue per employee of $0.21M compares with $0.30M for the peer group (0.7x).
Every figure above is sourced and cited in detail further down this page (Market Structure, Profitability & Cost Structure, Productivity vs Peers).
ROST Sales vs. its Competitors, Q1 2026
Ross Stores Inc reported revenue growth of 20.57 % year on year in Q1 2026, above its competitors' combined revenue growth of 6.63 %.
With a net margin of 10.81 %, Ross Stores Inc achieved higher profitability than its competitors (3.81 %).
Ross Stores Inc generated 2.15 % of the combined sales of its peer group, up from 1.90 % a year earlier.
Ross Stores Inc vs. its Competitors, Q1 2026
Revenue growth, year on year
Net income growth, year on year
Net margin
Revenue run-rate vs trailing 12 months
TTM net margin
TTM = trailing twelve months. Run-rate annualizes the latest quarter (×4) and compares it to TTM. In millions of $. High-Confidence Competitors are named as a competitor directly in an SEC filing; Similar-Size Competitors are the closest peers by market-cap rank within the same industry; Similar Growth & Profitability Competitors are the closest peers by combined revenue growth, operating margin and ROIC, all independent of the competitor list.
TTM revenue, latest-quarter run-rate and net income/margin benchmarked across Ross Stores Inc and its 4 competitor groupings. Available under Commercial License.
| Entity | TTM Revenue | Rev Run-rate vs TTM |
|---|---|---|
| Ross Stores Inc | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Competitors combined | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| High-Confidence Competitors (1) | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Similar-Size Competitors (6) | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
| Similar Growth & Profitability (7) | $12,345M | +12.3% · Accelerating |
TTM revenue, run-rate and net margin benchmarking across Ross Stores Inc's competitor groups requires a Commercial License.
For context: the Retail Apparel industry grew revenue 3.1% year over year, combined, vs 20.6% for Ross Stores Inc. Ross Stores Inc's share of combined industry revenue moved from 10.96% to 12.81%, a gain of 1.86 percentage points.
Ross Stores Inc's Competitor Quality Breadth
Share of each group, trailing 12 months: profitable (net margin > 0), expanding (revenue growth > 0), growing faster than the industry's own median, and financially distressed (Piotroski F-Score of 2 or below).
| Entity | Profitable | Expanding | Above Industry Growth | Distressed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Stores Inc | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Competitors combined (36) | ||||
| High-Confidence Competitors (1) | - | |||
| Similar-Size Competitors (6) | ||||
| Similar Growth & Profitability (8) | 100.00 % (8 of 8) | 100.00 % (8 of 8) | 100.00 % (8 of 8) | 0.00 % (0 of 7) |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Altman Z-Score is not shown here: it is not populated in the underlying data for any company. Percentages are of companies in each group that report the relevant metric, not of the full group size.
ROST Stock Performance relative to its Competitors
ROST Stock Performance relative to High-Confidence Competitors
ROST Stock Performance relative to Similar-Size Competitors
ROST Stock Performance relative to Similar Growth & Profitability Competitors
5 Best-Performing Tracked Competitors, Trailing 12 Months
| # | Competitor | TTM Share Price Return | vs U.S.A. 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fossil Group inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 2 | Target Corporation | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 3 | Movado Group Inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 4 | Citi Trends inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
| 5 | Weyco Group inc | 282.9% | Outperformed |
TTM share price return and U.S.A. 500 outperformance for Ross Stores Inc's best-performing tracked competitors requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months.
Ross Stores Inc's Comment on Competition and Industry Peers
We believe the principal competitive factors in the off-price retail apparel
and home fashion industry are offering significant discounts on brand name merchandise,
offering a well-balanced assortment that appeals to our target customers, and
consistently providing store environments that are convenient and easy to shop.
To execute this concept, we continue to make strategic investments in our merchandising
organization. We also continue to make improvements to our core merchandising
system to strengthen our ability to plan, buy, and allocate product based on
more local versus regional trends. We believe that we are well positioned to
compete on the basis of each of these factors.
Nevertheless, the retail apparel market is highly fragmented and competitive. We face a challenging macro-economic and retail environment that creates intense competition for business from department stores, specialty stores, discount stores, warehouse stores, other off-price retailers, and manufacturer-owned outlet stores, many of which are units of large national or regional chains that have substantially greater resources. We also compete to some degree with retailers that sell apparel and home fashions through catalogs or online. The retail apparel and home-related businesses may become even more competitive in the future.
Publicly Traded Peers of Ross Stores Inc
Revenue and income for trailing 12 months, in millions of $, except employees| Company | Market Cap | Revenues |
|---|---|---|
| Ross Stores Inc | 74,975.32 | 23,776.06 |
| Walmart Inc | 829,073.76 | 735,840.00 |
| The Tjx Companies Inc | 148,243.20 | 61,584.00 |
| Target Corporation | 71,419.30 | 106,377.00 |
| Nike Inc | 52,427.40 | 46,398.00 |
| Dollar General Corp | 26,487.57 | 43,637.59 |
| SUBTOTAL | 1,338,419.24 | 1,188,222.10 |
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Sources: Ross Stores Inc's official press releases and regulatory filings; CSIMarket.com's market research; and the financial filings and press releases of the other companies cited.
Updated on:
Focus of this report: publicly traded companies. Ten additional tables on Ross Stores Inc versus competitors, including market share analysis, are in the navigation menu under Competition. To download the tables, please subscribe.
Ross Stores Inc's Competitors Named by the Company
Competitive relationships identified from SEC filings and corroborating sources, each with a basis and confidence.| Competitor | Basis | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Thredup Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| Dillard s inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| Burlington Stores Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
| The Cato Corporation | Named by the company | 85% |
| Big Lots Inc | Named by the company | 85% |
Filing basis, confidence, active dates and source counts for Ross Stores Inc's named competitors require a Commercial License.
Methodology: relationships are extracted from SEC filings (named-competitor disclosures) and corroborating sources. Named by the company = explicitly disclosed as a competitor; Inferred = derived from corroborating signals. Confidence reflects evidence strength.
Ross Stores Inc's Business Segment Mix vs Peers
Revenue by operating segment or division, as named and reported by each company. Segment names are the filer's own and are not standardized across companies. Do not assume a same-named or similarly-named segment is defined identically between two companies. Shares are of each company's own total revenue and are not required to sum to 100% (intersegment revenue, unallocated items).| Company | Largest Segment |
|---|---|
| Ross Stores Inc | Reportable 100.00 % |
| Walmart Inc | Walmart US 66.44 % |
| The Tjx Companies Inc | Marmaxx 60.39 % |
| Nike Inc | North America 44.56 % |
| Dollar General Corp | Single Reportable Segment 100.00 % |
| Five Below Inc | Reporting 81.37 % |
Source: operating segment revenue as reported in each company's SEC filings (10-K/10-Q), via the CSIMarket API, leaf-level reportable segments only (parent roll-up segments are excluded where sub-segments are separately disclosed).
Ross Stores Inc's Productivity vs Peers Comparison
Revenue and income per employee, trailing 12 months, in $; market cap in millions of $| Company | Market Cap | Revenue / Employee | Income / Employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Stores Inc | 74,975 | 214,199 | 20,863 |
| Walmart Inc | 829,074 | 350,400 | 10,714 |
| The Tjx Companies Inc | 148,243 | 163,353 | 15,358 |
| Target Corporation | 71,419 | 256,330 | 8,313 |
| Nike Inc | 52,427 | 635,589 | 42,575 |
| Dollar General Corp | 26,488 | 224,936 | 8,780 |
| PEERS TOTAL | 1,263,444 | 298,974 | 12,076 |
Ross Stores Inc's Geographic Revenue Exposure vs Peers
Revenue by country/region as reported in each company's most recent filing. Disclosure granularity varies by filer (some report by country, others by broad region) and is shown as disclosed.| Company | Largest Market |
|---|---|
| Lululemon Athletica Inc | Americas 71.41 % |
| Deckers Outdoor Corp | United States 58.33 % |
| Skechers Usa Inc | Americas 45.63 % |
| Gap Inc | United States 88.16 % |
| Urban Outfitters Inc | Geographic Distribution Domestic 87.31 % |
Source: revenue geography as reported in each company's SEC filings (10-K/10-Q), via the CSIMarket API. Percentages are of that company's own total consolidated revenue for its most recent reported period.
Ross Stores Inc's Position in Industry Market Structure
Market-capitalization share and concentration across all 23 companies in Ross Stores Inc's industry classification, broader than the peer set above. Market cap in millions of $.Ross Stores Inc ranks #2 of 23 companies by market capitalization in its industry, holding 28.26 % of total industry market cap. The industry's Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) is 3,989, indicating a highly concentrated market structure (U.S. antitrust guidance: below 1,500 unconcentrated, 1,500 to 2,500 moderately concentrated, above 2,500 highly concentrated).
| Rank | Company | Market Cap | Industry Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Tjx Companies Inc | 149,576 | 56.16 % |
| 2 | Ross Stores Inc | 75,258 | 28.26 % |
| 3 | Gap Inc | 9,187 | 3.45 % |
| 4 | Victorias Secret and Co | 7,854 | 2.95 % |
| 5 | Urban Outfitters Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 6 | Abercrombie and Fitch Co | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 7 | Boot Barn Holdings Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 8 | American Eagle Outfitters Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 9 | Buckle Inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
| 10 | Citi Trends inc | 1,234 | 5.2% |
Market cap and industry share for the rest of Ross Stores Inc's industry peers requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API (daily market-structure computation) across CSIMarket's industry classification, market capitalization as of 2026-09-30.
Ross Stores Inc's Same-Size Peers & Stock Performance
Peers chosen by closeness in market-cap rank within the same industry classification (not the named-competitor list above). Trailing 12-month total return, 3-month price momentum, beta and Sharpe ratio vs the broad U.S. market.| Rank | Company | Market Cap | TTM Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Tjx Companies Inc | 149,576 | -4.42 % |
| 2 | Ross Stores Inc | 75,258 | 54.27 % |
| 3 | Gap Inc | 9,187 | 13.89 % |
| 4 | Victorias Secret and Co | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 5 | Urban Outfitters Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 6 | Abercrombie and Fitch Co | 1,234 | 12.3% |
| 7 | Boot Barn Holdings Inc | 1,234 | 12.3% |
Market cap, return, momentum, beta and Sharpe ratio for the rest of Ross Stores Inc's same-size peers requires a Commercial License.
Source: CSIMarket API (daily market-structure computation); returns and risk metrics as of 2026-09-30. Beta and Sharpe ratio are versus the broad U.S. equity market, not this industry.
Ross Stores Inc's Profitability & Cost Structure
Trailing 12-month margins from SEC-filed financials. Operating margin is compared to the Retail Apparel industry median; gross margin, EBITDA margin and capital intensity are compared to the live industry average (41 companies). See the full Retail Apparel industry profitability benchmarks.| Metric | Company | Industry | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 28.09 % | 37.51 % (avg) | -9.4 pp |
| Operating Margin | 12.22 % | industry median | +10.8 pp |
| EBITDA Margin | 14.71 % | 6.11 % (avg) | +8.6 pp |
| Capital Intensity (Capex / Revenue) | 3.45 % | 2.45 % (avg) | +1.0 pp |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. SG&A and R&D as a share of revenue have limited coverage as this data is backfilled and appear only where reported. Higher capital intensity is not inherently negative; it reflects the industry's asset requirements.
Ross Stores Inc's Valuation vs Competitive Position
Valuation multiples vs the Retail Apparel industry average (41 companies, excluding loss-making/negative-equity outliers), alongside returns on capital for context on whether a premium or discount lines up with measurably stronger or weaker returns. See the full Retail Apparel industry valuation benchmarks.| Metric | Company | Industry Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| P/E | 29.5x | 17.8x | +11.7x |
| EV / EBITDA | 18.6x | 9.5x | +9.1x |
| P/B | 11.2x | 3.0x | +8.3x |
| Return on Equity | 38.42 % | industry aggregate | 0.99 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | 18.22 % | 1.57 % (avg) | 16.65 % |
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. A valuation premium or discount is not, by itself, a judgment of over- or under-valuation. Compare it against the return and growth context shown elsewhere on this page.
Ross Stores Inc's Multi-Year Financial Trajectory
Fiscal-year revenue growth, operating margin, return on invested capital and P/E, as reported in SEC filings.| Metric | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth | 5.93 % | 7.00 % | -21.26 % | 50.54 % | -1.54 % | 8.98 % | 3.69 % | 7.67 % |
| Operating Margin | 13.70 % | 13.51 % | 0.84 % | 11.89 % | 10.63 % | 11.32 % | 12.24 % | 11.90 % |
| Return on Invested Capital | 28.53 % | 22.01 % | 0.79 % | 14.34 % | 13.42 % | 16.40 % | 17.60 % | 17.36 % |
| P/E | 20.7x | 25.0x | 498.7x | 22.5x | 25.5x | 23.8x | 23.7x | 27.0x |
Source: CSIMarket API, fiscal-year figures. P/E is this company's own historical ratio at each fiscal year end and can swing sharply around an earnings trough: that is real, not a data error.
Ross Stores Inc's Strategic Group Map
Every company in Ross Stores Inc's industry and named-competitor list, plotted by trailing 12-month revenue growth and operating margin. Ross Stores Inc is shown in red; its closest peers by combined growth, margin and ROIC (the Similar Growth & Profitability group above) are labeled.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Extreme outlier values (from near-zero-revenue companies) are excluded from the plotted cloud but never from the highlighted company or its labeled peers.
Ross Stores Inc's BCG Growth-Share Matrix
Relative market share (vs Ross Stores Inc's largest competitor by market cap) against industry revenue growth, using the standard textbook thresholds (1.0x share, 10% growth) a common framework, not a precision instrument.
Ross Stores Inc falls in the Dog quadrant: relative market share of 0.50x vs its largest competitor, in an industry growing revenue -0.4% (median, trailing 12 months).
Source: CSIMarket API (market-cap share and industry revenue growth). The 10% growth and 1.0x share lines are standard textbook thresholds, not derived from this industry's own distribution. A caveat worth reading alongside this chart: The Tjx Companies Inc alone holds 56% of this industry's market cap. In an industry this dominated by one leader, the framework will place nearly every OTHER company in "Dog" or "Question Mark" purely because relative share is measured against that leader, regardless of how strong those other companies actually are on their own fundamentals. Check the Profitability, Valuation and Financial Strength sections above before treating this quadrant label as a verdict.
Ross Stores Inc's Competitive Forces (Porter's Five Forces)
Only the forces this data can support honestly are shown; the other three are marked as such rather than guessed.| Force | Assessment | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Competitive Rivalry | Low | Industry HHI of 3,989 (see Industry Market Structure & Concentration above) |
| Barriers to Entry | High (capital intensive) | Capital intensity (capex / revenue) of 3.45 % vs industry average 2.45 % (see Profitability & Cost Structure above) |
| Supplier Power | Not covered on this page | See Ross Stores Inc's dedicated suppliers page for concentration and dependency data |
| Buyer Power | Not covered on this page | See Ross Stores Inc's dedicated customers page for concentration and dependency data |
| Threat of Substitutes | - | No systematic data source for cross-product substitution exists in this system; not estimated |
Note: this is a partial, data-grounded application of the framework, not a complete strategic assessment. Rivalry and barriers-to-entry readings are mechanical translations of the HHI and capital-intensity figures shown elsewhere on this page, not independent judgments.
Ross Stores Inc's Industry Attractiveness & Competitive Strength
A CSIMarket composite, not a standard field: each axis is an equal-weighted average of three factors already shown elsewhere on this page (industry growth, industry profitability and rivalry for attractiveness; relative market share, profitability and growth vs industry for strength). Disclosed as a designed methodology, not a precision measurement.
Ross Stores Inc falls in the Medium attractiveness / High strength cell: Invest / Grow.
Source: CSIMarket API, trailing 12 months. Each axis score is a simple 1(low)/2(medium)/3(high) average across its three inputs -- a transparent, disclosed simplification, not a validated academic scoring model.
Ross Stores Inc's SWOT
Every point below is a fixed rule applied to a metric already shown elsewhere on this page (Market Structure, Profitability, Valuation, Run-Rate, Stock Performance, Quality Breadth) not an independent strategic assessment. A blank quadrant means no rule was met, not that none apply.Strengths
- Operating margin 10.8 points above the industry median.
- Outperforming the U.S.A. 500 over the trailing 12 months.
Weaknesses
No rule matched.
Opportunities
No rule matched.
Threats
- Industry dominated by The Tjx Companies Inc , holding 56.16 % of industry market cap.
- Tracked peer group's revenue run-rate is broadly decelerating (-4.3% annualized).
- High capital intensity requires continuous reinvestment just to keep pace with the industry.
Methodology: mechanical, rule-based SWOT. Each bullet reuses a figure already sourced and cited elsewhere on this page; nothing here is generated narrative or independent analyst judgment.
Ross Stores Inc's Financial Strength vs Peers Comparison
Quick ratio, working capital, debt to equity and asset turnover, trailing 12 months| Company | Quick Ratio | Working Capital | Debt / Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Stores Inc | 0.87 | 1.55 | 0.23 |
| Walmart Inc | 0.10 | 0.78 | 0.38 |
| The Tjx Companies Inc | 0.41 | 1.13 | 0.30 |
| Target Corporation | 0.21 | 0.96 | 1.02 |
| Nike Inc | 0.64 | 2.12 | 0.61 |
| Dollar General Corp | 0.19 | 1.17 | 0.54 |
Quick ratio = cash / current liabilities; working capital ratio = current assets / current liabilities; asset turnover = revenue / total assets. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
Ross Stores Inc's Revenue and Income Growth vs Peers
Quarterly revenue and net income growth, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Revenue Y/Y | Income Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Stores Inc | Q1 2026 | +20.6 % | +35.6 % |
| Walmart Inc | Q2 2026 | +5.9 % | -8.7 % |
| The Tjx Companies Inc | Q1 2026 | +9.2 % | +28.6 % |
| Target Corporation | Q1 2026 | +6.7 % | -24.6 % |
| Nike Inc | Q2 2026 | -1.1 % | +406.6 % |
| Dollar General Corp | Q2 2026 | +5.2 % | +33.8 % |
| PEERS TOTAL | +6.1 % | +7.3 % |
Growth is shown only where both periods are positive. Peers in the Blank Checks industry are excluded.
Ross Stores Inc's Peers' Costs of Sales and Capital Expenditures
Context for revenue growth: peer costs and capex, year over year and quarter over quarter| Company | Period | Costs Y/Y | Capex Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Stores Inc | Q1 2026 | +18.1 % | +0.8 % |
| Walmart Inc | Q2 2026 | +4.5 % | +16.7 % |
| The Tjx Companies Inc | Q1 2026 | +6.5 % | +33.2 % |
| Target Corporation | Q1 2026 | +5.4 % | +31.0 % |
| Nike Inc | Q2 2026 | -15.8 % | +38.0 % |
| Dollar General Corp | Q2 2026 | +3.3 % | +1.0 % |
Ross Stores Inc's Returns and Turnover vs Peers
ROA, ROI and ROE (trailing 12 months), receivables and inventory turnover| Company | ROA | ROI | ROE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Stores Inc | 15.18% | 23.36% | 38.42% |
| Walmart Inc | 7.78% | 13.37% | 21.78% |
| The Tjx Companies Inc | 16.54% | 47.92% | 59.66% |
| Target Corporation | 5.86% | 9.45% | 21.74% |
| Nike Inc | 8.32% | 13.87% | 22.35% |
| Dollar General Corp | 5.38% | 4.67% | 19.56% |
ROA = net income / total assets; ROI = net income / investments; ROE = net income / equity; turnover ratios use trailing 12 month revenue (receivables) and cost of sales (inventory).
Ross Stores Inc's Valuation vs Peers
P/E, price to sales, PEG, price to cash flow and price to book| Company | P/E | Price / Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Ross Stores Inc | 32.64 | 3.15 |
| Walmart Inc | 37.52 | 1.13 |
| The Tjx Companies Inc | 25.75 | 2.41 |
| Target Corporation | 20.70 | 0.67 |
| Nike Inc | 16.94 | 1.13 |
| Dollar General Corp | 15.55 | 0.61 |
| PEERS AVERAGE | 27.12 | 1.13 |
P/E = price / diluted EPS (trailing 12 months); PEG = P/E divided by EPS growth; the average row divides the peers' combined market cap by their combined income, sales, cash flow and equity.