Ross Stores, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates off-price retail apparel and home fashion stores under the Ross Dress for Less and dd's DISCOUNTS brand names in the United States. Its stores primarily offer apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions. The company's Ross Dress for Less stores sell its products at department and specialty stores to middle income households; and dd's DISCOUNTS stores sell its products at department and discount stores for households with moderate income. Ross Stores, Inc. was incorporated in 1957 and is headquartered in Dublin, California.

Ross Stores, Inc.

Investors in Ross Stores Inc (Symbol: ROST) saw new options become available today, for the December 5th expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the ROST options chain for the new December 5th contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $135.00 strike price has a current bid of 50 cents. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $135.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $134.50 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of ROST, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $155.30/share today.
Because the $135.00 strike represents an approximate 13% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 85%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 0.37% return on the cash commitment, or 3.14% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Ross Stores Inc, and highlighting in green where the $135.00 strike is located relative to that history:
Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $160.00 strike price has a current bid of $3.00. If an investor was to purchase shares of ROST stock at the current price level of $155.30/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $160.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 4.96% if the stock gets called away at the December 5th expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if ROST shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for Ross Stores Inc, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing ROST's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $160.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $160.00 strike represents an approximate 3% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 57%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 1.93% boost of extra return to the investor, or 16.38% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example is 45%, while the implied volatility in the call contract example is 31%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 250 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $155.30) to be 26%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

ROST December 5th Options Begin Trading

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (Symbol: JEPI) where we have detected an approximate $195.6 million dollar outflow -- that's a 0.5% decrease week over week (from 722,225,000 to 718,825,000). Among the largest underlying components of JEPI, in trading today AbbVie Inc (Symbol: ABBV) is up about 0.1%, Johnson & Johnson (Symbol: JNJ) is up about 0.6%, and Ross Stores Inc (Symbol: ROST) is up by about 0.7%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the JEPI Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of JEPI, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, JEPI's low point in its 52 week range is $49.94 per share, with $60.88 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $57.52. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Notable ETF Outflow Detected - JEPI, ABBV, JNJ, ROST

When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important?
Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about Ross Stores (ROST) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.
Ross Stores currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.57, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by 21 brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.57 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.
Of the 21 recommendations that derive the current ABR, 15 are Strong Buy, representing 71.4% of all recommendations.
Brokerage Recommendation Trends for ROST
While the ABR calls for buying Ross Stores, it may not be wise to make an investment decision solely based on this information. Several studies have shown limited to no success of brokerage recommendations in guiding investors to pick stocks with the best price increase potential.
Are you wondering why? The vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover often results in a strong positive bias of their analysts in rating it. Our research shows that for every "Strong Sell" recommendation, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations.
In other words, their interests aren't always aligned with retail investors, rarely indicating where the price of a stock could actually be heading. Therefore, the best use of this information could be validating your own research or an indicator that has proven to be highly successful in predicting a stock's price movement.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, which classifies stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), is a reliable indicator of a stock's near-term price performance. So, validating the Zacks Rank with ABR could go a long way in making a profitable investment decision.
ABR Should Not Be Confused With Zacks Rank
In spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.
The ABR is calculated solely based on brokerage recommendations and is typically displayed with decimals (example: 1.28). In contrast, the Zacks Rank is a quantitative model allowing investors to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.
It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.
In contrast, the Zacks Rank is driven by earnings estimate revisions. And near-term stock price movements are strongly correlated with trends in earnings estimate revisions, according to empirical research.
In addition, the different Zacks Rank grades are applied proportionately to all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide current-year earnings estimates. In other words, this tool always maintains a balance among its five ranks.
Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.
Is ROST a Good Investment?
In terms of earnings estimate revisions for Ross Stores, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $6.19.
Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Ross Stores. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>
It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for Ross Stores.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Is It Worth Investing in Ross Stores (ROST) Based on Wall Street's Bullish Views?

Investors in Ross Stores Inc (Symbol: ROST) saw new options begin trading this week, for the December 19th expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the ROST options chain for the new December 19th contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $155.00 strike price has a current bid of $6.60. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $155.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $148.40 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of ROST, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $157.27/share today.
Because the $155.00 strike represents an approximate 1% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 56%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 4.26% return on the cash commitment, or 24.65% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Ross Stores Inc, and highlighting in green where the $155.00 strike is located relative to that history:
Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $165.00 strike price has a current bid of $3.80. If an investor was to purchase shares of ROST stock at the current price level of $157.27/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $165.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 7.33% if the stock gets called away at the December 19th expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if ROST shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for Ross Stores Inc, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing ROST's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $165.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $165.00 strike represents an approximate 5% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 64%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 2.42% boost of extra return to the investor, or 13.99% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example is 31%, while the implied volatility in the call contract example is 29%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 250 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $157.27) to be 26%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

First Week of December 19th Options Trading For Ross Stores (ROST)

The following are the top rated Consumer Discretionary stocks according to Validea's P/E/Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Peter Lynch. This strategy looks for stocks trading at a reasonable price relative to earnings growth that also possess strong balance sheets.
ADTALEM GLOBAL EDUCATION INC (ATGE) is a mid-cap growth stock in the Schools industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Adtalem Global Education Inc. is a provider of healthcare education in the United States, preparing a diverse workforce with academic programs. Its healthcare programs include nursing, medicine, veterinary medicine, social and behavioral sciences and more. Its segments include Chamberlain, Walden, and Medical and Veterinary. Chamberlain segment offers degree and certificate programs in the nursing and health professions postsecondary education industry. Walden segment offers degree and certificate programs, including those in nursing, education, counseling, business, psychology, public health, social work and human services, public administration and public policy, and criminal justice. Medical and Veterinary segment offers degree and certificate programs in the medical and veterinary postsecondary education industry. This segment includes American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Ross University School of Medicine, and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of ADTALEM GLOBAL EDUCATION INC
CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC (CMG) is a large-cap growth stock in the Restaurants industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. is a restaurant company. The Company develops and operates restaurants that serve a menu of burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tacos, and salads, made using fresh ingredients. The Company operates approximately 3839 restaurants in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Kuwait, and United Arab Emirates. It owns and operates all its restaurants in North America and Europe. The Company is focused in serving sourced, classically cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Its menu includes Burrito, Burrito Bowl, Lifestyle Bowl, Quesadilla, Salad, Tacos, Kids Meal, Chips and Sides, and Build your Own (digital only). It also includes Raymontes Chicken Bowl, The Mr. Fantasy Burrito, Carne Asada, Build-Your-Own Chipotle, catering and group order. Its subsidiaries include Chipotle Mexican Grill Canada Corp., Chipotle Mexican Grill France SAS, among others.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC
ROSS STORES INC (ROST) is a large-cap growth stock in the Retail (Apparel) industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Ross Stores, Inc. is engaged in operating two brands of off-price retail apparel and home fashion stores-Ross Dress for Less (Ross) and dds DISCOUNTS. Ross is the off-price apparel and home fashion chain in the United States, with approximately 1,831 locations in 43 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam. Ross offers in-season, name brand and designer apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions for the entire family at savings of 20% to 60% off department and specialty store regular prices every day. Ross target customers are primarily from middle-income households. It also operates approximately 355 dds DISCOUNTS stores in 22 states. dds DISCOUNTS features more moderately-priced in- season, name brand apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions for the entire family at savings of 20% to 70% off moderate department and discount store regular prices every day. It operates a total of approximately 2,186 stores.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of ROSS STORES INC
XPEL INC (XPEL) is a small-cap growth stock in the Business Services industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: XPEL, Inc. is a provider of protective films and coatings, including automotive paint protection film, surface protection film, automotive and architectural window films, and ceramic coatings. The Company also provides installation services for its products through various channels. Paint protection film, its flagship product, is a self-adhesive, clear film designed to be applied to painted surfaces of automobiles and other surfaces. It sells several lines of automotive window films, primarily under the XPEL PRIME brand name. It sells architectural glass solutions for commercial and residential buildings under the VISION brand name, representing its product set with a fully non-automotive use. Its architectural window films come in several categories, including solar, safety and security, and other. It sells a hydrophobic, self-cleaning coating that can be applied to a variety of surface types for automobiles, aircraft and marine applications. It offers a Design Access Platform.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of XPEL INC
HAYWARD HOLDINGS INC (HAYW) is a mid-cap growth stock in the Misc. Capital Goods industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Hayward Holdings, Inc. is a global designer, manufacturer, and marketer of a broad portfolio of pool and outdoor living technology. The Company offers a full line of energy-efficient and sustainable residential and commercial pool equipment including pumps, filters, heaters, cleaners, sanitizers, light emitting diode (LED) lighting, and water features, all digitally connected through its Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled SmartPad. Its products are connected through OmniLogic, its mobile application. It operates through two segments: North America (NAM) and Europe & Rest of World (E&RW). The NAM segment manufactures and sells a complete line of residential and commercial swimming pool equipment and supplies in the United States and Canada and manufactures and sells flow control products. The E&RW segment manufactures and sells residential and commercial swimming pool equipment and supplies in Europe, Central and South America, the Middle East, Australia, and other Asia Pacific countries.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of HAYWARD HOLDINGS INC
About Peter Lynch: Perhaps the greatest mutual fund manager of all-time, Lynch guided Fidelity Investment's Magellan Fund to a 29.2 percent average annual return from 1977 until his retirement in 1990, almost doubling the S&P 500's 15.8 percent yearly return over that time. Lynch's common sense approach and quick wit made him one of the most quoted investors on Wall Street. ("Go for a business that any idiot can run -- because sooner or later, any idiot probably is going to run it," is one of his many pearls of wisdom.) Lynch's bestseller One Up on Wall Street is something of a "stocks for the everyman/everywoman", breaking his approach down into easy-to-understand concepts.
About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Validea's Top Consumer Discretionary Stocks Based On Peter Lynch - 10/16/2025

Fintel reports that on October 15, 2025, BTIG initiated coverage of Ross Stores (NasdaqGS:ROST) with a Neutral recommendation.
Analyst Price Forecast Suggests 3.92% Upside
As of September 30, 2025, the average one-year price target for Ross Stores is $163.15/share. The forecasts range from a low of $129.51 to a high of $183.75. The average price target represents an increase of 3.92% from its latest reported closing price of $156.99 / share.
See our leaderboard of companies with the largest price target upside.
The projected annual revenue for Ross Stores is 21,669MM, an increase of 0.80%. The projected annual non-GAAP EPS is 6.58, a decrease of 3.16% from the prior forecast.
What is the Fund Sentiment?
There are 2,007 funds or institutions reporting positions in Ross Stores. This is an decrease of 2 owner(s) or 0.10% in the last quarter. Average portfolio weight of all funds dedicated to ROST is 0.29%, an increase of 8.54%. Total shares owned by institutions decreased in the last three months by 0.70% to 347,300K shares. The put/call ratio of ROST is 0.88, indicating a bullish outlook.
What are Other Shareholders Doing?
Jpmorgan Chase holds 16,566K shares representing 5.09% ownership of the company. In its prior filing, the firm reported owning 19,845K shares , representing a decrease of 19.79%. The firm decreased its portfolio allocation in ROST by 25.36% over the last quarter.
Price T Rowe Associates holds 12,976K shares representing 3.99% ownership of the company. In its prior filing, the firm reported owning 17,846K shares , representing a decrease of 37.52%. The firm decreased its portfolio allocation in ROST by 33.26% over the last quarter.
VTSMX - Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares holds 10,576K shares representing 3.25% ownership of the company. In its prior filing, the firm reported owning 10,419K shares , representing an increase of 1.48%. The firm decreased its portfolio allocation in ROST by 9.59% over the last quarter.
Primecap Management holds 10,269K shares representing 3.16% ownership of the company. In its prior filing, the firm reported owning 10,217K shares , representing an increase of 0.50%. The firm decreased its portfolio allocation in ROST by 3.82% over the last quarter.
Bank Of America holds 9,582K shares representing 2.95% ownership of the company. In its prior filing, the firm reported owning 8,145K shares , representing an increase of 15.00%. The firm increased its portfolio allocation in ROST by 6.38% over the last quarter.
Fintel is one of the most comprehensive investing research platforms available to individual investors, traders, financial advisors, and small hedge funds.
Our data covers the world, and includes fundamentals, analyst reports, ownership data and fund sentiment, options sentiment, insider trading, options flow, unusual options trades, and much more. Additionally, our exclusive stock picks are powered by advanced, backtested quantitative models for improved profits.
This story originally appeared on Fintel.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

BTIG Initiates Coverage of Ross Stores (ROST) with Neutral Recommendation

Ross Stores, Inc. ROST continues to strengthen its presence by introducing new stores and enhancing its operational capabilities. The company is expanding across the existing and new markets while investing in infrastructure to drive long-term growth. In the latest development, ROST has concluded its store-expansion plans for fiscal 2025 by opening 40 stores recently.
The company has inaugurated 36 Ross Dress for Less (Ross) and four dd's DISCOUNTS outlets in 17 various states this September and October. Including the latest openings, ROST has added 90 new stores in the current fiscal year. Together, Ross Dress for Less and dd's DISCOUNTS currently operate a total of 2,273 locations in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico, and 364 dd's DISCOUNTS stores across 22 states.
At Ross Dress for Less, the company expanded its footprint in the Midwest and the Northeast, with store openings in Michigan, New Jersey and New York, alongside enhancing its presence in the sunbelt states. At dd's, ROST bolstered its footprint across the core markets of California and Texas. The company continues to benefit from positive customer response for its merchandise across both banners, recording broad-based strength across nearly all merchandise categories and most regions.
Such openings underscore ROST’s commitment to driving growth via store expansion while enhancing overall sales and profitability. These have also been boosting comparable store sales (comps). In second-quarter fiscal 2025, the company’s top line improved 5% year over year, supported by a 2% gain in comps. For the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2025, it anticipates comps growth of 2-3% each. Our model projects comparable sales growth of 2.9% in the third quarter and 2.0% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025.
Ross Stores had earlier raised its store-expansion targets for the long term. With such robust store openings, management is confident of accomplishing at least 2,900 Ross Dress for Less and 700 dd's DISCOUNTS stores over time. Combined with its resilient off-price retail model, such efforts are expected to drive incremental sales and enhance overall profitability.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 21.3% against the industry’s 0.3% drop in the past three months.
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Urban Outfitters URBN, a lifestyle specialty retailer that offers fashion apparel and accessories, currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Urban Outfitters’ current financial-year sales indicates growth of 5.5% from the year-ago figure. URBN delivered an average earnings surprise of 24.8% in the last four quarters.
Genesco Inc. GCO operates as a retailer and wholesaler of footwear, apparel and accessories, sporting a Zacks Rank of 1 at present. GCO delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 32.4%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Genesco’s current fiscal-year EPS and sales indicates growth of 66% and 1.7%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s reported figures.
Allbirds, Inc. BIRD, a lifestyle brand, currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 20.7%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BIRD’s current financial-year EPS indicates growth of 18.3% from the year-ago figure.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Will Ross Stores' Store-Expansion Strategy Help Boost Profitability?

Investors looking for stocks in the Retail - Discount Stores sector might want to consider either Dollar General (DG) or Ross Stores (ROST). But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.
We have found that the best way to discover great value opportunities is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with a great grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, while our Style Scores work to grade companies based on specific traits.
Dollar General and Ross Stores are sporting Zacks Ranks of #2 (Buy) and #3 (Hold), respectively, right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that DG is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.
Value investors analyze a variety of traditional, tried-and-true metrics to help find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.
The Value category of the Style Scores system identifies undervalued companies by looking at a number of key metrics. These include the long-favored P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that help us determine a company's fair value.
DG currently has a forward P/E ratio of 16.61, while ROST has a forward P/E of 25.02. We also note that DG has a PEG ratio of 2.14. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. ROST currently has a PEG ratio of 2.97.
Another notable valuation metric for DG is its P/B ratio of 2.8. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, ROST has a P/B of 8.78.
Based on these metrics and many more, DG holds a Value grade of A, while ROST has a Value grade of C.
DG stands above ROST thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that DG is the superior value option right now.
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This under-the-radar company specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. And it's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.
With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $971 billion by 2028.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

DG or ROST: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (Symbol: JEPI) where we have detected an approximate $125.9 million dollar outflow -- that's a 0.3% decrease week over week (from 724,450,000 to 722,225,000). Among the largest underlying components of JEPI, in trading today AbbVie Inc (Symbol: ABBV) is off about 0.8%, Johnson & Johnson (Symbol: JNJ) is down about 1.1%, and Ross Stores Inc (Symbol: ROST) is higher by about 0.7%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the JEPI Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of JEPI, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, JEPI's low point in its 52 week range is $49.94 per share, with $60.88 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $56.57. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

JEPI, ABBV, JNJ, ROST: Large Outflows Detected at ETF

The following are the top rated Consumer Discretionary stocks according to Validea's P/E/Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Peter Lynch. This strategy looks for stocks trading at a reasonable price relative to earnings growth that also possess strong balance sheets.
LULULEMON ATHLETICA INC (LULU) is a large-cap value stock in the Apparel/Accessories industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 93% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: lululemon athletica inc. is a technical athletic apparel, footwear, and accessories company. The Company organizes its operations into four regional markets: the Americas, China Mainland, Asia Pacific (APAC), and Europe and the Middle East (EMEA). It conducts its business through a number of different channels in each market, including the Company-operated stores, e-commerce, temporary locations, wholesale, outlets, a re-commerce program, and license and supply arrangements. The Company offers a comprehensive line of technical athletic apparel, footwear, and accessories marketed under the lululemon brand. Its apparel assortment includes items such as shorts, tops, and jackets designed for a healthy lifestyle, including athletic activities such as yoga, running, training, and most other activities. It also offers apparel designed for being on the move and fitness-inspired accessories. It operates stores in the United States, Canada, China Mainland, Australia, South Korea and others.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of LULULEMON ATHLETICA INC
ROSS STORES INC (ROST) is a large-cap growth stock in the Retail (Apparel) industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Ross Stores, Inc. is engaged in operating two brands of off-price retail apparel and home fashion stores-Ross Dress for Less (Ross) and dds DISCOUNTS. Ross is the off-price apparel and home fashion chain in the United States, with approximately 1,831 locations in 43 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam. Ross offers in-season, name brand and designer apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions for the entire family at savings of 20% to 60% off department and specialty store regular prices every day. Ross target customers are primarily from middle-income households. It also operates approximately 355 dds DISCOUNTS stores in 22 states. dds DISCOUNTS features more moderately-priced in- season, name brand apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions for the entire family at savings of 20% to 70% off moderate department and discount store regular prices every day. It operates a total of approximately 2,186 stores.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of ROSS STORES INC
DR HORTON INC (DHI) is a large-cap value stock in the Construction Services industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: D.R. Horton, Inc. is a homebuilding company. The Company constructs and sells homes through its operating divisions in 125 markets across 36 states. The Companys segments include Homebuilding, Rental, Forestar, Financial Services, and Other. The Homebuilding divisions are primarily engaged in the acquisition and development of land and the construction and sale of residential homes. The Companys rental segment consists of single-family and multifamily rental operations. The single-family rental operations construct and lease single-family homes within a community and then generally market each community for a bulk sale of rental homes. The Forestar segment is a residential lot development company with operations in 59 markets across 24 states. The Financial services segment provides mortgage financing and title agency services to homebuyers in many of the Companys homebuilding markets. It also conducts insurance-related operations.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of DR HORTON INC
TRI POINTE HOMES INC (DELAWARE) (TPH) is a mid-cap value stock in the Construction Services industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Tri Pointe Homes, Inc. operates as a homebuilder, which is engaged in the design, construction, and sale of single-family attached and detached homes. It operates in two businesses: homebuilding and financial services. Its homebuilding operations consists of three segments: West Region, which includes Arizona, California, Nevada, and Washington; Central Region, which includes Colorado, Texas and Utah, and East Region, which includes the District of Columbia, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Its financial services operation (Tri Pointe Solutions) comprises its Tri Pointe Connect mortgage financing operations, its Tri Pointe Assurance title and escrow services operations, and its Tri Pointe Advantage property and casualty insurance agency operations. Tri Pointe Solutions provides mortgage loans to homebuyers through Tri Pointe Connect, title and escrow services through Tri Pointe Assurance, and property and casualty insurance through Tri Pointe Advantage.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of TRI POINTE HOMES INC (DELAWARE)
LEAR CORP (LEA) is a mid-cap value stock in the Auto & Truck Parts industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Peter Lynch is 91% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Lear Corporation is a global automotive technology company. The Company's segments include Seating and E-Systems. The Company's Seating segment consists of the design, development, engineering and manufacture of complete seat systems and key seat components. Its key seat component product offerings include seat trim covers; surface materials such as leather and fabric; seat mechanisms; seat foam; headrests; and thermal comfort systems such as seat heating, ventilation, active cooling, pneumatic lumbar and massage products. Its E-Systems segment consists of the design, development, engineering and manufacture of complete electrical distribution and connection systems; high-voltage power distribution products, including battery disconnect units (BDUs); and low-voltage power distribution products and electronic controllers. These capabilities enable it to provide its customers with customizable solutions with optimized designs for both low-voltage and high-voltage vehicle architectures.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
Detailed Analysis of LEAR CORP
About Peter Lynch: Perhaps the greatest mutual fund manager of all-time, Lynch guided Fidelity Investment's Magellan Fund to a 29.2 percent average annual return from 1977 until his retirement in 1990, almost doubling the S&P 500's 15.8 percent yearly return over that time. Lynch's common sense approach and quick wit made him one of the most quoted investors on Wall Street. ("Go for a business that any idiot can run -- because sooner or later, any idiot probably is going to run it," is one of his many pearls of wisdom.) Lynch's bestseller One Up on Wall Street is something of a "stocks for the everyman/everywoman", breaking his approach down into easy-to-understand concepts.
About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Ross Stores, Inc.

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