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 looks like a high-quality retailer with strong profitability, but the market is already pricing in very high expectations. The company is demonstrating impressive ROE of 42.34%, ROA of 17.02%, and ROI of 37.05%, with all three metrics noticeably above industry medians and improving compared with previous periods. Operating and net margins are also strong at 12.21% and 10.85%, respectively, which confirms the resilience of the business and good cost discipline. Revenue, gross profit, operating profit, and net income are all growing year over year, which supports the fundamental valuation and reduces the risk of downward revisions. The balance sheet looks comfortable: debt/equity of just 0.12, current ratio of 1.61, and quick ratio of 0.98 indicate a moderate debt load and acceptable liquidity. At the same time, long-term debt has declined to $777 million, which is an additional positive for financial stability. On the other hand, valuation multiples remain very high: P/E of 27.75, P/S of 3.01, P/B of 11.67, and P/FCF of 26.46 are all significantly above industry medians, so the upside from multiple expansion is limited. The P/B ratio is especially concerning, as it looks excessive even against the backdrop of strong returns on capital, which increases the valuation’s sensitivity to any slowdown in growth. Gross margin of 28.10% is below the industry median, suggesting that part of the operating efficiency is achieved after the gross profit level rather than through better purchasing economics. Dividend yield has fallen to 0.19%, so the dividend factor currently adds almost no support to the investment thesis. Overall, the company’s fundamentals are solid, but not undervalued enough to justify significant upside from current levels. For an investor, this is more of a story of a high-quality business with good resilience and limited valuation expansion potential than a clear candidate for aggressive growth.

Ross Stores, Inc.

Средний индекс, значительно упал. Оптимистичный взгляд на свои позиции резко сменился на неуверенность.

Medium index, significantly down. An optimistic view of his position suddenly changed to uncertainty.

Слабый индекс, незначительно вырос. Рынок не поддерживает быков.

Weak index, slightly up. The market does not support the bulls.

Слабый индекс, незначительно вырос. Приток средств в лонги остается на невысоком уровне.

Weak index, slightly up. The inflow of funds into longs remains at a low level.

Ross Stores shows strong profitability and a solid balance sheet, but very high valuation multiples and a low dividend yield limit revaluation potential.

Macy’s, Inc. M reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with earnings and revenues surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Both metrics increased from the year-ago quarter.
The company’s Bold New Chapter strategy continued to gain traction, with positive comparable-sales growth across Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury. Bloomingdale’s posted a second consecutive quarter of double-digit comparable-sales growth, while the Reimagine 200 Macy’s locations maintained their outperformance.
However, Macy’s shares fell 4.7% yesterday despite the quarterly earnings and revenue beat and the higher full-year outlook. The market reaction indicates that investors may have focused on the projected third-quarter loss, the expected sequential moderation in comparable sales and the company’s decision to reinvest most of the tariff-refund benefit to support longer-term growth.
Macy's, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
More on Macy’s Q2 Results
Adjusted earnings, excluding the net tariff-refund benefit, were 40 cents per share, topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 37 cents and increasing from 35 cents in the year-ago quarter. Macy’s reported GAAP earnings of 62 cents per share and adjusted earnings of 63 cents per share, with both figures including a 23-cent net benefit from tariff refunds after reinvestment.
Net sales of $4,866 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4,820 million and increased 1.1% year over year. Excluding the impact of fiscal 2025 store closures, net sales grew 1.9%. Total revenues advanced 1.2% to $5,059 million from $4,999 million in the prior-year quarter.
Comparable sales rose 2.7% on an owned-plus-licensed-plus-marketplace basis, marking the company’s fifth consecutive quarter of comparable-sales growth. Go-forward business comps, including go-forward locations and digital across the three nameplates, increased 2.8%.
Other revenues increased 3.2% to $193 million. Credit card net revenues grew 2% to $156 million, aided by a healthy credit portfolio and stable net credit card losses. Macy’s Media Network revenues advanced 8.8% to $37 million, reflecting higher partner engagement on the advertising platform.
Update on M’s Brand Performance
Comparable sales at the Macy’s nameplate increased 1.1% year over year, representing the fifth consecutive quarterly gain. Reimagine 200 locations posted comparable-sales growth of 1.9%, with increases in nine of the past 10 quarters. These stores account for nearly 60% of the go-forward Macy’s fleet and about 75% of go-forward store sales.
At Macy’s, strength in watches, dresses, petites, career sportswear, kids, handbags, fragrances and men’s and women’s shoes was partly offset by softness in plus sizes, intimates and women’s sleepwear. Big-ticket trends improved sequentially but remained below the prior-year level. Digital comps were also positive, supported by improved assortments and marketplace growth.
Bloomingdale’s comparable sales jumped 11.3%, marking the brand’s second consecutive quarter of double-digit growth and its highest second-quarter sales volume in 154 years. Growth was broad-based across channels, markets and categories, with notable strength in ready-to-wear, men’s apparel, fine jewelry, fragrances and tabletop.
Bluemercury comps increased 6.2%, driven by its Summer Party marketing campaign and demand for dermatological skincare, makeup and fragrances. New and remodeled stores continued to perform well during the quarter.
Insight Into Macy’s Margins & Expenses
The gross margin rate expanded 180 basis points to 41.5%, which beat our estimate of 39.8%. The quarter included a 180-basis-point benefit from net tariff refunds, partly offset by a 10-basis-point headwind from ongoing tariff and fuel costs. Excluding both effects, the underlying gross margin rate improved about 10 basis points, reflecting favorable brand mix and benefits from the Reimagine expansion, partly offset by channel mix.
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses increased 0.8% to $1.96 billion. The rise reflected higher variable costs tied to sales growth and continued investments in Bold New Chapter initiatives, partly offset by cost-management efforts. As a percentage of total revenues, the SG&A rate improved 20 basis points to 38.7%. We estimated SG&A expenses to increase 1% year over year in the second quarter of fiscal 2026.
Adjusted EBITDA increased 22.5% to $457 million from $373 million in the prior-year period. The adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 150 basis points to 9% of total revenues.
M’s Financial Snapshot: Cash, Inventory & Equity Overview
Macy’s ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $1.29 billion, up from $829 million a year ago, with total debt of $2.43 billion. The company had $2 billion of available borrowing capacity under its asset-based credit facility and no material long-term debt maturities until 2030.
Merchandise inventories increased 2.5% year over year, broadly in line with comparable-sales growth. Management said inventory was well-positioned for the fall season, with a balanced mix of newness and evergreen merchandise.
For the first half of fiscal 2026, operating cash flow was an inflow of $586 million compared with $255 million in the year-ago period. Free cash flow was $262 million versus an outflow of $88 million a year earlier. Capital expenditures totaled $324 million.
During the second quarter, Macy’s returned $101 million to shareholders through $51 million in dividends and $50 million in share repurchases. The company bought back 2.2 million shares during the quarter and had about $1 billion remaining under its $2-billion authorization.
Macy’s Q3’26 Outlook
For the third quarter of fiscal 2026, this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company expects net sales of $4.65-$4.70 billion. Fiscal 2025 store closures contributed approximately $30 million to sales in the comparable prior-year period. Comparable sales are projected to range from a 0.5% decline to a 0.5% growth on an owned-plus-licensed-plus-marketplace basis.
The adjusted EBITDA margin is expected to be between 3.7% and 4%. The adjusted loss per share is forecast between 19 cents and 23 cents. The outlook incorporates a portion of the planned second-half reinvestment of tariff refunds and a tougher comparable-sales comparison against 3.2% growth in the prior-year quarter.
Sneak-Peek Into Macy’s FY’26 Guidance
Following the second-quarter beat, Macy’s raised its fiscal 2026 outlook. The company expects net sales of $21.675-$21.825 billion, up from the previously stated $21.5-$21.75 billion. The guidance continues to reflect the impact of fiscal 2025 store closures, which contributed approximately $145 million to prior-year sales.
Comparable sales are projected to increase 1-1.5%, above the earlier forecast of 0.5-1.2% growth. Other revenues are still expected to be $920 million. The gross margin rate is anticipated to be between 38.5% and 38.7%, while SG&A expenses are expected to increase 1.5-2.25% on a dollar basis.
The adjusted EBITDA margin is forecast at 7.8-8%, up from 7.7-7.9%. Adjusted earnings are projected at $2.15-$2.35 per share compared with the prior range of $2-$2.20. The outlook does not incorporate the effect of potential future share repurchases.
Macy’s expects full-year capital expenditures of $800-$825 million. The company anticipates a combined tariff and fuel gross-margin headwind of 5-15 basis points, narrower than the previously expected 20-30 basis points. Of the $116 million in tariff refunds received, management expects roughly $20 million or about 5 cents per share, to flow to full-year earnings, with the balance supporting brand building, selective value investments and additional Reimagine pilots.
Macy's Stock Past Three-Month Performance
Shares of this company have lost 19.2% over the past three months compared with the industry’s 4.7% decline.
Other Stocks to Consider
We have highlighted three other top-ranked stocks in the retail space, namely Kohl’s Corporation KSS, Target Corporation TGT and Ross Stores Inc. ROST.
Kohl’s is a United States based department store retailer. The company offers moderately priced apparel, footwear and accessories for women, men and children, along with beauty and home products. It flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Kohl’s current fiscal-year earnings and sales indicates growth of 17.3% and decline of 0.8%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. KSS delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 84.8%.
Target offers guests fashionable, differentiated merchandise and everyday essentials at discounted prices. It currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Target's current fiscal-year earnings and sales suggests growth of 37.8% and 4.7%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. TGT delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 10.5%.
Ross Stores operates as an off-price retailer of apparel and home accessories, primarily in the United States. The company also holds a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ross Stores’ current fiscal-year earnings and sales indicates growth of 32.7% and 12.4%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. ROST delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 11.2%.
7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days
Just released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops."
Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +23.9% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention.
See them now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Macy's, Inc. (M) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Macy's Stock Down 5% Despite Q2 Earnings Beat, FY'26 View Raised

For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – September 9, 2026 – Stocks in this week’s article are The Allstate Corp. ALL, Arista Networks, Inc. ANET, Ross Stores, Inc. ROST, Gartner, Inc. IT and Micron Technology, Inc. MU.
Buy 5 High ROE Stocks as Rate Hike Fears Keep Markets at Bay
After two back-to-back winning runs, the broader equity markets plunged sharply on Friday as a strong jobs report reignited fears of a probable interest rate hike in the impending Federal Reserve meeting later this month. The nonfarm payrolls report for August revealed that the U.S. economy added 162,000 jobs last month, outpacing the broad-based expectations of 53,000 job additions. In addition to a reversal of the summer slowdown in hiring, the unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%, portraying stable labor market conditions. This apparently pulled down equity markets, while bond yields surged.
Surging oil prices further strained the markets and increased concerns that elevated energy prices will drive inflation higher, leading to a likely rate hike. With a lasting peace agreement in the Middle East fading to oblivion, market uncertainty remained elevated. As investors employ a wait-and-see approach in a classic example of "backing and filling" in the market, they can benefit from "cash cow" stocks that garner higher returns.
However, identifying cash-rich stocks alone does not make for a solid investment proposition unless it is backed by attractive efficiency ratios, such as return on equity (ROE). A high ROE ensures that the company is reinvesting cash at a high rate of return. The Allstate Corp., Arista Networks, Inc., Ross Stores, Inc., Gartner, Inc. and Micron Technology, Inc. are some of the stocks with high ROE to profit from.
Why ROE?
ROE = Net Income/Shareholders' Equity
ROE helps investors distinguish profit-generating companies from profit burners and is useful in determining the financial health of a company. In other words, this financial metric enables investors to identify companies that diligently deploy cash for higher returns.
Moreover, ROE is often used to compare the profitability of a company with other firms in the industry; the higher, the better. It measures how well a company is multiplying its profits without investing new equity capital and portrays management's efficiency in rewarding shareholders with attractive risk-adjusted returns.
Here are five of the 12 stocks that qualified the screening:
Allstate: Headquartered in Northbrook, IL, Allstate is the third-largest property-casualty (P&C) insurer and the largest publicly held personal lines carrier in the United States. The company also provides a range of life insurance and investment products to its diverse customer base. It provides insurance products to approximately 16 million households through more than 12,000 exclusive agencies and financial specialists in the United States and Canada.
The company has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 12.5% and delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 45.3%, on average. It has a VGM Score of A. Allstate sports a Zacks Rank #1 at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Arista: Santa Clara, CA-based Arista is engaged in providing cloud networking solutions for data centers and cloud computing environments. The company holds a leadership position in 100-gigabit Ethernet switching for the high-speed datacenter segment. It is increasingly gaining market traction in 200- and 400-gig high-performance switching products and remains well-positioned for healthy growth in the data-driven cloud networking business with proactive platforms and predictive operations.
The company has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 22.7%. It delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 8.9%, on average. Arista sports a Zacks Rank #1.
Ross: Based in Dublin, CA, Ross is an off-price retailer of apparel and home accessories, offering in-season, branded and designer apparel, footwear, accessories and other home-related merchandise. Operating primarily in the United States, it targets middle-income households, keeping prices generally 20% to 60% below the regular prices of most department and specialty stores.
The company has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 14.6% and delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 11.2%, on average. Ross carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
Gartner: Headquartered in Stamford, CT, Gartner is reportedly the world's leading information technology research and advisory firm. The company offers rich domain expertise and technology-related insight necessary for an informed decision-making process.
Gartner has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 20.1% and delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 13.5%, on average. Gartner sports a Zacks Rank #1.
Micron: Headquartered in Idaho, Micron is one of the leading worldwide providers of semiconductor memory solutions. Through global brands, namely Micron, Crucial and Ballistix, it manufactures and markets high-performance memory and storage technologies, including Dynamic Random Access Memory, NAND flash memory, NOR Flash and other technologies. Its solutions are used in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking, mobile, automotive, industrial and data center products.
The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 21.1%, on average. Micron carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
For the rest of this Screen of the Week article please visit Zacks.com at: https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2986421/buy-5-high-roe-stocks-as-rate-hike-fears-keep-markets-at-bay
Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.
About Screen of the Week
Zacks.com created the first and best screening system on the web earning the distinction as the "#1 site for screening stocks" by Money Magazine. But powerful screening tools is just the start. That is why Zacks created the Screen of the Week to highlight profitable stock picking strategies that investors can actively use.
Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News
Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has more than doubled the market from 1988 through 2016. Its average gain has been a stellar +25% per year. See these high-potential stocks free >>.
Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
Contact: Jim Giaquinto
Company: Zacks.com
Phone: 312-265-9268
Visit: https://www.zacks.com/
Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double"
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.
Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Gartner, Inc. (IT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks.com featured highlights include The Allstate, Arista Networks, Ross Stores, Gartner and Micron Technology

After two back-to-back winning runs, the broader equity markets plunged sharply on Friday as a strong jobs report reignited fears of a probable interest rate hike in the impending Federal Reserve meeting later this month. The nonfarm payrolls report for August revealed that the U.S. economy added 162,000 jobs last month, outpacing the broad-based expectations of 53,000 job additions. In addition to a reversal of the summer slowdown in hiring, the unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%, portraying stable labor market conditions. This apparently pulled down equity markets, while bond yields surged.
Surging oil prices further strained the markets and increased concerns that elevated energy prices will drive inflation higher, leading to a likely rate hike. With a lasting peace agreement in the Middle East fading to oblivion, market uncertainty remained elevated. As investors employ a wait-and-see approach in a classic example of “backing and filling” in the market, they can benefit from “cash cow” stocks that garner higher returns. However, identifying cash-rich stocks alone does not make for a solid investment proposition unless it is backed by attractive efficiency ratios, such as return on equity (ROE). A high ROE ensures that the company is reinvesting cash at a high rate of return. The Allstate Corporation ALL, Arista Networks, Inc. ANET, Ross Stores, Inc. ROST, Gartner, Inc. IT and Micron Technology, Inc. MU are some of the stocks with high ROE to profit from.
Why ROE?
ROE = Net Income/Shareholders’ Equity
ROE helps investors distinguish profit-generating companies from profit burners and is useful in determining the financial health of a company. In other words, this financial metric enables investors to identify companies that diligently deploy cash for higher returns.
Moreover, ROE is often used to compare the profitability of a company with other firms in the industry; the higher, the better. It measures how well a company is multiplying its profits without investing new equity capital and portrays management’s efficiency in rewarding shareholders with attractive risk-adjusted returns.
Parameters Used for Screening
In order to shortlist stocks that are cash-rich with high ROE, we have added Cash Flow greater than $1 billion and ROE greater than X-Industry as our primary screening parameters. In addition, we have taken a few other criteria into consideration to arrive at a winning strategy.
Price/Cash Flow less than X-Industry: This metric measures how much investors pay for $1 of free cash flow. A lower ratio indicates that investors need to pay less for a better cash flow-generating stock.
Return on Assets (ROA) greater than X-Industry: This metric determines how much profit a company earns for every dollar of assets, which includes cash, accounts receivable, property, equipment, inventory and furniture. The higher the ROA, the better it is for the company.
5-Year EPS Historical Growth greater than X-Industry: This criterion indicates that continued earnings momentum has translated into solid cash strength.
Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2: Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) stocks are known to outperform irrespective of the market environment.
Here are five of the 12 stocks that qualified the screening:
Allstate: Headquartered in Northbrook, IL, Allstate is the third-largest property-casualty (P&C) insurer and the largest publicly held personal lines carrier in the United States. The company also provides a range of life insurance and investment products to its diverse customer base. It provides insurance products to approximately 16 million households through more than 12,000 exclusive agencies and financial specialists in the United States and Canada.
The company has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 12.5% and delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 45.3%, on average. It has a VGM Score of A. Allstate sports a Zacks Rank #1 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Arista: Santa Clara, CA-based Arista is engaged in providing cloud networking solutions for data centers and cloud computing environments. The company holds a leadership position in 100-gigabit Ethernet switching for the high-speed datacenter segment. It is increasingly gaining market traction in 200- and 400-gig high-performance switching products and remains well-positioned for healthy growth in the data-driven cloud networking business with proactive platforms and predictive operations.
The company has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 22.7%. It delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 8.9%, on average. Arista sports a Zacks Rank #1.
Ross: Based in Dublin, CA, Ross is an off-price retailer of apparel and home accessories, offering in-season, branded and designer apparel, footwear, accessories and other home-related merchandise. Operating primarily in the United States, it targets middle-income households, keeping prices generally 20% to 60% below the regular prices of most department and specialty stores.
The company has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 14.6% and delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 11.2%, on average. Ross carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
Gartner: Headquartered in Stamford, CT, Gartner is reportedly the world's leading information technology research and advisory firm. The company offers rich domain expertise and technology-related insight necessary for an informed decision-making process.
Gartner has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 20.1% and delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 13.5%, on average. Gartner sports a Zacks Rank #1.
Micron: Headquartered in Idaho, Micron is one of the leading worldwide providers of semiconductor memory solutions. Through global brands, namely Micron, Crucial and Ballistix, it manufactures and markets high-performance memory and storage technologies, including Dynamic Random Access Memory, NAND flash memory, NOR Flash and other technologies. Its solutions are used in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking, mobile, automotive, industrial and data center products.
The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 21.1%, on average. Micron carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?
Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.
Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.
See Stocks Free >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Buy 5 High ROE Stocks as Rate Hike Fears Keep Markets at Bay

The TJX Companies, Inc. TJX has lifted its long-term global store target by 500 locations to 7,500 stores across its existing retail banners and current 10 countries in the latest earnings update. The company ended the second quarter of fiscal 2027 with 5,285 stores, leaving room for more than 2,200 additional locations under the revised target.
The expansion is centered partly on the U.S. business. TJX now sees TJ Maxx and Marshalls reaching a combined 3,300 stores, an increase of 300 from its prior long-term potential. The HomeGoods division’s long-term target has also been increased by 200 stores to 2,000.
The company plans to accelerate annual store opening growth to 4% beginning in fiscal 2028, up from the previously discussed 3% pace. Several factors support the higher target. Marmaxx has opportunities in rural markets where department stores are closing, while sustained comparable-store growth has created scope to place stores closer together than previously expected. Smaller-format stores also allow expansion in densely populated urban areas.
New stores have been exceeding expectations for an extended period. The additional store growth is expected to be broad-based across the company’s brands rather than concentrated in only one or two divisions. TJX Companies also expects sufficient availability of quality merchandise to support the expansion plans as it moves toward the higher store target and faster opening pace.
How TJX Stacks Up Against ROST and BURL on Store Growth
Ross Stores ROST is also stepping up physical expansion, raising its 2026 new-store opening plan to 115 locations from 110. This includes about 90 Ross Dress for Less and 25 dd’s DISCOUNTS stores. Ross Stores opened 47 stores in the second quarter of fiscal 2026. Ross Stores also targets roughly 5% annual unit growth, while recent openings in existing and newer markets have been running ahead of plan.
Burlington Stores, Inc. BURL is also pursuing aggressive store expansion, ending the second quarter of fiscal 2026 with 1,287 locations. Burlington Stores expects about 115 net new stores in fiscal 2026, while 149 net new stores opened over the past 12 months, representing 13% store-count growth. Burlington Stores remains confident in opening at least 110 net new stores annually and reaching, or likely exceeding, 1,500 stores by end-2028.
TJX’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
Shares of TJX Companies have fallen 16.8% in the past month compared with the industry’s decline of 6.2%.
From a valuation standpoint, TJX trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 23.88X, down from the industry’s average of 27.82X.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TJX Companies’ fiscal 2027 and 2028 earnings per share has inched up 1 cent to $5.22 and $5.74, respectively, in the past seven days.
TJX currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double"
Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest.
This top pick is a little-known satellite-based communications firm. Space is projected to become a trillion dollar industry, and this company's customer base is growing fast. Analysts have forecasted a major revenue breakout in 2025. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Hims & Hers Health, which shot up +209%.
Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

TJX Companies Raises Store Target to 7,500: Is Growth Sustainable?

Five Below, Inc. FIVE reported strong second-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with the top and bottom lines beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing year over year. Robust traffic, double-digit comparable sales growth and new store openings supported the performance, while margin expansion boosted profitability.
Following the better-than-expected second-quarter results and continued business momentum, management raised its fiscal 2026 sales and earnings outlook. As a result, shares of FIVE rose approximately 6.2% in after-hours trading on Sept. 2 following the announcement.
Five Below, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
More on Five Below’s Q2 Results
FIVE posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.68, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.34. The bottom line surged 107.4% from 81 cents in the year-ago quarter.
Earnings were $3.99 per share compared with 77 cents a year earlier. The adjusted figure excludes tariff refunds and related interest, as well as retention-award expenses, net of tax. Tariff refunds and related interest contributed $2.33 per share to GAAP earnings.
Net sales increased 22.9% year over year to $1,261.5 million from $1,026.8 million. The top line exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,192 million.
Comparable sales (comps) rose 14.1%, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. Management reported two-year stacked comp growth of 26.5%. The increase was primarily driven by higher transactions and robust traffic, with broad-based gains across customer groups, geographies and product categories.
Trend-focused assortments, licensed merchandise and summer and back-to-school collections supported customer engagement. Management highlighted social and digital marketing, along with improvements in the shopping experience, as drivers of customer acquisition and repeat visits.
Insight Into Margins & Costs of FIVE
Adjusted gross profit grew 30.8% year over year to $449.1 million from $343.3 million. The adjusted gross margin expanded approximately 220 basis points (bps) to 35.6%, which beat our estimate of 35.4%. Higher merchandise margins, fixed-cost leverage from strong comps and an improved shrink reserve rate supported the increase, partly offset by higher fuel costs.
Adjusted selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses, including depreciation and amortization, totaled approximately $336 million, or 26.6% of sales. The expense ratio improved approximately 140 bps year over year as fixed-cost leverage more than offset increased marketing investments and incremental labor costs associated with the timing of physical inventory counts.
Adjusted operating income increased 105.3% to $113.2 million from $55.1 million. The adjusted operating margin expanded approximately 360 bps to 9%, which surpassed our estimate of 7%. Adjusted net income more than doubled to $93.4 million from $44.8 million.
FIVE Provides Q2 Store Update
Five Below opened 52 net new stores during the quarter and ended the period with 2,022 stores across 46 states, representing 8.8% year-over-year store growth. Management highlighted strong new store productivity and continued opportunities to expand the chain.
The company entered Idaho, its 47th state, in August and plans to enter Puerto Rico in the second half of 2027. It expects approximately 40 net new stores in the fiscal third quarter and continues to target approximately 150 net new stores for fiscal 2026.
Five Below’s Financial Snapshot: Cash & Equity Overview
Five Below ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $561.1 million and short-term investment securities of $626.8 million. Total shareholders’ equity was $2,476.1 million as of Aug. 1, 2026. Management noted that the approximately $1.2 billion cash and investment balance included about $170 million in pretax tariff refunds.
Inventory totaled $941.2 million, up 17.7% year over year. Average inventory dollars per store increased approximately 8%, while units per store were slightly lower. Capital expenditures totaled $110.4 million in the first six months of fiscal 2026.
The company repurchased approximately 311,000 shares for about $60 million during the quarter. On Aug. 29, the board authorized a new $600 million share repurchase program, replacing the remaining capacity under the prior authorization. The new program has no fixed expiration date.
What to Expect From FIVE in the Future?
For the third quarter of fiscal 2026, Five Below expects net sales of $1.21 billion to $1.23 billion, supported by comps growth of 8-10%. Net income is projected at $56 million to $63 million, with EPS of $1.01 to $1.13.
Management expects the third-quarter adjusted operating margin to reach approximately 6% at the midpoint, up 160 bps year over year. Adjusted gross margin is projected to expand about 100 bps, supported by fixed-cost leverage and higher merchandise margins, partly reflecting lower tariff costs. Higher outbound transportation fuel costs and an unfavorable shrink comparison are expected to partially offset these benefits.
For fiscal 2026, management raised its sales outlook to $5.63 billion to $5.71 billion from $5.40 billion to $5.48 billion. Comps are expected to increase 10-12% compared with the prior forecast of 6-8%. Adjusted operating margin is projected to expand approximately 250 bps year over year to 12.5% at the midpoint.
Adjusted net income is expected to range from $546 million to $572 million, up from $482 million to $504 million. Net income is expected to range from $672 million to $698 million, up from $480 million to $502 million. Adjusted EPS is projected at $9.83 to $10.31 compared with the previous range of $8.65 to $9.05.
Gross capital expenditures are expected to total $250 million to $260 million, up from $230 million to $250 million, reflecting investments in new stores, the shopping experience, infrastructure and technology. The outlook incorporates tariff rates currently in place and excludes future tariff refunds and share repurchases. Full-year adjusted earnings also exclude tariff refunds and related interest already recorded, as well as retention awards, net of tax.
FIVE Stock Past Three-Month Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
FIVE’s shares have gained 26.5% over the past three months as compared with the industry’s growth of 3.4%. FIVE currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Other Stocks to Consider
We have highlighted three other top-ranked stocks, namely, Target Corporation TGT, Macy's, Inc. M and Ross Stores Inc. ROST.
Target Corporation offers guests fashionable, differentiated merchandise and everyday essentials at discounted prices. It 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 Target’s current fiscal-year earnings and sales suggests growth of 37.7% and 4.7%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. TGT delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 10.5%.
Macy's sells a wide range of merchandise, including men’s, women’s and children’s apparel and accessories, cosmetics, home furnishings and other consumer goods. The company carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Macy's current fiscal-year earnings and sales suggests a decline of 4.3% and growth of 0.1%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. Macy's delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 211%.
Ross Stores operates as an off-price retailer of apparel and home accessories. The company also holds a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ross Stores’ current fiscal-year earnings and sales indicates growth of 32.8% and 12%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. ROST delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 11.2%.
Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double"
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.
Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Macy's, Inc. (M) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Five Below Stock Up 6% After Q2 Earnings Beat, FY'26 Outlook Raised

The TJX Companies, Inc. TJX continues to see strong momentum at its HomeGoods division, which operates the HomeGoods and Homesense banners in the United States. The business offers a wide range of home merchandise across decorative, seasonal, kitchen, textile and giftware categories, combining replenishable products with its treasure-hunt shopping format.
HomeGoods delivered a solid second-quarter fiscal 2027 performance, with comparable sales rising 7%, up from 5% growth in the prior-year quarter. HomeGoods’ net sales increased 10% to $2,507 million from $2,286 million. The comp gain was primarily driven by a higher average basket, while customer transactions also increased. Performance was strong across both banners, all regions and income demographic bands.
Product demand was well spread across the assortment. Replenishable consumables helped support steady traffic, while decorative and higher-ticket categories, including lighting and wall merchandise, also performed well. Kitchen gadgets, linens, towels, sheets, giftware, gourmet food and seasonal decor were among the other areas highlighted.
The strength was also evident over the first six months of fiscal 2027. HomeGoods comparable sales increased 8%, compared with 5% a year earlier, while net sales rose 10% to $5,013 million from $4,540 million.
Overall, HomeGoods’ recent performance has been supported by strength across a broad range of merchandise, with both a higher average basket and increased customer transactions contributing to comparable-sales growth. With the recent gains extending across categories, banners and regions, HomeGoods’ sales momentum remains an important trend to watch as the year progresses.
TJX and Peers See Home Category Strength
Ross Stores ROST also saw notable strength in Home during the second quarter of fiscal 2026. Home was one of Ross Stores’ strongest businesses and outpaced its average. Decorative home and housewares were particularly strong, posting mid-teens growth across Ross and dd’s. With comparable-store sales up 10%, primarily driven by traffic, Ross Stores’ Home performance contributed to broad-based sales strength.
Burlington Stores, Inc. BURL saw improving performance in Home during the second quarter of fiscal 2026. The company’s Home business started to outperform the chain as it began lapping last year’s tariff-related assortment pressure. In July, Burlington Stores’ Home grew faster than the chain, with that trend continuing into August amid strength in home furnishings, kitchen essentials and toys. Burlington Stores noted that second-quarter comp growth was primarily driven by a higher basket.
TJX’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
Shares of The TJX Companies have fallen 15% in the past month compared with the industry’s decline of 4.6%.
From a valuation standpoint, TJX trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 24.30X, down from the industry’s average of 29.40X.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for The TJX Companies’ fiscal 2027 and 2028 earnings per share has inched up 1 cent to $5.21 and $5.73, respectively, in the past seven days.
TJX currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double"
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.
Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

TJX Companies' HomeGoods Comp Jumps 7%: Can Strong Momentum Persist?

Looking at options trading activity among components of the S&P 500 index, there is noteworthy activity today in Chevron Corporation (Symbol: CVX), where a total volume of 45,355 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 4.5 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 57.8% of CVX's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 7.9 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $230 strike call option expiring November 20, 2026, with 10,180 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 1.0 million underlying shares of CVX. Below is a chart showing CVX's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $230 strike highlighted in orange:
Vistra Corp (Symbol: VST) options are showing a volume of 20,545 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 2.1 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 44.9% of VST's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 4.6 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $136 strike call option expiring September 04, 2026, with 2,384 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 238,400 underlying shares of VST. Below is a chart showing VST's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $136 strike highlighted in orange:
And Ross Stores Inc (Symbol: ROST) options are showing a volume of 11,343 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 1.1 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 40.9% of ROST's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 2.8 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $220 strike put option expiring October 16, 2026, with 3,756 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 375,600 underlying shares of ROST. Below is a chart showing ROST's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $220 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for CVX options, VST options, or ROST options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Further CVX Research:

Noteworthy Monday Option Activity: CVX, VST, ROST

Ross Stores (ROST) could be a solid choice for investors given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). An upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices -- has triggered this rating change.
The Zacks rating relies solely on a company's changing earnings picture. It tracks EPS estimates for the current and following years from the sell-side analysts covering the stock through a consensus measure -- the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Individual investors often find it hard to make decisions based on rating upgrades by Wall Street analysts, since these are mostly driven by subjective factors that are hard to see and measure in real time. In these situations, the Zacks rating system comes in handy because of the power of a changing earnings picture in determining near-term stock price movements.
Therefore, the Zacks rating upgrade for Ross Stores basically reflects positivity about its earnings outlook that could translate into buying pressure and an increase in its stock price.
Most Powerful Force Impacting Stock Prices
The change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate revisions, has proven to be strongly correlated with the near-term price movement of its stock. That's partly because of the influence of institutional investors that use earnings and earnings estimates for calculating the fair value of a company's shares. An increase or decrease in earnings estimates in their valuation models simply results in higher or lower fair value for a stock, and institutional investors typically buy or sell it. Their transaction of large amounts of shares then leads to price movement for the stock.
Fundamentally speaking, rising earnings estimates and the consequent rating upgrade for Ross Stores imply an improvement in the company's underlying business. Investors should show their appreciation for this improving business trend by pushing the stock higher.
Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock movements, so it could be truly rewarding if such revisions are tracked for making an investment decision. Here is where the tried-and-tested Zacks Rank stock-rating system plays an important role, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions.
The Zacks Rank stock-rating system, which uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record, with Zacks Rank #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
Earnings Estimate Revisions for Ross Stores
For the fiscal year ending January 2027, this discount retailer is expected to earn $8.78 per share, which is unchanged compared with the year-ago reported number.
Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Ross Stores. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 5.2%.
Bottom Line
Unlike the overly optimistic Wall Street analysts whose rating systems tend to be weighted toward favorable recommendations, the Zacks rating system maintains an equal proportion of "buy" and "sell" ratings for its entire universe of more than 4,000 stocks at any point in time. Irrespective of market conditions, only the top 5% of the Zacks-covered stocks get a "Strong Buy" rating and the next 15% get a "Buy" rating. So, the placement of a stock in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks indicates its superior earnings estimate revision feature, making it a solid candidate for producing market-beating returns in the near term.
The upgrade of Ross Stores to a Zacks Rank #2 positions it in the top 20% of the Zacks-covered stocks in terms of estimate revisions, implying that the stock might move higher in the near term.
Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is Here
The AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. AI’s second wave is moving from infrastructure to implementation and these companies are at the forefront of this transition, positioned to become what Amazon and Google were to the internet era.
See Stocks Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Ross Stores (ROST) Upgraded to Buy: Here's Why

Dollar General Corporation DG reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein the top and bottom lines beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Both net sales and earnings increased year over year.
Dollar General posted quarterly adjusted earnings of $2.23 per share, which topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.00. The bottom line increased 19.9% from $1.86 reported in the year-ago quarter. On a GAAP basis, earnings were $2.48, up 33.3% from $1.86 in the year-ago quarter.
Dollar General Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Net sales of $11,290.4 million rose 5.2% year over year and beat the consensus estimate of $11,178 million. The increase was driven by positive contributions from new stores and growth in same-store sales, partially offset by store closures.
Same-store sales improved 3.5%, reflecting a 2% rise in customer traffic and a 1.5% increase in average transaction amount. The quarter marked positive comparable-sales growth across all major categories, including consumables, seasonal, home products and apparel.
DG’s Key Metrics & Margin Insights
Consumables sales increased 5% year over year to $9,263 million. Seasonal sales rose 7.4% to $1,187.7 million. Home products sales advanced 4.8% to $536.6 million, while apparel sales increased 4.5% to $303.1 million.
Gross margin expanded 127 basis points to 32.6%. The improvement primarily reflected tariff refunds, a lower LIFO provision and reduced distribution costs, partly offset by higher markdowns and transportation costs. Tariff refunds, after related reinvestments, contributed about 81 basis points to the gross margin.
SG&A expenses were essentially flat at 25.8% of sales. Higher depreciation and amortization expense was offset by lower rent as a percentage of sales.
Operating profit jumped 29.2% to $769.2 million, with operating margin reaching 6.8% compared with 5.6% a year ago.
DG’s Financial Snapshot
Dollar General ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $1.59 billion, up from $1.28 billion a year earlier. Long-term obligations declined to $4.56 billion from $5.73 billion, while shareholders' equity increased to $9.29 billion from $8.01 billion.
For the first 26 weeks of fiscal 2026, net cash provided by operating activities was $1.50 billion compared with $1.81 billion in the year-ago period. Merchandise inventories were $6.6 billion at quarter-end, with average inventory per store down 2.7% year over year.
DG’s Store Updates
During the second quarter of fiscal 2026, DG opened 125 new stores in the United States and one in Mexico. It remodeled 665 stores through Project Renovate and 711 through Project Elevate, while relocating five stores. The company ended the quarter with 21,148 stores, and total selling square footage increased 1.9%.
Dollar General continues to plan about 4,730 real estate projects in fiscal 2026.
What to Expect From DG in Fiscal 2026?
Dollar General raised its fiscal 2026 net sales growth forecast to 4-4.3% from 3.7-4.2%. The same-store sales growth outlook increased to 2.5-2.9% from 2.2-2.7%.
The company also lifted EPS guidance to $7.80-$8.00 from $7.20-$7.45. The updated range includes an estimated $0.25 second-quarter benefit from tariff refunds after related reinvestments, while management does not expect a material tariff-refund impact in the second half.
Shares of this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company have gained 13.8% in the past three months compared with the industry’s growth of 0.4%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Other Key Picks
Ross Stores, Inc. ROST is one of the largest off-price apparel and home fashion chains in the United States. ROST currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The consensus estimate for Ross Stores’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 11.7% and 32.8%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. ROST delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 11.2%, on average.
Dollar Tree, Inc. DLTR operates retail discount stores under the Dollar Tree and Dollar Tree Canada brands in the United States and Canada. DLTR currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. DLTR delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 32.1%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Dollar Tree’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings calls for growth of 6.6% and 21.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures.
Target Corporation TGT operates as a general merchandise retailer in the United States. TGT currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. TGT delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 10.5%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Target’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings calls for growth of 4.6% and 37.7%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures.
Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is Here
The AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. AI’s second wave is moving from infrastructure to implementation and these companies are at the forefront of this transition, positioned to become what Amazon and Google were to the internet era.
See Stocks Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

DG Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates on Sales Growth and Margin Gains

Burlington Stores, Inc. BURL reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 results, with the bottom line surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate but revenues falling short. Still, both earnings and sales increased sharply year over year. The off-price retailer benefited from merchandise-margin expansion, supply-chain productivity, and adjusted selling, general and administrative (SG&A) leverage, enabling the company to post its 15th consecutive quarter of double-digit underlying earnings growth.
Management highlighted solid execution across merchandising, inventory management, store operations and the supply chain. Beauty and accessories were the strongest categories, while the Home business began outperforming the chain late in the quarter. The Northeast and Midwest led regional performance, while the Southwest trailed. New stores remained a major growth driver, with the company adding 45 net new stores during the quarter.
Despite the earnings beat and an increase in the fiscal 2026 guidance, investors reacted negatively to the results, sending shares down more than 7.6% yesterday. The sell-off appears to have reflected the revenue shortfall, comparable sales at the midpoint of guidance and a third-quarter forecast that incorporates year-over-year margin contraction and lower earnings per share (EPS) as tariff refunds are reinvested. Management's more cautious assessment of spending pressure on moderate- and low-income households may have weighed on sentiment.
Burlington Stores, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
More on Burlington Stores’ Q2 Financial Results
Burlington Stores reported adjusted earnings of $2.96 per share, comfortably beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.18. Adjusted EPS increased 86.2% from $1.59 in the year-ago quarter. The results included a 64-cent-per-share benefit from $55 million in tariff refunds. Excluding the refunds and expenses associated with bankruptcy-acquired leases, adjusted EPS was $2.37, up 38% from $1.72 a year earlier and above management's guidance of $2.05-$2.20.
Total revenues increased 11% year over year to $3,002 million but missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,029 million. Net sales rose 11% to $2,998 million from $2,701 million in the prior-year quarter.
Comparable store sales increased 2%, at the mid-point of management's guidance of 1-3% and on top of 5% growth in the year-ago quarter, producing a solid 7% two-year stack. New-store cannibalization created an estimated 1.5-percentage-point headwind to comps. According to management, the comparable-sales increase was driven mainly by a higher basket size, while transactions were relatively flat. Our model anticipated a 2.7% year-over-year rise in comparable store sales for the fiscal second quarter.
Insight Into BURL’s Margins
The gross margin was 46.2%, rising 250 basis points from the prior-year rate, including the $55-million tariff-refund benefit. Without that benefit, the gross margin was 44.3%, an underlying improvement of 60 basis points. The merchandise margin gained 70 basis points on better markup, the timing of markdowns and a lower shortage rate, while freight costs created a 10-basis-point offset.
Adjusted SG&A expenses were $791.2 million, up 8.1% from $732.3 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2025. After excluding $4 million and $11 million during the fiscal second quarters of 2026 and 2025, respectively, of expenses associated with bankruptcy-acquired leases, adjusted SG&A represented 26.2% of net sales versus 26.7% a year earlier. Lower store-related costs, including occupancy expenses and leverage on the 11% sales increase, drove the 50-basis-point improvement.
Product sourcing costs rose to $225.9 million from $209 million. As a share of sales, expenses improved by 20 basis points as distribution-center productivity and cost savings outweighed start-up pressure from the new Savannah facility. The measure covers buying activities and the cost of moving merchandise through Burlington Stores' supply chain.
On a basis that excludes the tariff refund and bankruptcy-acquired lease expenses, adjusted EBIT climbed to $210 million from $162 million. The related margin increased 100 basis points to 7%, comfortably ahead of management's 30-60-basis-point expansion target. Merchandise margin strength, supply-chain productivity and SG&A leverage accounted for the outperformance.
Adjusted EBITDA on the same underlying basis advanced to $324 million from $257 million. Its margin widened by 130 basis points, demonstrating strong operating flow-through despite the modest 2% comparable-sales increase.
BURL’s Financial Snapshot: Cash, Debt & Equity
Burlington Stores ended the second quarter of fiscal 2026 with total liquidity of $1.65 billion, consisting of $704 million in unrestricted cash and $942 million of availability under its asset-based lending facility.
Total outstanding debt at the quarter-end was $1.91 billion, including $1.71 billion under the term-loan facility and $186 million in convertible notes. The company had no borrowings under its asset-based lending facility.
The company repurchased 270,279 shares of its common stock for $87 million in the fiscal second quarter. Fiscal year-to-date share repurchases totaled $167 million. At the end of the fiscal second quarter, $218 million remained available under the current share-repurchase authorization, which expires in May 2027.
BURL’s Store Update
In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Burlington Stores opened 51 stores, including six relocations, resulting in a net increase of 45 stores during the period. The company ended the quarter with 1,287 stores across 47 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. Over the trailing 12 months, Burlington Stores added 149 net new stores, increasing its store count 13%.
BURL’s Q3 Guidance
For third-quarter fiscal 2026, management projects total sales growth of 9-11% and comparable sales growth of 1-3%. The adjusted EBIT margin is expected to contract 60-80 basis points. That outlook excludes $2 million of anticipated bankruptcy-acquired lease expenses compared with $11 million in the year-ago quarter.
The projected margin decline reflects the planned reinvestment of about 40% of the tariff refunds during the quarter to provide sharper customer value. Excluding this reinvestment, management estimates that the third-quarter operating margin would increase modestly year over year.
Burlington Stores expects continued leverage in product sourcing costs as it realizes benefits from supply-chain productivity and cost-saving initiatives. Management expects additional SG&A leverage, although these benefits are expected to be partially offset by higher fuel-related freight expenses.
The company anticipates an adjusted effective tax rate of 26% and adjusted earnings per share of $1.60-$1.70, whereas it reported $1.80 in the third quarter of fiscal 2025. Management noted that quarter-to-date comparable sales were within 1-3% guidance, with comparisons expected to ease in September and October.
BURL Raised Its FY26 View
Burlington Stores lifted its fiscal 2026 total-sales forecast to growth of 10-11% from 9-11%. The company raised its comparable-sales assumption to 3-4% from 2-4%, following a 2% increase in fiscal 2025. The company expects to open approximately 115 net new stores during the year, with 135 gross store openings planned. Management remains confident in its ability to open at least 110 net new stores annually and reach or exceed 1,500 stores by the end of fiscal 2028.
The updated plan calls for adjusted EBIT margin expansion of 20-40 basis points, improving on the earlier 10-30-basis-point range. It excludes $16 million of anticipated bankruptcy-acquired lease expenses in fiscal 2026 compared with $35 million in fiscal 2025. Full-year adjusted EPS is forecast at $11.77-$11.97, up from the prior stated $11.45-$11.80, whereas it reported $10.17 in fiscal 2025. The revised range implies 16-18% year-over-year growth. Capital expenditure, net of landlord allowances, is projected at $875 million.
Management noted that the $55-million tariff-refund benefit recognized in the second quarter is expected to be fully reinvested in sharper customer value during the second half, making the direct full-year earnings impact neutral. About 40% of the reinvestment is planned for the third quarter and 60% for the fourth quarter. Excluding the reinvestment, the underlying fall outlook remains unchanged, with the adjusted EBIT margin expansion of 10-30 basis points and adjusted EPS of $7.30-$7.50.
For the fourth quarter, total sales are projected to increase 7-9%, with comparable-store sales up 1-3%. Adjusted earnings are expected at $5.05-$5.15 per share, whereas it registered $4.99 last year. The operating margin is forecast to decline 40-60 basis points. Excluding refund reinvestment, management expects the fourth-quarter operating margin to increase year over year.
BURL Stock Past 3-Month Performances
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Over the past three months, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company has lost 10.4% against the industry’s 0.5% growth.
Key Picks
We have highlighted three better-ranked stocks, namely Target Corporation TGT, Macy's, Inc. M and Ross Stores Inc. ROST.
Target offers guests fashionable, differentiated merchandise and everyday essentials at discounted prices. It currently sports a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Target’s current fiscal-year earnings and sales suggests growth of 37.7% and 4.6%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. TGT delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 10.5%.
Macy's sells a wide range of merchandise, including men’s, women’s and children’s apparel and accessories, cosmetics, home furnishings and other consumer goods. The company carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Macy's current fiscal-year earnings and sales suggests a decline of 4.3% and growth of 0.1%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. Macy's delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 211%.
Ross Stores operates as an off-price retailer of apparel and home accessories. The company also currently has a Zacks Rank #2.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ross Stores’ current fiscal-year earnings and sales indicates growth of 32.8% and 11.7%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. ROST delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 11.2%.
Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is Here
The AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. AI’s second wave is moving from infrastructure to implementation and these companies are at the forefront of this transition, positioned to become what Amazon and Google were to the internet era.
See Stocks Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Macy's, Inc. (M) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Ross Stores, Inc.

Trend

Trend Class

Trend Power

Pattern

EMA

EMA-20

EMA-50

EMA-100

EMA-20

EMA-50

EMA-100

Oscillators

Stochastic

RSI

MACD

Candle pattern type