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. демонстрирует сильные финансовые показатели, значительно превышающие медианные значения в отрасли. ROE и ROA превышают медиану на 159.7% и 174.2% соответственно, что свидетельствует о высокой эффективности использования капитала. Тем не менее, мультипликаторы, такие как P/E и P/B, заметно выше медианных значений, что может указывать на переоцененность акции. Долговая нагрузка компании, выраженная через debt-equity ratio, остается низкой, что является положительным сигналом для инвесторов. Прогнозируемая прибыль на акцию также выше медианы, что создает дополнительные основания для оптимизма. Однако, снижение валовой маржи в сочетании с высокими мультипликаторами может вызвать опасения у инвесторов. В целом, несмотря на некоторые слабые стороны, финансовое состояние компании выглядит стабильным, что поддерживает положительный настрой по отношению к ее оценке.

Ross Stores, Inc.

Ross Stores (ROST) closed the most recent trading day at $227.82, moving +2.64% from the previous trading session. The stock's performance was ahead of the S&P 500's daily gain of 1.2%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw an upswing of 1.79%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 1.52%.
The discount retailer's shares have seen an increase of 5.37% over the last month, not keeping up with the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 6.55% and outstripping the S&P 500's gain of 5.15%.
The upcoming earnings release of Ross Stores will be of great interest to investors. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $1.65, marking a 12.24% rise compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $5.53 billion, indicating a 10.96% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $7.32 per share and a revenue of $24.19 billion, demonstrating changes of +10.74% and +6.34%, respectively, from the preceding year.
Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for Ross Stores. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the business outlook.
Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.
The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed a 1.67% increase. As of now, Ross Stores holds a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
Investors should also note Ross Stores's current valuation metrics, including its Forward P/E ratio of 30.33. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 29.93, so one might conclude that Ross Stores is trading at a premium comparatively.
We can additionally observe that ROST currently boasts a PEG ratio of 3.02. 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. As the market closed yesterday, the Retail - Discount Stores industry was having an average PEG ratio of 3.02.
The Retail - Discount Stores industry is part of the Retail-Wholesale sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 69, putting it in the top 29% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Keep in mind to rely on Zacks.com to watch all these stock-impacting metrics, and more, in the succeeding trading sessions.
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Why Ross Stores (ROST) Outpaced the Stock Market Today

The broader equity markets witnessed one of the longest rallies since 2009 as the uptrend continued over the past few days, with benchmark indices hitting fresh all-time highs that wiped out the losses stemming from the Iran war. The uptrend was largely buoyed by optimism regarding a likely truce deal between the United States and Iran, despite no breakthrough in the initial discussions. With investors pinning hopes on a possible win-win deal between the two warring parties as negotiations continued amid a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, markets were further propelled by a relatively healthy start to the earnings season.
President Trump has also indicated that the Iran war is “very close to over,” with markets pricing in some volatility due to the impact of the war on the U.S. economy. 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. Ross Stores, Inc. ROST, TE Connectivity plc TEL, Broadcom Inc. AVGO, Corning Incorporated GLW and Arista Networks, Inc. ANET are some of the stocks with high ROE to profit from.
ROE: A Key Metric
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.
Screening Parameters
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 16 stocks that qualified the screening:
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 at generally 20% to 60% below the regular prices of most department and specialty stores.
The company has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 10% and delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 6.2%, on average. It has a VGM Score of B. Ross carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
TE Connectivity: Based in Galway, Ireland, TE Connectivity is a global technology company that designs and manufactures connectivity and sensor solutions for a wide range of industries, including automotive, aerospace, defense, energy and medical. With operations in more than 130 countries, TE Connectivity focuses on emerging technologies such as 5G, electric vehicles, industrial automation and smart cities to position itself at the forefront of connectivity advancements.
The company has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 12.5%. It delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 7.5%, on average. It has a VGM Score of A. TE Connectivity carries a Zacks Rank #2.
Broadcom: Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Broadcom develops a broad range of semiconductor solutions for enterprise and data center networking, home connectivity, set-top boxes, broadband access, telecommunication equipment, smartphones and base stations, data center servers and storage systems, factory automation, power generation and alternative energy systems, and electronic displays.
The company has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 48.6%. It delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1.9%, on average. Broadcom currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.
Corning: New York-based Corning started out as a glass business that was reincorporated in 1936. The company has since developed its glass technologies to produce advanced glass substrates used in a wide range of applications across various markets. Corning’s competitive strength lies in its focus on innovation.
The company has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 20.5%. It delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.4%, on average. Corning carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
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 17.9%. It delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 9%, on average. Arista carries a Zacks Rank #2.
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Buy 5 Stocks With High ROE as Markets Hit Record High on Likely Truce

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 $209.7 million dollar inflow -- that's a 0.5% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 777,575,000 to 781,200,000). Among the largest underlying components of JEPI, in trading today Ross Stores Inc (Symbol: ROST) is up about 0.1%, EOG Resources, Inc. (Symbol: EOG) is down about 0.4%, and Howmet Aerospace Inc (Symbol: HWM) is lower by about 1.2%. 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 $52.1601 per share, with $59.90 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $57.67. 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 ».
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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.
Also see:
Historical PE Ratio
AEI Average Annual Return
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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 Inflow Detected - JEPI, ROST, EOG, HWM

Albertsons Companies, Inc. ACI posted adjusted earnings of 48 cents a share for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, up from 46 cents a year ago. The results topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 43 cents, representing an 11.63% surprise.
Net sales and other revenues rose 7.7% year over year to $20,252.2 million but missed the consensus mark of $20,467 million by 1.05%. The quarter included continued momentum in digital, with digital sales up 16% and loyalty members up 12% to 51.2 million.
Pharmacy Headwinds Weigh on ACI’s Identical Sales
Top-line results reflected stronger-than-expected pharmacy pressure tied to the Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) and a mix shift within the broader pharmacy industry. Management said that pharmacy created an approximate 145-basis-point headwind to identical sales in the quarter, as IRA pricing and mix pressure accelerated and GLP-1 growth moderated more than expected.
Even with those pressures, ACI delivered identical sales growth of 0.7% and pointed to ongoing productivity as a key offset. The company also emphasized a more personalized retail model, with technology and AI investments centered on four long-term priorities: digital customer experience, merchandising intelligence, labor optimization and supply-chain optimization.
Digital, Loyalty Trends Stay Strong at ACI
Digital continued to be a core growth engine in the fourth quarter. Management highlighted that digital penetration surpassed 10% and noted that first-party business represented nearly 90% of the company’s 16% digital growth for the quarter. ACI also said that it fulfilled more than half of digital orders in under three hours, supported by its store-based fulfillment model.
Loyalty trends remained constructive, with membership growing to 51.2 million in the quarter. Management framed loyalty as a “flywheel,” supporting more personalized promotions and helping strengthen the company’s retail media platform. ACI said that its personalized ad pilots delivered a 90% lift in conversion and click-through rates, reinforcing its plans to scale more targeted advertising across customer journeys.
Albertsons Companies, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
A Sneak Peek Into ACI’s Margins & Expenses
The gross margin rate was 27.2% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 versus 27.4% in the year-ago period. Excluding fuel and LIFO, the company said that the gross margin rate declined 25 basis points year over year, primarily due to higher delivery and handling costs associated with digital growth, partially offset by improved pharmacy gross margins related to IRA changes.
Selling and administrative expenses increased 390 basis points to 29.6% of net sales, largely reflecting the impact of the opioid settlement charge recorded during the quarter. However, excluding this charge and fuel impacts, selling and administrative expenses as a percentage of sales decreased two basis points, reflecting disciplined cost management and productivity gains.
Adjusted EBITDA increased 5.6% year over year to $903.4 million, while the adjusted EBITDA margin was 4.5%.
ACI’s Capital Allocation and Balance Sheet
Albertsons increased its quarterly dividend by 13% to 17 cents a share (an annualized 68 cents) and raised its remaining share repurchase authorization to a total of $2 billion. Management said that it expects to complete share repurchases opportunistically over approximately the next three years, and the fiscal 2026 outlook includes about $600 million of repurchases.
Balance sheet and cash flow metrics remained central to the company’s capital return narrative. ACI ended fiscal 2025 with cash and cash equivalents of $198.6 million and long-term debt and finance lease obligations of $8,412.6 million. Net debt to adjusted EBITDA was 2.24X at year-end. For fiscal 2025, net cash provided by operating activities was $2,366.7 million, and capital expenditures were $1,839.4 million, reflecting 94 store remodels, the opening of nine stores and continued investments in digital and technology platforms.
Albertsons’ Fiscal 2026 Outlook
For fiscal 2026, Albertsons guided adjusted EBITDA between $3.850 billion and $3.925 billion. It projected adjusted earnings in the band of $2.22-$2.32 per share compared with $2.18 reported in fiscal 2025.
ACI expects Identical sales to be flat to up 1%. Excluding the estimated 150-basis-point headwind from the IRA’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, management said the underlying growth rate would be about 1.5% to 2.5%. Management also expects first-quarter identical sales to remain below the full-year range due to the continued impact of the IRA and egg deflation. However, sales trends are projected to improve sequentially through the rest of the year.
Capital expenditures are expected in the $2-$2.2 billion range as ACI accelerates investment in store modernization and AI-powered capabilities.
The company reiterated its focus on scaling a $2 billion, three-year productivity program and expects gross margin in fiscal 2026 to be flat to slightly better, with productivity and favorable IRA-related pharmacy margin effects helping offset digital mix pressure.
Shares of this Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) company have fallen 5.6% over the past month compared with the industry’s decline of 6.4%.
3 Stocks Looking Red Hot
Darling Ingredients Inc. DAR develops, produces and sells sustainable natural ingredients. It sports 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 Darling Ingredients’ current financial-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 6% and 391.2%, respectively, from the prior-year reported levels. DAR delivered an earnings surprise of 48.8% in the last reported quarter.
Ross Stores, Inc. ROST, a leading off-price apparel and home fashion chain, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). ROST has an average trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 6.2%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ross Stores’ current financial-year sales and EPS suggests growth of 6.3% and 10.1%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers.
Deckers Outdoor Corporation DECK, which designs, markets and distributes footwear, apparel and accessories, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Deckers’ current financial-year sales and EPS suggests growth of 8.9% and 8.5%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers. DECK delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 36.9%, on average.
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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.

Albertsons Beats on Q4 Earnings Despite IRA Pharmacy Headwinds

Costco Wholesale Corporation’s COST March sales update offers a fresh perspective on the retail giant’s momentum. As a dominant force in the warehouse club segment with a consistent history of growth, Costco has been investors' favorite stock. Yet, the latest sales figures raise an important question: Is now the right time to buy, hold or book profits on Costco stock?
The March report showed solid comparable sales growth across regions and an acceleration in e-commerce, strengthening the narrative that Costco’s operational execution and customer loyalty remain intact despite a challenging retail backdrop.
Decoding Costco’s March Sales Report
Costco’s membership-driven model remains a core strength, with high renewal rates ensuring a dependable revenue stream. Its efficient supply chain and bulk purchasing power enable competitive pricing, reinforcing its strong market position. This combination of customer loyalty and operational efficiency continues to give Costco an advantage in a competitive retail landscape.
For the five weeks ended April 5, 2026, Costco reported a 9.4% year-over-year increase in total comparable sales. Regionally, comparable sales rose 8.7% in the United States, 10.7% in Canada and 11.9% in Other International markets. Digitally enabled comparable sales in March surged 23.3%. (Read: Costco's Comparable Sales Stay Resilient Despite Calendar Headwind)
As a result, Costco's net sales for March rose 11.3% to $28.41 billion, up from $25.51 billion in the same period last year. This follows a sales improvement of 9.5% in February and 9.3% in January.
A Sneak Peek Into Costco’s Tailwinds
Costco continues to demonstrate the strength of its membership-driven model, which underpins a stable and recurring revenue base. The annual fee structure not only ensures predictable income but also reinforces a sense of exclusivity and value for members. This dynamic was evident in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 when membership fee income advanced 13.6% year over year, supported by robust renewal rates of 92.1% in the United States and Canada and 89.7% globally, highlighting strong customer engagement.
The company’s focus on value remains central to its competitive positioning. By offering high-quality merchandise at prices lower than its peers, Costco reinforces customer loyalty and encourages frequent store visits. Its curated merchandising strategy, featuring a dynamic assortment of essentials, seasonal goods and unique offerings, keeps the shopping experience engaging while driving incremental purchases.
Private label expansion remains a key differentiator, with the Kirkland Signature brand playing an important role in driving both customer loyalty and margin efficiency. Known for delivering premium quality at compelling price points, Kirkland enhances Costco’s value proposition. The ongoing addition of new products across categories further strengthens brand equity and supports profitability. Costco launched about 30 new Kirkland items in the second quarter.
At the same time, Costco is leveraging technology to enhance the overall member experience and operational efficiency. Investments in digital capabilities are yielding tangible results, with online sales benefiting from strong traffic growth across both the website and mobile app. Enhancements such as mobile payment solutions, pharmacy pre-payment options and in-store automation initiatives are streamlining the shopping and complementing the company’s integrated omnichannel approach.
Costco’s growth trajectory remains supported by a disciplined expansion strategy. The company continues to add new warehouse locations in high-potential markets while maintaining a measured pace that supports productivity and returns. For fiscal 2026, the company expects to open 28 net new warehouses and is targeting 30-plus warehouse openings annually over the longer term. With plans to accelerate new openings in the coming years, this steady expansion, combined with strong membership growth, positions Costco well to sustain long-term revenue and earnings momentum.
Costco Navigates a Competitive Landscape as Peers Scale Up
Costco's impressive sales figures are part of a larger retail picture where competition is intensifying. Rivals like Ross Stores, Inc. ROST, Dollar General Corporation DG and Target Corporation TGT are investing in expanding their product assortments, enhancing supply-chain efficiency, and upgrading in-store and digital experiences to capture greater market share. These retailers are also sharpening their value propositions through competitive pricing, private-label expansion and targeted promotional strategies.
Margins remain a critical area to monitor, with potential concerns stemming from any deleverage in the selling, general and administrative rate. Foreign exchange volatility and potential tariffs on key imports create uncertainty.
Does Costco Tick the Boxes for Value Investing?
Costco stock has gained 2.5% over the past three months compared with the industry’s rise of 3.2%. A sneak peek into key retail peers' performance reveals that shares of Dollar General have fallen 21.4% during the said time frame, while Ross Stores and Target have climbed 14% and 6.1%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The stock is trading at a significant premium to its peers. Costco's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio stands at 45.48, higher than the industry’s ratio of 32.78 and the S&P 500's 21.29. Costco is trading at a premium to Target (with a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 14.49), Ross Stores (29.78) and Dollar General (16.07).
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Costco continues to trade at a notable premium to its peers, reflecting investor confidence in its strong brand image, loyal membership base and long-term growth potential.
How Consensus Estimates Stack Up for Costco
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Costco’s current financial-year sales and earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 8.4% and 13%, respectively. For the next fiscal year, the consensus estimate indicates a 7.3% rise in sales and 9.9% growth in earnings.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How to Play Costco: Buy, Hold or Sell?
Costco’s March sales performance reinforces its core strengths — resilient demand, a highly loyal membership base, and strong execution across both physical and digital channels — indicating that the company’s long-term growth story remains intact despite a competitive and uncertain retail environment. However, the stock’s premium valuation suggests that much of this strength is already reflected in its price, leaving limited room for near-term upside. Existing investors should hold the stock, as the business fundamentals remain solid and are worth staying invested. For potential investors, it may be prudent to wait for more attractive entry points rather than chasing the stock at elevated levels, while those seeking to lock in gains could consider partial profit-booking without fully exiting a fundamentally strong name.
Costco currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Is Costco Stock a Buy Now After Strong March Retail Sales?

Dollar General Corporation’s DG continued push into retail media is gaining traction, with the company announcing a partnership with QSIC to launch an AI-enabled in-store audio network. The initiative underscores Dollar General’s focus on enhancing customer engagement while unlocking high-margin advertising revenue streams.
As part of the rollout, Dollar General plans to deploy the upgraded audio network across 6,000 stores in 48 states. The move is set to double the retailer's existing audio footprint to 12,000 stores by the second quarter of fiscal 2026. Management views the rollout as a strategic enhancement to its DG Media Network, enabling brands to engage customers through localized and context-aware messaging.
Broader In-Store Reach Supports DG’s Engagement Growth
The AI-powered platform is designed to deliver localized, real-time messaging tailored to customer preferences and store-level dynamics. By leveraging first-party data and advanced analytics, it aims to improve ad relevance while enhancing the overall in-store shopping experience.
The partnership also strengthens its retail media capabilities by offering advertisers measurable, data-driven insights. QSIC’s technology integrates point-of-sale data, curated music and AI-generated ads, while providing closed-loop reporting and verified ad delivery.
The platform is designed to exceed Interactive Advertising Bureau (“IAB”) standards, enabling brands to better assess campaign performance and incremental impacts. Management also noted that nearly 85% of retail sales continue to occur in-store, reinforcing the value of physical locations as a powerful media channel.
The company’s dense footprint remains a key advantage. With more than 20,000 stores nationwide and nearly 75% of the U.S. population living within five miles of a location, DG is well-positioned to reach customers at scale, particularly in rural and underserved markets. These areas often lack alternative retail options, making Dollar General a primary shopping destination, and, by extension, a compelling channel for brands seeking to influence purchasing decisions at the point of sale.
Overall, the expansion underscores Dollar General’s focus on scaling its high-margin retail media segment while elevating the in-store experience. The initiative is expected to drive incremental advertising revenues and strengthen brand partnerships, supporting the company’s broader long-term digital and customer engagement strategy.
Here’s What Latest Metrics Say About Dollar General
The DG stock has gained 37.6% in the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 16.9%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Dollar General’s forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 16.07 reflects a lower valuation than the industry’s average of 32.78.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DG’s fiscal 2026 earnings implies year-over-year growth of 6.3%, while the same for fiscal 2027 indicates growth of 9.8%. Earnings estimates for fiscal 2026 and 2027 have been upbound by 8 cents and 9 cents per share, respectively, in the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Dollar General currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Stocks to Consider
Some better-ranked stocks in the retail space are FIGS Inc. FIGS, Ross Stores Inc. ROST and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. ANF.
FIGS is a direct-to-consumer healthcare apparel and lifestyle brand, and 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 FIGS’ current financial-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 11.7% and 15.8%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 187.5%, on average.
Ross Stores operates as an off-price retailer of apparel and home accessories. It presently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ross Stores’ current fiscal-year earnings and sales implies growth of 10.1% and 6.3%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. ROST delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 6.2%.
Abercrombie & Fitch operates as a specialty retailer of premium, high-quality casual apparel for men, women and kids. It currently has a Zacks Rank of 2.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Abercrombie & Fitch’s current fiscal-year earnings and sales implies growth of 8.6% and 4.3%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. ANF delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 8.4%.
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. Little-known AI firms tackling the world's biggest problems may be more lucrative in the coming months and years.
See
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
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Dollar General Strengthens Ad Business With AI Audio Push

For most investors, how much a stock's price changes over time is important. This factor can impact your investment portfolio as well as help you compare investment results across sectors and industries.
Another factor that can influence investors is FOMO, or the fear of missing out, especially with tech giants and popular consumer-facing stocks.
What if you'd invested in Ross Stores (ROST) ten years ago? It may not have been easy to hold on to ROST for all that time, but if you did, how much would your investment be worth today?
Ross Stores' Business In-Depth
With that in mind, let's take a look at Ross Stores' main business drivers.
Based in Dublin, CA, Ross Stores Inc. operates as an off-price retailer of apparel and home accessories, primarily in the United States. The company operates its stores under the Ross Dress for Less (Ross) and dd’s DISCOUNTS names. The company’s stores are located mostly in community and neighborhood shopping centers in heavily populated urban and suburban areas.
Ross Stores primarily offers in-season, branded, and designer apparel, footwear, accessories and other home-related merchandise for everyone in the family. This format primarily targets middle-income households. Prices offered at Ross are generally 20% to 60% below the regular prices of most department and specialty stores.
dd’s DISCOUNTS features more moderately-priced first-quality, in-season, name brand apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions for the entire family. These stores target moderate-income households. The dd’s DISCOUNTS stores offer products at a 20% to 70% lesser price than the moderate department and discount stores.
Ross Stores remains focused with its store expansion initiatives over the years. Further, the company’s efforts to expand base by making efforts to increase penetration in the existing as well as new markets.
As of Jan 31, 2026, the company operated a total of 2,267 stores, including 1,904 Ross Dress for Less stores in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico, and 363 dd's DISCOUNTS locations across 22 states.
Bottom Line
While anyone can invest, building a lucrative investment portfolio takes research, patience, and a little bit of risk. If you had invested in Ross Stores ten years ago, you're probably feeling pretty good about your investment today.
According to our calculations, a $1000 investment made in April 2016 would be worth $3,912.26, or a gain of 291.23%, as of April 13, 2026, and this return excludes dividends but includes price increases.
Compare this to the S&P 500's rally of 232.92% and gold's return of 268.05% over the same time frame.
Analysts are anticipating more upside for ROST.
Ross Stores' shares have outperformed the industry in the past six months, reflecting strong execution of its off-price retail model. The company continues to benefit from solid demand for value-driven merchandise, delivering 12% sales growth and 9% comps growth in fourth-quarter fiscal 2025, supported by effective merchandising and marketing initiatives. Ross Stores is also progressing well on store-expansion plans, with long-term growth potential across both banners, targeting 2,900 Ross Dress for Less and 700 dd's DISCOUNTS stores. For fiscal 2026, ROST expects comps growth of 3-4%, with total sales anticipated to increase 5-7%. Strong financial flexibility, disciplined capital allocation, and ongoing share repurchases highlight Ross's commitment to shareholder returns, underscoring a robust business for continued growth.
Over the past four weeks, shares have rallied 7.21%, and there have been 7 higher earnings estimate revisions in the past two months for fiscal 2026 compared to none lower. The consensus estimate has moved up as well.
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Here's How Much a $1000 Investment in Ross Stores Made 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

Burlington Stores, Inc.’s BURL solid value-driven merchandising strategy and improving brand assortment continue to strengthen consumer demand, as reflected in the healthy comps trend, supporting its ability to drive sustained growth and gain market share in the off-price retail space. The company’s focus on better brands, sharper pricing and disciplined inventory management has been instrumental in reinforcing store traffic and customer engagement.
This strength was reflected in the company’s comparable sales trend during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, with comps increasing 4% year over year, significantly above management’s guided range of 0% to 2%. Notably, this growth came on top of 6% comps rise in the prior-year period, resulting in a robust 10% two-year comp stack, highlighting sustained demand momentum across its customer base.
A key driver behind this performance was Burlington’s ongoing elevation strategy, aimed at offering more recognizable brands, better quality merchandise and fashion-right products at attractive value prices. Management noted that higher-priced merchandise buckets delivered the strongest growth, signaling customers’ willingness to trade up when offered compelling value propositions. This also contributed to a mid-single-digit increase in average unit retail during the fiscal fourth quarter.
The company also benefited from strong trends in categories such as apparel, footwear, beauty and accessories, which helped offset softer performance in certain home-related segments affected by tariff-driven assortment gaps. Even with these challenges, Burlington’s merchandising and supply-chain teams effectively chased demand, enabling strong sell-through during the crucial holiday season.
Looking ahead, management remains optimistic about the sales outlook for fiscal 2026, guiding for 1% to 3% comps growth with potential upside. Supported by easier comparisons, improved inventory levels and continued progress on Burlington 2.0 initiatives, comparable sales are expected to remain a major driver of the company’s revenue and earnings growth trajectory. We expect comps to improve 3% year over year in fiscal 2026.
Burlington’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
BURL stock has gained 33% in the past six months compared with the industry’s 17.8% growth.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Burlington’s forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 28.80X indicates a lower valuation compared with the industry’s average of 33.56X. BURL carries a Value Score of A.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Burlington’s current fiscal-year sales and earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 9.7% and 15.5%, respectively. Earnings estimates for fiscal 2026 and 2027 have been upbound by 4 cents and 3 cents per share, respectively, in the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Burlington currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Key Picks
Some better-ranked stocks in the retail space are FIGS Inc. FIGS, Ross Stores Inc. ROST and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. ANF.
FIGS is a direct-to-consumer healthcare apparel and lifestyle brand, and 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 FIGS’ current financial-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 11.7% and 15.8%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 187.5%, on average.
Ross Stores operates as an off-price retailer of apparel and home accessories. It presently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ross Stores’ current fiscal-year earnings and sales implies growth of 10.1% and 6.3%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. ROST delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 6.2%.
Abercrombie & Fitch operates as a specialty retailer of premium, high-quality casual apparel for men, women and kids. It currently has a Zacks Rank of 2.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Abercrombie & Fitch’s current fiscal-year earnings and sales implies growth of 8.6% and 4.3%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. ANF delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 8.4%.
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BURL's Strong Comps Reflect Value-Driven Merchandising Strength

Momentum investing is all about the idea of following a stock's recent trend, which can be in either direction. In the "long context," investors will essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." And for investors following this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving in that direction. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.
Even though momentum is a popular stock characteristic, it can be tough to define. Debate surrounding which are the best and worst metrics to focus on is lengthy, but the Zacks Momentum Style Score, part of the Zacks Style Scores, helps address this issue for us.
Below, we take a look at Ross Stores (ROST), a company that currently holds a Momentum Style Score of B. We also talk about price change and earnings estimate revisions, two of the main aspects of the Momentum Style Score.
It's also important to note that Style Scores work as a complement to the Zacks Rank, our stock rating system that has an impressive track record of outperformance. Ross Stores currently has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). Our research shows that stocks rated Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 (Buy) and Style Scores of "A or B" outperform the market over the following one-month period.
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Set to Beat the Market?
In order to see if ROST is a promising momentum pick, let's examine some Momentum Style elements to see if this discount retailer holds up.
A good momentum benchmark for a stock is to look at its short-term price activity, as this can reflect both current interest and if buyers or sellers currently have the upper hand. It's also helpful to compare a security to its industry; this can show investors the best companies in a particular area.
For ROST, shares are up 3.92% over the past week while the Zacks Retail - Discount Stores industry is up 3.16% over the same time period. Shares are looking quite well from a longer time frame too, as the monthly price change of 5.45% compares favorably with the industry's 3.65% performance as well.
While any stock can see a spike in price, it takes a real winner to consistently outperform the market. Over the past quarter, shares of Ross Stores have risen 17.01%, and are up 63.85% in the last year. In comparison, the S&P 500 has only moved -1.7% and 37.74%, respectively.
Investors should also pay attention to ROST's average 20-day trading volume. Volume is a useful item in many ways, and the 20-day average establishes a good price-to-volume baseline; a rising stock with above average volume is generally a bullish sign, whereas a declining stock on above average volume is typically bearish. ROST is currently averaging 2,508,734 shares for the last 20 days.
Earnings Outlook
The Zacks Momentum Style Score encompasses many things, including estimate revisions and a stock's price movement. Investors should note that earnings estimates are also significant to the Zacks Rank, and a nice path here can be promising. We have recently been noticing this with ROST.
Over the past two months, 7 earnings estimates moved higher compared to none lower for the full year. These revisions helped boost ROST's consensus estimate, increasing from $7.12 to $7.28 in the past 60 days. Looking at the next fiscal year, 3 estimates have moved upwards while there have been no downward revisions in the same time period.
Bottom Line
Taking into account all of these elements, it should come as no surprise that ROST is a #2 (Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of B. If you've been searching for a fresh pick that's set to rise in the near-term, make sure to keep Ross Stores on your short list.
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Ross Stores (ROST) Is Up 3.92% in One Week: What You Should Know

Ross Stores (ROST) closed the most recent trading day at $216.34, moving -2.2% from the previous trading session. This change lagged the S&P 500's 0.08% gain on the day. Elsewhere, the Dow saw a downswing of 0.18%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 0.1%.
Shares of the discount retailer witnessed a gain of 4.27% over the previous month, beating the performance of the Retail-Wholesale sector with its loss of 2.61%, and the S&P 500's loss of 1.74%.
The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings performance of Ross Stores in its upcoming release. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $1.65, showcasing a 12.24% upward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. In the meantime, our current consensus estimate forecasts the revenue to be $5.53 billion, indicating a 10.96% growth compared to the corresponding quarter of the prior year.
For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $7.28 per share and a revenue of $24.19 billion, demonstrating changes of +10.14% and +6.34%, respectively, from the preceding year.
It is also important to note the recent changes to analyst estimates for Ross Stores. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.
Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. To exploit this, we've formed the Zacks Rank, a quantitative model that includes these estimate changes and presents a viable rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been a 1.74% rise in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Ross Stores is currently a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
In terms of valuation, Ross Stores is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 30.4. This expresses a premium compared to the average Forward P/E of 29.99 of its industry.
We can additionally observe that ROST currently boasts a PEG ratio of 3.03. 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. By the end of yesterday's trading, the Retail - Discount Stores industry had an average PEG ratio of 3.03.
The Retail - Discount Stores industry is part of the Retail-Wholesale sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 72, which puts it in the top 30% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.
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