Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. Makes New $97.20 Million Investment in Ross Stores, Inc. $ROST

Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund bought 456,651 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $97,198,000.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in Ross Stores during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Bard Associates Inc. purchased a new position in Ross Stores in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Virtus Advisers LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ross Stores during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Fideuram Asset Management Ireland dac purchased a new position in Ross Stores during the fourth quarter worth approximately $38,000. Finally, Bell Investment Advisors Inc acquired a new position in Ross Stores during the second quarter worth $43,000. 86.86% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Ross Stores Stock Performance

ROST opened at $239.04 on Monday. Ross Stores, Inc. has a 52 week low of $143.39 and a 52 week high of $257.00. The company has a quick ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 1.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $233.81 and a 200-day simple moving average of $222.09. The firm has a market cap of $76.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.94, a P/E/G ratio of 2.30 and a beta of 0.86.

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 20th. The apparel retailer reported $2.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.95 by $0.71. Ross Stores had a return on equity of 39.29% and a net margin of 10.85%.The firm had revenue of $6.26 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.16 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.56 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that Ross Stores, Inc. will post 8.13 earnings per share for the current year.

Ross Stores Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 8th will be paid a dividend of $0.445 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 8th. This represents a $1.78 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.7%. Ross Stores’s dividend payout ratio is 21.55%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ROST has been the topic of several analyst reports. Barclays lifted their price target on Ross Stores from $260.00 to $298.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Ross Stores from $245.00 to $248.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on Ross Stores from $265.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Telsey Advisory Group increased their price target on Ross Stores from $265.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, August 14th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Ross Stores from $262.00 to $272.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday. Fifteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $263.76.

Key Stories Impacting Ross Stores

Here are the key news stories impacting Ross Stores this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 results exceeded expectations: Ross reported diluted EPS of $2.66 versus the approximately $1.95 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 13.3% year over year to $6.26 billion, ahead of the $6.16 billion forecast. Comparable-store sales increased 10%, supported by stronger customer traffic, improved merchandising and higher margins. Ross Stores Q2 Earnings Top Estimates on Strong Sales Growth Momentum
• Positive Sentiment: Higher outlook signals continued momentum: Management raised fiscal 2026 EPS guidance to $8.61-$8.77, well above the prior outlook and the roughly $7.31 analyst consensus. Third- and fourth-quarter EPS guidance also came in above expectations. The company cited resilient demand for discounted apparel and accessories and raised its fiscal-year store-opening plan to 115 locations. Ross Stores raises annual profit forecast again on discounted apparel demand
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised price targets: JPMorgan increased its target to $272 and maintained an Overweight rating, while Robert W. Baird raised its target to $270 and kept an Outperform rating. These revisions reinforce expectations that Ross is gaining market share from rivals. Analysts Boost Forecasts on Ross Stores
• Neutral Sentiment: Approximately $253 million of tariff refunds benefited second-quarter operating income, creating a potential comparison headwind when assessing underlying profitability. Ross Stores Q2 Sales Rise 13% as Diluted EPS Reaches $2.66
• Negative Sentiment: BTIG analyst Robert Drbul reiterated a Hold rating, indicating that strong execution may already be reflected in ROST’s premium valuation. Recent insider activity also showed sales but no purchases, a modest sentiment caution. Analyst Reiterates Hold on Ross Stores

About Ross Stores

Ross Stores, Inc (NASDAQ: ROST) is an American off?price retailer headquartered in Dublin, California, that operates the Ross Dress for Less and dd’s DISCOUNTS store formats. The company sells a broad assortment of apparel, footwear, home fashions, accessories and other soft goods, positioning itself as a value-oriented destination for brand?name and fashion merchandise at reduced prices.

Ross’s business model centers on opportunistic buying of excess inventory, closeouts, cancelled orders and overstocks from manufacturers, department stores and other suppliers.