Ross Stores

Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROST) operates as the largest off-price apparel and home fashion retailer in the United States through two complementary store brands. The company's website is www.rossstores.com.

The company operates 2,267 total stores as of January 31, 2026, comprising 1,904 Ross Dress for Less locations and 363 dd's DISCOUNTS stores across 44 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Ross Dress for Less targets middle-income households with brand-name and designer apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions at savings of 20 to 60 percent below department and specialty store prices. dd's DISCOUNTS serves lower to moderate-income customers with similar merchandise categories at savings of 20 to 70 percent below moderate department and discount store prices.

The company employs approximately 111,000 associates across retail stores, distribution centers, and corporate offices, with over 85 percent working in retail locations. Ross Stores maintains a distinctive off-price business model centered on opportunistic buying, tight inventory management, and frequent inventory turns. The company purchases merchandise directly from manufacturers and through close-out purchases of overruns and canceled orders, enabling significant cost advantages. Packaway inventory, typically stored less than six months, represents a substantial portion of overall inventory and allows the company to increase prestige and national brand offerings at competitive savings.

Ross Stores operates large, highly automated distribution centers and regional cross-dock facilities that process and distribute merchandise to stores three to six times weekly. The company maintains buying offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and Boston, employing over 800 merchants across both brands. Merchandise assortments span apparel, footwear, home accents and furniture, beauty, bed and bath, accessories, gourmet food, toys, luggage, pet accessories, electronics, jewelry, and cookware.

The company's competitive advantages derive from its organized, easy-to-shop store environments featuring self-service treasure-hunt shopping experiences, lower operating costs than traditional retailers, economies of scale in merchandising and purchasing, and the ability to source merchandise at prices substantially below conventional retailers. Ross Stores' principal trademarks include ROSS, Ross Dress for Less, and dd's DISCOUNTS, registered in the United States and certain other countries.