ROST (Ross Stores) Owner Earnings per Share (TTM): 8.55 (As of Apr. 2026) — 65% Below Median

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ROST Ross Stores Inc ROST
89 GF Score
Price $250.05
GF Value $175.19
Valuation Significantly Overvalued
! 5 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Ross Stores Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)?

Ross Stores ROST -0.76% 89 Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 8.55 as of Apr. 2026, which is 65% below its 10-year median of 24.77. GuruFocus rates ROST with a GF Score™ of 89/100 and a GF Value™ of $175.19 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 574 Retail - Cyclical companies, Ross Stores ranks worse than 81.53% on this metric.

In 1986 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter, Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as follows:

"These represent (a) reported earnings plus (b) depreciation, depletion, amortization, and certain other non-cash charges...less (c) the average annual amount of capitalized expenditures for plant and equipment, etc. that the business requires to fully maintain its long-term competitive position and its unit volume (If the business requires additional working capital to maintain its competitive position and unit volume, the increment also should be included in (c))...Our owner-earnings equation does not yield the deceptively precise figures provided by GAAP, since (c) must be a guess - and one sometimes very difficult to make. Despite this problem, we consider the owner earnings figure, not the GAAP figure, to be the relevant item for valuation purposes - both for investors in buying stocks and for managers in buying entire businesses...All of this points up the absurdity of the 'cash flow' numbers that are often set forth in Wall Street reports. These numbers routinely include (a) plus (b) - but do not subtract (c)."

Ross Stores's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was $8.55. It's Price-to-Owner-Earnings ratio for today is 29.25.


The historical rank and industry rank for Ross Stores's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) or its related term are showing as below:

ROST' s Price-to-Owner-Earnings Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 12.15   Med: 24.77   Max: 493.54
Current: 29.26


During the past 13 years, the highest Price-to-Owner-Earnings ratio of Ross Stores was 493.54. The lowest was 12.15. And the median was 24.77.


ROST's Price-to-Owner-Earnings is ranked worse than
81.53% of 574 companies
in the Retail - Cyclical industry
Industry Median: 10.965 vs ROST: 29.26

Ross Stores's Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the three months ended in Apr. 2026 was $2.02. Its Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was $7.16. It's PE Ratio (TTM) ratio for today is 34.92.

Ross Stores's EPS without NRI for the three months ended in Apr. 2026 was $2.02. Its EPS without NRI for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was $7.16. It's PE Ratio without NRI ratio for today is 34.92.


Be Aware

Assumption: Companies usually do not report maintenance capital expenditures and growth capital expenditures separately. Here we use estimated numbers and average them over 5 years. The method to estimate maintenance capital expenditures can be found in above part 4.

Note: GuruFocus' Change In Working Capital is provided by Morningstar. It is calculated by adding the items under "Change in operating assets and liabilities" (may refer to a different name for different company) section in Cash Flow Statement from original financial report. And it includes non-current parts of assets and liabilities.


Ross Stores Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Related Terms


Ross Stores Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Ross Stores's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Ross Stores Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Chart

Ross Stores Annual Data
Trend Jan17 Jan18 Jan19 Jan20 Jan21 Jan22 Jan23 Jan24 Jan25 Jan26
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 3.56 3.54 5.82 5.56 7.36

Ross Stores Quarterly Data
Jul21 Oct21 Jan22 Apr22 Jul22 Oct22 Jan23 Apr23 Jul23 Oct23 Jan24 Apr24 Jul24 Oct24 Jan25 Apr25 Jul25 Oct25 Jan26 Apr26
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 5.67 5.98 6.90 7.36 8.55

ROST vs BURL, LULU, GAP: Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Comparison

For the Apparel Retail subindustry, Ross Stores's Price-to-Owner-Earnings, along with its competitors' market caps and Price-to-Owner-Earnings data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


Ross Stores Price-to-Owner-Earnings vs Retail - Cyclical Industry

For the Retail - Cyclical industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Ross Stores's Price-to-Owner-Earnings distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Ross Stores's Price-to-Owner-Earnings falls into.


ROST
89GF Score
Ross Stores Inc ROST
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Ross Stores Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Calculation

In 1986 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Letter, Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as follows:

"These represent (a) reported earnings plus (b) depreciation, depletion, amortization, and certain other non-cash charges...less (c) the average annual amount of capitalized expenditures for plant and equipment, etc. that the business requires to fully maintain its long-term competitive position and its unit volume. (If the business requires additional working capital to maintain its competitive position and unit volume, the increment also should be included in (c))...Our owner-earnings equation does not yield the deceptively precise figures provided by GAAP, since (c) must be a guess - and one sometimes very difficult to make. Despite this problem, we consider the owner earnings figure, not the GAAP figure, to be the relevant item for valuation purposes - both for investors in buying stocks and for managers in buying entire businesses...All of this points up the absurdity of the 'cash flow' numbers that are often set forth in Wall Street reports. These numbers routinely include (a) plus (b) - but do not subtract (c)."

To make it simple, then you will have:

Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) = (Net Income + Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization + Change In Deferred Tax - 5Y Average of Maintenance Capital Expenditure + Change In Working Capital) / Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average)

Ross Stores's Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) Calculation:

TTM / Last Quarter Average of Last 20 Quarters
Net Income 2,316
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization 526
Change In Deferred Tax 86
5Y Average of Maintenance Capital Expenditure 511
Change In Working Capital 330
Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average) 321

1. Start with "Net Income" from income statement. Ross Stores's Net Income for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was $2,316 Mil.

2. "Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization" is from cashflow statement. Ross Stores's Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was $526 Mil. This needs to be added back because company does not actually need to pay cash for it. It is a non-cash item.

3. Other non-cash charges usually include "Stock Based Compensation" and "Change In Deferred Tax":
However, to be conservative, GuruFocus will not add Stock Based Compensation back to net income. Ross Stores's Change In Deferred Tax for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was $86 Mil.

4. Average maintenance capital expenditure over a business/industry cycle: 5-Year Average Maintenance Capital Expenditure = $511 Mil

It is usually best to take a long-term average of maintenance capital expenditure. Ideally this would be as long as 10 years and include at least one economic downturn. However, since many companies do not have as long as 10-year history, here GuruFocus uses the latest 5 years data to do the calculation. To smooth out unusual years but reflect recent developments, we take an average of the 5 year maintenance capital expenditure.

The following shows how to get maintenance capital expenditure.

First, calculate the revenue change regarding to the previous quarter. If the revenue decreased from the previous quarter, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
Second, if the revenue increased from the previous quarter, then calculate the percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue.
Growth Capital Expenditure = Percentage of Property, Plant and Equipment as of corresponding Revenue * Revenue Increase
Third, calculate Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure.
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure] was negative, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure] was positive, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive) - Growth Capital Expenditure.
Fourth, get the average of the 5 years maintenance capital expenditure.

Ross Stores's 5-Year Average Maintenance Capital Expenditure = $511 Mil

5. "Change In Working Capital" is from cashflow statement. Ross Stores's Change In Working Capital for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Apr. 2026 was $330 Mil.
Note: GuruFocus' Change in Working Capital is provided by Morningstar. It is calculated by adding the items under "Change in operating assets and liabilities" (may refer to a different name for different company) section in Cash Flow Statement from original financial report. And sometimes it includes non-current parts of assets and liabilities.

6. Ross Stores's Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average) for the months ended in Apr. 2026 was 321.231 Mil.

Ross Stores's Onwer Earnings Per Share for Apr. 2026 is calculated as:

Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)
=( Net Income+Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization+Change In Deferred Tax
=( 2315.759 +526.052+86.243
-5Y Avg of Maintenance CAPEX+Change In Working Capital )/Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average)
-511.35527934186+329.945)/321.231
=8.55

Price-to-Owner-Earnings=Current Price/Owner Earnings per Share (TTM)
=250.05/8.55
=29.25

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

What does a Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 8.55 mean?
Ross Stores (ROST) has a Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 8.55 as of Apr. 2026. Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as reported earnings plus depreciation less average maintenance capital expenditure. View historical data on Ross Stores. This is 65% below median its historical median of 24.77. Over the past decade, Ross Stores' Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) has ranged from 12.15 to 493.54. According to the industry distribution chart, Ross Stores ranks #468 out of 574 companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry, placing it in the top 81.5%.
Is Ross Stores' Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) too high?
Ross Stores' current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 8.55 is 65% below median its 10-year median of 24.77. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 12.15 to a high of 493.54. The Retail - Cyclical industry median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 10.97. Ross Stores' value of 8.55 is 22% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Ross Stores ranks #468 out of 574 companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Ross Stores has a GF Score™ of 89/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Ross Stores' Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) compare to BURL and LULU?
According to the Retail - Cyclical industry distribution chart, Ross Stores ranks #468 out of 574 companies for Owner Earnings per Share (TTM). This places Ross Stores in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 10.97. Ross Stores' value of 8.55 is 22% below this benchmark. Historically, Ross Stores' own Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) has ranged from 12.15 to 493.54 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 24.77 vs. the industry median of 10.97, Ross Stores has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) for a Retail - Cyclical company?
The median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) among Retail - Cyclical companies is 10.97, based on 574 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Ross Stores's current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) of 8.55 is 22% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) mean?
A high Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Warren Buffett defined owner earnings as reported earnings plus depreciation less average maintenance capital expenditure. View historical data on Ross Stores. For the Retail - Cyclical industry, the median Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 10.97 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Ross Stores's current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 8.55, which is 65% below median its own 10-year median of 24.77. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Ross Stores stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ross Stores (ROST) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $175.19, compared to a current price of $250.05 — trading 42.7% above its estimated fair value. The current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 8.55, which is 65% below median its 10-year median of 24.77 and 22% below the Retail - Cyclical industry median of 10.97. Ross Stores' overall GF Score™ is 89/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) calculated?
Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Ross Stores (ROST), the current Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is 8.55 as of Apr. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Ross Stores (ROST) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ross Stores stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $250.05 is trading 42.7% above its estimated GF Value™ of $175.19. GuruFocus considers Ross Stores to be Significantly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for ROST:

  • Owner Earnings per Share (TTM): 8.55 (65% below median its 10-year median of 24.77)
  • GF Value™: $175.19 vs. price of $250.05 (42.7% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 89/100 with 5 warning signs
  • Industry Position: 22% below the Retail - Cyclical median (#468 of 574)

No single metric tells the full story. See the ROST stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Ross Stores Business Description

Address 5130 Hacienda Drive, Dublin, CA, USA, 94568
Ross Stores, founded in 1982, is a US-focused off-price apparel and home fashion retailer operating more than 2,100 stores across 43 states, primarily under the Ross Dress for Less banner, with a smaller footprint through dd's Discounts. In fiscal 2025, the company generated over $22 billion in sales. Ross offers branded apparel, footwear, accessories, and home goods at a 20%-60% discount to department and specialty store prices, sourcing closeouts and excess inventory from vendors worldwide.
89GF Score

Get the complete analysis for ROST

Owner Earnings per Share (TTM) is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$250.05
Price
$175.19
GF Value