{{short description|American discount department store chain}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Distinguish|Roses (store)}} {{Infobox company | name = Ross Stores, Inc. | logo = Ross Stores logo.svg | image = Ross Store 01.jpg | trade_name = Ross Dress for Less | type = Public | traded_as = {{ubl|{{NASDAQ|ROST}}|Nasdaq-100 component|S&P 500 component}} | founder = Morris Ross<br>Bill Isackson | area_served = {{ubl|United States|Guam | Puerto Rico}} | num_locations = {{plainlist| * 1,795 (Ross Dress for Less)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.retaildive.com/news/ross-stores-adds-24-stores/721968/ |title=Ross Stores adds 24 new locations in 2 months }}</ref> * 353 (DD's Discounts)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scrapehero.com/location-reports/dd's%20DISCOUNTS-USA/|title=Number of dd's DISCOUNTS stores in the United States in 2023 -|website=scapehero.com}}</ref> }} | key_people = {{plainlist| * James Conroy (CEO) * K. Gunnar Bjorklund (Executive Chairman) * Michael J. Hartshorn (COO) * Karen Fleming (CMO) }} | industry = Retail | products = Clothing, footwear, bedding, bath, furniture, home decor, jewelry, beauty products, toys, appliances, housewares, and giftware. | revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|14.89 billion|link=yes}} (2018)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jain |first1=Chelsi |title=Revenue Updated |website=Ross Stores|url=https://investors.rossstores.com/static-files/74cb025f-757a-4118-8dd4-51d0ca6c4d58}}</ref> | operating_income = {{profit}} US$1.61 billion (2015) | net_income = {{profit}} US$1.02 billion (2015) | assets = {{profit}} US$4.87 billion (2015) | equity = {{increase}} US$2.47 billion (2015) | num_employees = 88,100 (2019) | subsid = dd's Discounts| | foundation = {{sda|1950}}, in Pacifica, California, U.S.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/OBITUARY-Morris-Ross-2819641.php | title=OBITUARY -- Morris Ross | date=December 5, 1997 }}</ref> | location_city = Dublin, California | location_country = U.S. | homepage = {{Unbulleted list|{{URL|rossstores.com}}|{{URL|ddsdiscounts.com}}}} | footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://fortune.com/fortune500/ross-stores/ |title=Fortune 500 - 209 Ross Stores |work=Fortune |access-date=August 26, 2019}}</ref> }} '''Ross Stores, Inc.''', operating under the brand name '''Ross Dress for Less''', is an American chain of discount department stores headquartered in Dublin, California.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.truework.com/verifications/ross-stores-employment-verification/ |title=Ross Stores |work=True Work |access-date=August 26, 2019}}</ref> It is the largest off-price retailer in the U.S.; as of July 2024, Ross operates 1,795 stores in 43 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. Puerto Rico and Guam,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ross Stores adds 24 new locations in 2 months |url=https://www.retaildive.com/news/ross-stores-adds-24-stores/721968/ |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Retail Dive |language=en-US}}</ref> covering much of the country, but with no presence in Alaska.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.storesinfo.com/ross|title=Ross locations & hours|last=rvl|publisher=storesinfo.com}}</ref> The company also operates '''DD's Discounts''', a discount department store chain with over 353 locations across the United States, most of which are located in Sun Belt states.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scrapehero.com/location-reports/dd's%20DISCOUNTS-USA/|title=Number of dd's DISCOUNTS stores in the United States in 2023 -|website=scapehero.com}}</ref>{{why|date=September 2025}}
==History== [[File:Ross Dress For Less in Pittsburgh (former Phar-Mor) (9326027750).jpg|left|thumb|A Ross Store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]] [[File:DD's_Discounts_San_Antonio.jpg|left|thumb|A DD's Discounts Store in San Antonio, Texas]] Ross Department Store was first opened in San Bruno, California, in 1950 by Morris "Morrie" Ross. Morris would work 85 hours a week doing all of the buying and bookkeeping for his department store. In 1958 Ross sold his store to William Isackson to become a residential and commercial real estate developer.<ref name="Morrie">{{cite news|last=Pimsleur|first=J.L.|title=Obituary -- Morris Ross|url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/OBITUARY-Morris-Ross-2819641.php|access-date=October 10, 2011|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|date=December 5, 1997}}</ref> Isackson built the company to six stores in the San Francisco Bay Area, located in San Bruno, Pacifica, Novato, Vacaville, Redwood City, and Castro Valley. In 1982 a group of investors, including Mervin Morris, founder of the Mervyn's chain of department stores, purchased the six Ross Department Stores, changed the format to off-price retail units, and within three years rapidly expanded the chain to 107 stores under Stuart Moldaw and Don Rowlett.<ref name="ross">{{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Ross-Stores-Inc-Company-History.html|title=History of Ross Stores, Inc. – FundingUniverse|website=fundinguniverse.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Ross Stores, Inc. – Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Ross Stores, Inc.|url=http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/12/Ross-Stores-Inc.html|website=referenceforbusiness.com|publisher=referenceforbusiness|access-date=June 21, 2014}}</ref>
On August 8, 1985, Ross Stores, Inc. became a public company via an initial public offering, at an initial price of $17.00 per share. Ross Stores trades on Nasdaq's large-cap Global Select Market under the symbol "ROST", and is a component of the Nasdaq-100 and S&P 500 indices.<ref>{{Cite web | title=overview {{!}} Ross Stores, Inc. | url=https://investors.rossstores.com/historical-highlights-0 | access-date=2025-11-15 | website=investors.rossstores.com}}</ref>
By the end of 1995, the chain reached an annual sales of $1.4 billion with 292 stores in 18 states. By 2012, Ross reached $9.7 billion for the fiscal year with 1,091 stores in 33 states with an additional 108 for DD's Discounts in 8 states.<ref>{{cite web|title=Overview: Historical Highlights|url=https://investors.rossstores.com/historical-highlights-0|access-date=June 21, 2014|publisher=Ross Dress for Less}}</ref> Ross moved its headquarters from Newark, California, to Pleasanton, California, in the Tri-Valley area, in 2003.
Barbara Rentler took the place of CEO Michael Balmuth on June 1, 2014; she was the 25th female CEO of a ''Fortune'' 500 company.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rupp|first1=Lindsey|title=Ross Stores' Rentler to Be 25th Female CEO in Fortune 500|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-05-07/ross-says-merchandising-chief-rentler-to-become-ceo|publisher=Bloomberg Business|access-date=February 26, 2015|date=May 8, 2014}}</ref> Ross moved its headquarters from Pleasanton to neighboring Dublin, California, in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pleasantonweekly.com/print/story/2012/01/27/ross-moving-corporate-headquarters-to-dublin-in-2014|title=Ross moving corporate headquarters to Dublin in 2014 - January 27, 2012 - Pleasanton Weekly - PleasantonWeekly.com -|website=pleasantonweekly.com|date=January 27, 2012 }}</ref>
On October 28, 2024, the company's board of directors appointed James Conroy as the new CEO, succeeding Barbara Rentler effective February 2, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ross Stores Names James G. Conroy as Next Chief Executive Officer |url=https://investors.rossstores.com/news-releases/news-release-details/ross-stores-names-james-g-conroy-next-chief-executive-officer}}</ref> Conroy previously was CEO of Boot Barn.
In 2025, Ross Dress for Less expanded into Puerto Rico.
==See also== {{Portal|San Francisco Bay Area|Companies}} *Burlington *Marshalls *Target *TJ Maxx *Walmart
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}}
*[https://www.rossstores.com/ Official website] {{Finance links | name = Ross | symbol = ROST | sec_cik = ROST | yahoo = ROST | google = ROST }}
{{NASDAQ-100}} {{S&P 500 companies}} {{authority control|state=expanded}}
Category:Clothing retailers of the United States Category:American companies established in 1950 Category:Retail companies established in 1950 Category:Department stores of the United States Category:Discount stores of the United States Category:Companies based in Alameda County, California Category:Dublin, California Category:Companies listed on the Nasdaq Category:1950 establishments in California