Is Ross Stores (ROST) a Buy as Wall Street Analysts Look Optimistic?

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the reliability of brokerage recommendations, particularly focusing on Ross Stores (ROST), and emphasizes the importance of using these recommendations in conjunction with other analytical tools like the Zacks Rank to make informed investment decisions [1][5][10]. Brokerage Recommendations - Ross Stores has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.52, indicating a consensus between Strong Buy and Buy, based on recommendations from 23 brokerage firms [2]. - Out of the 23 recommendations, 17 are Strong Buy, accounting for 73.9% of all recommendations [2]. Limitations of Brokerage Recommendations - Studies indicate that brokerage recommendations have limited success in guiding investors towards stocks with the highest price increase potential [5]. - The vested interests of brokerage firms often lead to a positive bias in their analysts' ratings, with a ratio of five Strong Buy recommendations for every Strong Sell [6][10]. - This misalignment of interests can mislead retail investors regarding future stock price movements [7]. Zacks Rank as an Alternative - The Zacks Rank is presented as a more reliable indicator of near-term price performance, utilizing earnings estimate revisions rather than solely brokerage recommendations [8][11]. - The Zacks Rank is distinct from ABR, as it is based on a quantitative model and is displayed in whole numbers, while ABR is calculated from brokerage recommendations and shown in decimals [9]. Current Earnings Estimates for Ross Stores - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ross Stores has remained unchanged at $6.41 over the past month, indicating a decline in analysts' earnings prospects [13]. - The recent consensus estimate changes have led to a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) for Ross Stores, suggesting caution despite the Buy-equivalent ABR [14].