Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total sales for the third quarter grew 10% to $5.6 billion, with comparable store sales increasing by 7% [5][6] - Earnings per share for the third quarter were $1.58, compared to $1.48 in the prior year, with net income of $512 million [6][7] - For the first nine months, earnings per share were $4.61, up from $4.53 in the same period last year, with net earnings of $1.5 billion [7] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Strongest merchandise areas in the third quarter included cosmetics, shoes, and ladies' apparel [8] - The branded strategy has positively impacted the ladies' business, which comped above the chain average [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Geographic performance showed broad-based strength, particularly in the Southeast and Midwest regions [8][12] - The company opened 36 new Ross and four dd's DISCOUNTS stores during the third quarter, completing its expansion program for 2025 [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company has fully embedded its branded strategy into its merchandising approach, focusing on delivering high-quality branded bargains [9][10] - The marketing campaigns have been updated to resonate with younger customers, aiming to enhance customer engagement [27][29] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the fourth quarter, raising the comparable store sales forecast to 3-4% and earnings per share guidance for fiscal 2025 to $6.38-$6.46 [13][14] - The company expects tariff-related costs in the fourth quarter to be negligible, indicating improved cost management [14] Other Important Information - The company repurchased 1.7 million shares for an aggregate cost of $262 million, remaining on track to buy back a total of $1.05 billion in shares this year [13] - Total consolidated inventories were up 9% versus last year, with average store inventories up 15% as the company prepared for the holiday season [8] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you break down the inflection in same-store sales? - Management noted broad-based strength across all major merchandise categories and regions, attributing some improvement to internal initiatives and favorable weather conditions [20][22] Question: What are the major drivers of the improvement in momentum? - Management highlighted the sophistication of the merchandising team and the importance of aligning merchandising, marketing, and store operations for growth [25][26] Question: How are you addressing the marketing changes? - The company is focused on creating a refreshed marketing message to engage both new and lapsed customers, with early positive results [41][42] Question: What is the outlook for the branded strategy? - Management sees continued opportunity for growth in the ladies' business and believes the branded strategy will yield further improvements [48][50] Question: How are you managing tariff-related costs? - The company has successfully mitigated tariff impacts through strategic vendor partnerships and closeout opportunities, expecting negligible costs in the fourth quarter [34][82] Question: What is the status of self-checkout implementation? - Self-checkout has been rolled out to 80 stores, showing positive customer adoption and sales impacts, with plans for further expansion [78] Question: How is the home business performing? - The home business has shown sequential improvement, and management feels well-positioned for the holiday season despite previous weaknesses [112][113]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total sales for the third quarter grew 10% to $5.6 billion, with comparable store sales increasing by 7% [5][6] - Earnings per share for the third quarter were $1.58 on net income of $512 million, compared to $1.48 per share on net earnings of $489 million in the prior year [6][7] - For the first nine months, earnings per share were $4.61 on net earnings of $1.5 billion, compared to $4.53 per share on net income of $1.5 billion for the same period last year [7] - Operating margin for the third quarter was 11.6%, which was stronger than expected [6][12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Strongest merchandise areas in the third quarter included cosmetics, shoes, and ladies' apparel [8] - The branded strategy has positively impacted the ladies' business, which comped above the chain average [10][48] - Average store inventories were up 15% as the company advanced inventory build for the holiday season [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Broad-based strength was observed across geographic regions, with the Southeast and Midwest performing the best [8][37] - Hispanic stores showed solid comparable sales despite trailing the chain slightly [37] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company has fully embedded its branded strategy into its merchandising approach, focusing on delivering high-quality branded bargains [9][10] - The company plans to close and/or relocate 10 locations in the fourth quarter, expecting to end the year with 1,903 Ross stores and 360 dd's locations [9] - The company is optimistic about its prospects for the fourth quarter, supported by strong merchandising plans and product assortments [16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to navigate macro uncertainties and maintain a strong value proposition [11][16] - The company expects tariff-related costs in the fourth quarter to be negligible, with a full-year cost of approximately $0.15 per share [14] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining a strong value gap against traditional retailers [63] Other Important Information - The company repurchased 1.7 million shares of common stock for an aggregate cost of $262 million, remaining on track to buy back a total of $1.05 billion in shares this year [13] - The company opened 36 new Ross and four dd's DISCOUNTS stores during the third quarter [8] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you break down the inflection in same-store sales? - Management noted broad-based strength across all major merchandise categories and geographic regions, attributing some improvement to internal initiatives and favorable weather conditions [20][22] Question: What are the major drivers of the improvement in momentum? - Management credited the sophisticated merchandising team and emphasized the importance of marketing and store experience in driving traffic [25][26] Question: How are you addressing the marketing changes? - Management indicated that the refreshed marketing message has improved engagement with both new and lapsed customers, with early metrics showing positive results [41][42] Question: Can you discuss the branded strategy's impact? - Management stated that the branded strategy has significantly improved the ladies' business and expects continued growth opportunities in this area [48][50] Question: What is the outlook for merchandise margins? - Management expects merchandise margins to remain stable over time, with ongoing opportunities for improvement as vendor relationships strengthen [101][104] Question: How is the self-checkout rollout progressing? - Self-checkout is currently in 80 stores, showing lower shrink and high customer adoption, with plans for further rollout next year [78] Question: How did dd's perform compared to Ross? - dd's performance was consistent with Ross, with no significant pressure noted during the quarter [82]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total sales for Q3 2025 grew 10% to $5.6 billion, with comparable store sales increasing 7% [3][4] - Earnings per share for the quarter were $1.58 on net income of $512 million, compared to $1.48 per share on net earnings of $489 million in the prior year [4] - For the first nine months, earnings per share were $4.61 on net earnings of $1.5 billion, compared to $4.53 per share on net income of $1.5 billion for the same period last year [4] - Operating margin for the quarter was 11.6%, which was stronger than expected [4][10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Strongest merchandise areas in Q3 included cosmetics, shoes, and ladies' apparel [5] - The branded strategy has positively impacted the ladies' business, which comped above the chain average [8][48] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Broad-based strength was observed across geographic regions, with the Southeast and Midwest performing the best [5][19] - Hispanic stores showed solid comps despite trailing the chain slightly [37] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company has fully embedded its branded strategy into its merchandising approach, focusing on delivering high-quality branded bargains [6][8] - Plans to close and/or relocate 10 locations in Q4, expecting to end the year with 1,903 Ross stores and 360 dd's locations [6] - The company aims to maintain a strong value proposition relative to traditional retailers while mitigating impacts on merchandise margins [9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the fourth quarter, raising comparable store sales forecast to 3-4% and earnings per share guidance for fiscal 2025 to $6.38-$6.46 [11][12] - The company expects tariff-related costs in Q4 to be negligible, with a full-year cost of approximately $0.15 per share [12] - Management acknowledged macro uncertainties but credited the team for executing well and navigating through challenges [20] Other Important Information - The company repurchased 1.7 million shares for an aggregate cost of $262 million, remaining on track to buy back a total of $1.05 billion in shares this year [11] - Total consolidated inventories were up 9% versus last year, with average store inventories up 15% [5] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you break down the inflection in same-store sales? - Management noted broad-based strength across all major merchandise categories and geographic regions, attributing some improvement to internal initiatives and favorable weather conditions [19][20] Question: What are the major drivers of the improvement in momentum? - Management highlighted the sophistication of the merchandising team and the effectiveness of marketing and store teams in driving traffic and improving the in-store experience [24][25] Question: How is the branded strategy impacting the business? - The branded strategy has significantly improved the ladies' business, which has shown sequential improvement and is expected to continue driving growth [48][49] Question: What is the outlook for tariff costs? - Management expects tariff-related costs to be negligible in Q4 and has successfully mitigated impacts throughout the year [32][85] Question: How is the store experience being enhanced? - The company is refreshing stores to provide a modern look and feel, with positive customer feedback so far [60] Question: Are there plans for a loyalty program? - Currently, there is no active loyalty program, but the company has a decent email database and is exploring future marketing initiatives [122]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q4 2024, earnings per share were $1.79 compared to $1.82 for Q4 2023, with net income at $587 million versus $610 million last year [10] - Total sales for Q4 2024 were $5.9 billion, with a comparable store sales gain of 3% on top of a 7% gain in the same period last year [10] - For fiscal 2024, earnings per share increased to $6.32 from $5.56 in fiscal 2023, with net income rising to $2.1 billion compared to $1.9 billion last year [11] - Total sales for fiscal 2024 increased to $21.1 billion, up from $20.4 billion in the prior year [11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cosmetics and children's merchandise were the best-performing areas during the holiday season, while DD's discounts posted healthy sales gains [14] - The operating margin for Q4 was 12.4%, flat compared to last year, with a 105 basis point benefit from the sale of a packaway facility [13][20] - Merchandise margin declined by 85 basis points due to an increased mix of quality branded assortments [21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Pacific Northwest and Texas were the strongest regions for sales performance, while California and Florida were in line with the chain average [52] - Consolidated inventories were up 12%, mainly due to higher planned packaway levels, with packaway representing 41% of total inventories compared to 40% last year [15] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to open approximately 90 new locations in fiscal 2025, including about 80 Ross and 10 DD's, while closing or relocating about 10 to 15 older stores [29] - The management believes the brand and merchandising strategies for both Ross and DD's are sound and will continue to be pursued without significant changes [40][41] - The company aims to enhance its store environment and marketing efforts, with a focus on prudent investment and potential ROI [72] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that sales trends began softening later in January and into February due to unseasonable weather and macroeconomic volatility [23] - The company expects comparable store sales for Q1 2025 to be down 3% to flat, with earnings per share projected between $1.33 and $1.47 [24] - Management remains optimistic about the potential for closeout merchandise opportunities due to the current retail environment [34] Other Important Information - The company repurchased 1.7 million shares for $262 million in Q4 2024, totaling 7.3 million shares for $1.05 billion in fiscal 2024 [16] - A 10% increase in the quarterly cash dividend to $0.405 per share was approved, payable on March 31, 2025 [17] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on your top strategic priorities? - The CEO indicated that the brand strategy for Ross and customer strategy for DD's are sound and will continue to be pursued, with a focus on learning the off-price model [40] Question: Can you discuss regional performance in Q4? - The Pacific Northwest and Texas were top-performing regions, while California and Florida were in line with the chain [52] Question: How do you view the impact of weather on sales? - Management noted that weather-impacted areas saw declines, but improvements were observed as weather conditions improved [46] Question: What is the outlook for merchandise margins? - Merchandise margins are expected to be relatively neutral for fiscal 2025, with ongoing adjustments based on customer feedback [64] Question: How is the company handling tariffs? - The company is monitoring tariff changes closely and plans to maintain price competitiveness while exploring closeout opportunities [110][111] Question: What is the strategy for store openings? - The company sees growth potential with existing store formats and plans to continue opening new stores in various markets [117] Question: How does the company plan to enhance marketing efforts? - The CEO acknowledged the need for improved marketing and messaging, with plans to invest in these areas over time [134]