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Ross Stores(ROST) - 2026 Q2 - Earnings Call Transcript
2025-08-21 21:15
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total sales for the second quarter grew 5% to $5.5 billion, up from $5.3 billion last year, with comparable store sales up 2% [5] - Earnings per share for the second quarter were $1.56 on net income of $508 million, compared to $1.59 per share on net earnings of $527 million in the prior year [5] - Operating margin decreased 95 basis points to 11.5%, primarily due to tariff-related costs [12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cosmetics was the best-performing merchandise area in the second quarter [6] - The ladies' business showed positive comp growth, outperforming the chain average [26] - Overall comparable store sales at BB's Discounts were solid and ahead of Ross, with growth in both traffic and basket size [7] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The strongest markets were the Southeast and the Midwest [6] - New store openings included 28 new Ross locations and three dd's Discount locations, with a total of approximately 90 new locations planned for the year [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on maintaining its value proposition relative to traditional retailers while balancing the opportunity to preserve merchandise margin [10] - The strategy includes expanding the portion of the business driven by closeouts to mitigate tariff impacts [9] - The company plans to open approximately 90 new locations this year, with a focus on new and existing markets [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism regarding the sales outlook for the remainder of the year, with comparable store sales growth projected at 2% to 3% for the third and fourth quarters [14] - The company anticipates modest pressure from tariffs in the third quarter, which is expected to be mitigated in the fourth quarter [10] - Management noted that pricing across the retail industry is beginning to rise, and they are focused on delivering high-quality branded merchandise at compelling price points [10] Other Important Information - The company repurchased 1.9 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 stock for the year [13] - Management acknowledged the retirement of CFO Adam Orvis and expressed gratitude for his contributions [19] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the sequential top line improvement and the rebound in July? - Management noted broad-based sequential improvement across nearly all merchandise categories, with strong performance in July, particularly in cosmetics and ladies' business [25][26] Question: What are the gross margin drivers for the third and fourth quarters? - Management indicated that tariff costs would continue to impact gross margins, but they expect the pressure to be slightly lower than in Q2 [29] Question: How is the customer responding to price increases? - Management stated that there has been a very modest change in prices, and they will be cautious about significant changes in average unit retail (AUR) [35] Question: What initiatives are being implemented to improve store operations? - Management highlighted store refreshes, self-checkout pilots, and new marketing campaigns as key initiatives to enhance customer experience and drive sales [41][46] Question: Are there any changes in consumer demographics or trade down activity? - Management reported no significant changes in income cohorts but noted a strong response from stores with high concentrations of Hispanic customers [60] Question: What actions are being taken to mitigate tariff impacts? - Management emphasized efforts in vendor negotiations, diversifying sourcing, and increasing closeout merchandise to offset tariff pressures [66][68] Question: What is the outlook for new store openings and associated costs? - Management expressed optimism about new store openings, particularly in Puerto Rico and the New York Metro area, with strong customer responses [98]