Despite Suboptimal Execution in Its First Quarter, Ross’s Long-term Advantages Remain

With a fast-turning inventory of high-value branded merchandise, Ross' store experience and value proposition should continue to resonate as the pandemic ebbs. Ross weathered a number of challenges in 2021, with a difficult environment for experience-oriented physical retail, inflation, supply chain disruptions, and volatile case counts eased by economic stimulus, continued strength in home décor categories, and the start of Americans’ post-pandemic wardrobe rebuild. The current situation is unprecedented, but off-price retailers have not been derailed by past recessions; Ross’ comparable sales grew by 2% and 6% in fiscal 2008 and 2009, respectively.