ROST
Ross Stores Inc. Consumer Discretionary - Retail Investor Relations →
Ross Stores Inc. (ROST) closed at $211.19 as of 2026-03-20, trading 63.0% above its 200-week moving average of $129.58. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from 59.7% last week. With a 14-week RSI of 79, ROST is in overbought territory.
Trading volume is running at 1.3x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (1.36 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 2071 weeks of data, ROST has crossed below its 200-week moving average 26 times. On average, these episodes lasted 14 weeks. Historically, investors who bought ROST at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +27.8%.
With a market cap of $68.7 billion, ROST is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 2.4%. Return on equity stands at 36.7%, indicating strong profitability. The stock trades at 10.9x book value.
The company has been aggressively buying back shares, reducing its share count by 6.5% over the past three years.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in ROST would have grown to $41362, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 19.9% vs 10.4% for the index — confirming ROST as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been volatile over the past several years, making the quality of earnings harder to assess.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: ROST vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After ROST Crosses Below the Line?
Across 21 historical episodes, buying ROST when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +22.2% after 12 months (median +24.0%), compared to +10.0% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 76% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +71.4% vs +18.4% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment ROST crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
ROST has crossed below its 200-week MA 26 times with an average 1-year return of +27.8% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1986 | Sep 1988 | 112 | 64.4% | -9.5% | +76963.0% |
| Nov 1988 | Nov 1988 | 2 | 4.4% | +73.0% | +98832.1% |
| Feb 1990 | Feb 1990 | 1 | 0.4% | -31.0% | +87054.6% |
| Apr 1990 | Jun 1990 | 7 | 15.0% | -13.4% | +89180.2% |
| Jul 1990 | May 1991 | 43 | 57.2% | +38.6% | +88104.6% |
| Jun 1992 | Aug 1992 | 7 | 13.2% | +13.5% | +70294.1% |
| Sep 1992 | Oct 1992 | 3 | 11.5% | +2.8% | +68965.8% |
| May 1993 | May 1993 | 4 | 4.2% | +6.7% | +66454.4% |
| Aug 1993 | Sep 1993 | 5 | 2.6% | +12.0% | +68320.4% |
| Dec 1993 | Jan 1994 | 6 | 7.6% | -15.5% | +67686.9% |
| May 1994 | Jun 1994 | 5 | 4.7% | -20.0% | +68339.5% |
| Sep 1994 | Aug 1995 | 46 | 35.3% | +9.6% | +61847.4% |
| Jan 2000 | Mar 2000 | 10 | 22.9% | +28.8% | +14313.9% |
| Jun 2000 | Jan 2001 | 30 | 27.6% | +47.3% | +12774.2% |
| Apr 2001 | Apr 2001 | 1 | 0.0% | +107.1% | +11324.2% |
| Sep 2005 | Sep 2005 | 1 | 1.4% | +12.2% | +4432.0% |
| Jul 2006 | Sep 2006 | 9 | 8.9% | +31.0% | +4108.6% |
| Jul 2007 | Aug 2007 | 3 | 0.4% | +38.5% | +3610.8% |
| Sep 2007 | Jan 2008 | 21 | 15.6% | +53.4% | +3759.1% |
| Oct 2008 | Oct 2008 | 3 | 2.2% | +61.9% | +3471.3% |
| Nov 2008 | Dec 2008 | 5 | 18.3% | +77.5% | +3747.7% |
| Mar 2020 | Apr 2020 | 3 | 20.9% | +90.4% | +251.3% |
| Oct 2020 | Nov 2020 | 1 | 0.3% | +33.9% | +162.8% |
| Jan 2022 | Apr 2022 | 12 | 13.6% | +22.9% | +132.2% |
| Apr 2022 | Nov 2022 | 29 | 29.5% | +8.4% | +121.3% |
| Mar 2023 | Mar 2023 | 2 | 0.9% | +43.9% | +114.2% |
| Average | 14 | — | +27.8% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ROST below its 200-week moving average?
No. Ross Stores Inc. (ROST) is currently 63.0% above its 200-week moving average of $129.58. It would need to fall to $129.58 to cross below the line.
What is ROST's 200-week moving average price?
Ross Stores Inc.'s 200-week moving average is $129.58 as of 2026-03-20. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when ROST drops below its 200-week moving average?
ROST has crossed below its 200-week moving average 26 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +27.8%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 14 weeks on average.
Is ROST a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about ROST as of 2026-03-20: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 79 (overbought). Free cash flow yield is 2.4%. Return on equity is 36.7%. Price-to-book is 10.9x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does ROST compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 33.2 years, $100 invested in ROST would have grown to $41362, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. That's 19.9% annualized vs 10.4% for the index. ROST has outperformed the broader market over this period.
Does ROST pay a dividend?
Yes. Ross Stores Inc. currently pays a dividend yield of 84.00%.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-03-20