Earnings Summary: Ross Stores Q2 FY25 earnings drop despite higher revenues

Ross Stores Inc. (NASDAQ: ROST), which operates a chain of off-price apparel and home accessories stores, has reported mixed results for the second quarter of fiscal 2025.

• Net income declined to $508 million or $1.56 per share in Q2 from $527 million or $1.59 per share in the year-ago quarter
• Total sales increased 5% in the second quarter to $5.5 billion from $5.3 billion in the corresponding quarter of FY24
• In Q2, operating margin decreased 95 basis points to 11.5% compared to the prior-year period, primarily reflecting tariff-related costs
• During the quarter, the company repurchased a total of 1.9 million shares for an aggregate price of $262 million
• For both the third and fourth quarters, Ross is targeting comparable store sales growth of up 2% to 3%.
• Earnings per share for the third quarter are projected to be between $1.31 and $1.37, versus $1.48 last year
• For the fourth quarter, the management projects earnings per share in the range of $1.74 to $1.81
• For fiscal 2025, the company forecasts earnings per share in the range of $6.08 to $6.21, versus $6.32 last year