Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) Shares Sold by Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co.

Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. decreased its position in shares of Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) by 3.0% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,930 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock after selling 91 shares during the quarter. Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co.’s holdings in Ross Stores were worth $430,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Ross Stores by 52.9% in the 4th quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 240 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Rock Creek Group LP acquired a new position in Ross Stores during the third quarter valued at $35,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Ross Stores by 41.8% in the fourth quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 251 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the last quarter. McGlone Suttner Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Ross Stores in the fourth quarter valued at $51,000. Finally, Mendota Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Ross Stores during the 4th quarter valued at about $61,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.86% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Patricia H. Mueller sold 941 shares of Ross Stores stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $138.37, for a total value of $130,206.17. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 973 shares in the company, valued at approximately $134,634.01. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, Director Patricia H. Mueller sold 941 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.37, for a total value of $130,206.17. Following the sale, the director now owns 973 shares in the company, valued at approximately $134,634.01. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Michael K. Kobayashi sold 13,860 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $147.46, for a total value of $2,043,795.60. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 61,657 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,091,941.22. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 48,717 shares of company stock valued at $7,141,031. Company insiders own 2.10% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on ROST shares. Loop Capital lifted their target price on shares of Ross Stores from $150.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 6th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Ross Stores from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, May 24th. Barclays upped their price target on Ross Stores from $163.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, May 24th. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on Ross Stores from $155.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, May 24th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Ross Stores from $138.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 6th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $156.58.

Ross Stores Trading Down 1.1 %

ROST opened at $148.69 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $49.60 billion, a PE ratio of 25.07, a P/E/G ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 1.08. Ross Stores, Inc. has a one year low of $106.47 and a one year high of $151.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.54. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $136.60 and its 200 day moving average price is $139.63.

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 23rd. The apparel retailer reported $1.46 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.35 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $4.86 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.83 billion. Ross Stores had a return on equity of 42.24% and a net margin of 9.60%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.09 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Ross Stores, Inc. will post 5.97 EPS for the current year.

Ross Stores declared that its board has initiated a share buyback plan on Tuesday, March 5th that authorizes the company to repurchase $2.10 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the apparel retailer to repurchase up to 4.3% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are typically an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Ross Stores Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 28th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 11th will be given a dividend of $0.3675 per share. This represents a $1.47 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.99%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 11th. Ross Stores’s dividend payout ratio is presently 24.79%.

Ross Stores Profile

Ross Stores, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates off-price retail apparel and home fashion stores under the Ross Dress for Less and dd's DISCOUNTS brand names in the United States. Its stores primarily offer apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions. The company's Ross Dress for Less stores sell its products at department and specialty stores to middle income households; and dd's DISCOUNTS stores sell its products at department and discount stores for households with moderate income.