S&P 500 Futures Decline in Premarket Trading; Elastic, Gap Inc Lead
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Nov 22 2024
0mins
Should l Buy ROST?
Source: Barron's
Market Performance: In pre-market trading, Elastic N.V. surged 26.7% and Gap Inc. rose 15.2%, while S&P 500 futures dipped 0.13%. Stocks in Europe showed gains, with the STOXX Europe 600 Index up 0.58%.
Commodities and Bitcoin: Brent crude oil futures fell by 0.77%, gold futures increased by 1.01%, and Bitcoin rose 0.52% to $98,842, as the 10-Year Treasury yield decreased to 4.394%.
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Analyst Views on ROST
Wall Street analysts forecast ROST stock price to rise
16 Analyst Rating
13 Buy
3 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 194.850
Low
142.00
Averages
198.93
High
224.00
Current: 194.850
Low
142.00
Averages
198.93
High
224.00
About ROST
Ross Stores, Inc. is engaged in operating two brands of off-price retail apparel and home fashion stores-Ross Dress for Less (Ross) and dds DISCOUNTS. Ross is the off-price apparel and home fashion chain in the United States, with approximately 1,831 locations in 43 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam. Ross offers in-season, name brand and designer apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions for the entire family at savings of 20% to 60% off department and specialty store regular prices every day. Ross target customers are primarily from middle-income households. It also operates approximately 355 dds DISCOUNTS stores in 22 states. dds DISCOUNTS features more moderately-priced in- season, name brand apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions for the entire family at savings of 20% to 70% off moderate department and discount store regular prices every day. It operates a total of approximately 2,186 stores.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Eddie Bauer Files for Voluntary Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection Amid Operational Pressures
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- Restructuring Agreement: The company has entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement with its secured lenders and commenced voluntary bankruptcy proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey, aiming to maintain operations and seek a buyer through restructuring.
- Retail Operations Continuity: Despite entering bankruptcy, Eddie Bauer's stores in the U.S. and Canada will remain open for liquidation sales, maximizing asset value while searching for a going-concern buyer, indicating a strategic approach to asset management during financial distress.
- E-commerce Business Stability: Eddie Bauer's e-commerce and wholesale operations, which transitioned to Outdoor 5, LLC in January, remain unaffected by the bankruptcy process, suggesting that the company has managed to stabilize part of its business during this transition.
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See More
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- Leader's Passing: Norman Ferber, former Chairman and CEO of Ross Stores, passed away on January 23, 2026, at the age of 77 after a brief illness, marking a significant loss in the company's history.
- Contribution to Growth: Ferber was instrumental in transforming Ross Stores from a small six-store chain into a leading off-price retailer since its inception, showcasing his exceptional leadership skills.
- Long-Term Advisory Role: Even after his tenure as CEO, Ferber continued to advise the company for nearly 30 years, demonstrating his profound influence and commitment to Ross Stores.
- Industry Impact: Ferber's passing may affect Ross Stores' future strategies and market performance, particularly as the retail sector faces transformation and intensified competition.
See More
Ross Stores Former Chairman Norman Ferber Passes Away
- Leader's Passing: Norman Ferber, former Chairman and CEO of Ross Stores, passed away on January 23, 2026, at the age of 77 due to a brief illness, having played a pivotal role in transforming the company from a six-store chain into a leading off-price retailer.
- Strategic Impact: During his tenure, Ferber held key positions including President, COO, and CEO, and his leadership style and business insights significantly influenced the company's long-term strategy and growth, particularly during his time as Chairman of the Board.
- Community Contribution: In honor of Ferber's deep care for Ross Associates, the company contributed to the Ross Cares Fund to assist community members in navigating difficult times, reflecting his strong commitment to both the company and the communities it serves.
- Honorary Tribute: The Ross Stores Foundation made a donation in Ferber's memory, and the Moldaw-Zaffaroni Clubhouse in East Palo Alto named its main Art and Academic Room after him, recognizing his passion for educational support and community involvement.
See More
Eddie Bauer Files for Voluntary Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection Amid Operational Pressures
- Bankruptcy Filing: Eddie Bauer LLC announced on Monday that it has filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, primarily due to tariff uncertainty and mounting operational pressures, highlighting the severe financial challenges the company faces.
- Restructuring Agreement: The company has entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement with its secured lenders and commenced voluntary bankruptcy proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey, aiming to maintain operations and seek a buyer through restructuring.
- Retail Operations Continuity: Despite entering bankruptcy, Eddie Bauer's stores in the U.S. and Canada will remain open for liquidation sales, maximizing asset value while searching for a going-concern buyer, indicating a strategic approach to asset management during financial distress.
- E-commerce Business Stability: Eddie Bauer's e-commerce and wholesale operations, which transitioned to Outdoor 5, LLC in January, remain unaffected by the bankruptcy process, suggesting that the company has managed to stabilize part of its business during this transition.
See More
Madison Asset Management Liquidates Trex Position Worth $98 Million
- Position Liquidation: Madison Asset Management sold all 1,893,081 shares of Trex in Q4 2025 for an estimated $97.82 million, indicating a significant decline in the fund's Trex position and reflecting a pessimistic outlook on the company's future performance.
- Poor Market Performance: As of February 5, 2026, Trex shares were priced at $43.02, down 38.6% year-over-year, significantly underperforming the S&P 500 by 52 percentage points, suggesting serious challenges to its competitive position in the market.
- Sales Growth Potential: Despite market volatility, Trex achieved a 25% sales increase in its latest quarter, with new products accounting for 25% of sales, indicating strong innovation capabilities and demand that could lay the groundwork for future recovery.
- Attractive Valuation: Trex's EV-to-EBITDA ratio stands at 15, below its decade-long average of 23, suggesting that the current stock price remains attractive in light of its long-term growth potential, which may draw interest from long-term investors.
See More
Madison Asset Management Acquires MSA Safety Shares
- New Position Disclosure: Madison Asset Management disclosed a new position in MSA Safety, acquiring 568,244 shares valued at approximately $91 million, representing 1% of its $8.7 billion AUM, indicating confidence in the company's potential.
- Holding Rankings: Following this acquisition, MSA Safety remains outside Madison's top five holdings, which include ACGL, ROST, PCAR, GOOGL, and APH, reflecting the firm's ongoing commitment to a diversified investment strategy.
- Financial Performance: MSA Safety reported a trailing twelve-month revenue of $1.86 billion and a net income of $279.92 million, with a dividend yield of 1.13%, although its stock has underperformed the S&P 500 index over the past year, suggesting market caution regarding its growth prospects.
- Future Outlook: MSA Safety is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter results on February 11, where management is expected to provide guidance for 2026, and investors should pay attention to anticipated low-single-digit sales growth for the year ahead.
See More
JPMorgan Updates Stock Favorites List for February
- New Additions: JPMorgan's February favorites list includes First Industrial Realty Trust, a Chicago-based industrial real estate owner, whose shares have risen nearly 8% over the past year but remain below the 2021 all-time high, indicating relative value and growth potential.
- Improving Fundamentals: Analyst Ken Goldman highlighted that industrial fundamentals are improving, and First Industrial Realty Trust is well-positioned to leverage its substantial development pipeline, thus providing a solid investment opportunity for stakeholders.
- Stocks Retained: JPMorgan maintains its bullish stance on Boeing and Microsoft, despite a sell-off in Microsoft shares due to slight misses in cloud service growth; the bank reiterates its overweight rating, emphasizing the importance of the Azure revenue base.
- Stocks Removed: The bank has removed Best Buy, Burlington Stores, and Regency Centers from its February list, downgrading Best Buy and Regency to neutral while keeping Burlington at overweight, reflecting a cautious outlook on these retailers.
See More
Ross Stores Former Chairman Norman Ferber Passes Away
- Leader's Passing: Norman Ferber, former Chairman and CEO of Ross Stores, passed away on January 23, 2026, at the age of 77 after a brief illness, marking a significant loss in the company's history.
- Contribution to Growth: Ferber was instrumental in transforming Ross Stores from a small six-store chain into a leading off-price retailer since its inception, showcasing his exceptional leadership skills.
- Long-Term Advisory Role: Even after his tenure as CEO, Ferber continued to advise the company for nearly 30 years, demonstrating his profound influence and commitment to Ross Stores.
- Industry Impact: Ferber's passing may affect Ross Stores' future strategies and market performance, particularly as the retail sector faces transformation and intensified competition.
See More
Ross Stores Former Chairman Norman Ferber Passes Away
- Leader's Passing: Norman Ferber, former Chairman and CEO of Ross Stores, passed away on January 23, 2026, at the age of 77 due to a brief illness, having played a pivotal role in transforming the company from a six-store chain into a leading off-price retailer.
- Strategic Impact: During his tenure, Ferber held key positions including President, COO, and CEO, and his leadership style and business insights significantly influenced the company's long-term strategy and growth, particularly during his time as Chairman of the Board.
- Community Contribution: In honor of Ferber's deep care for Ross Associates, the company contributed to the Ross Cares Fund to assist community members in navigating difficult times, reflecting his strong commitment to both the company and the communities it serves.
- Honorary Tribute: The Ross Stores Foundation made a donation in Ferber's memory, and the Moldaw-Zaffaroni Clubhouse in East Palo Alto named its main Art and Academic Room after him, recognizing his passion for educational support and community involvement.
See More
