TLDRRoss Stores Q2 sales rose 13% to $6.3 billion as customer traffic strengthened.Quarterly EPS climbed to $2.66 from $1.56, easily beating prior company guidance.ROST surged 6.79% after hours to $244.53 following the strong earnings report.Ross raised 2026 EPS guidance to 8.61–8.77 after a strong first-half performance.Ross increased its 2026 store opening plan to 115 locations after strong growth.Ross Stores shares jumped in after-hours trading after the retailer reported stronger second-quarter sales, earnings, and comparable-store growth. ROST closed 2.43% lower at $228.99 before rising 6.79% to $244.53 after the results. The company also raised its full-year earnings outlook and increased its planned store openings.Ross Stores, Inc., ROSTRoss Stores Q2 Sales Rise 13% as Customer Traffic StrengthensRoss Stores reported second-quarter sales of $6.3 billion, up 13% from $5.5 billion one year earlier. Comparable-store sales increased 10%, following a 2% gain during the same quarter last year. Customer traffic remained the main driver behind the stronger comparable-store performance.Net income reached $851 million during the quarter, compared with $508 million in the previous-year period. Earnings per share climbed to $2.66 from $1.56 one year earlier. The latest figure also exceeded management’s previous guidance range of $1.85 to $1.93.Operating profit reached $1.1 billion, helped partly by $253 million in IEEPA tariff refunds. Those refunds contributed about $0.60 per share to quarterly earnings and lifted operating margins. However, operating margin still improved 205 basis points when management excluded the tariff-related benefit.Ross Stores Raises 2026 Earnings Guidance After Strong First HalfRoss Stores increased its fiscal 2026 earnings forecast following its strong first-half results. The company now expects full-year earnings per share between $8.61 and $8.77. That forecast includes the approximate $0.60 benefit from tariff refunds recorded during the second quarter.For the third quarter, management expects comparable-store sales to increase between 6% and 7%. The company projects third-quarter earnings per share between $1.75 and $1.83. Ross also expects fourth-quarter comparable sales growth between 4% and 5%.Fourth-quarter earnings per share should range from $2.17 to $2.26 under the updated outlook. Ross raised those projections despite tougher year-over-year comparisons expected during the second half. Strong traffic and improving store performance supported management’s decision to lift its expectations.Ross Expands Store Growth Plan and Continues Share BuybacksRoss Stores also increased its 2026 expansion plan after opening 47 locations during the second quarter. Those openings included 35 Ross Dress for Less stores and 12 dd’s DISCOUNTS locations. The company now plans to open 115 new stores during the full fiscal year.The updated plan includes about 90 Ross Dress for Less stores and 25 dd’s DISCOUNTS locations. Management previously targeted a lower number of openings before raising the plan following recent performance. The expansion reflects continued demand across both established and newer markets.Ross also repurchased 1.4 million shares for $319 million during the second quarter. Those purchases fall under a $2.55 billion authorization approved by the board in March 2026. The company still expects to repurchase $1.275 billion of common stock during fiscal 2026. The post Ross Stores (ROST) Stock: Jumps as Q2 Sales Surge 13% and EPS Hits $2.66 appeared first on Blockonomi.