SEC FORM 4 SEC Form 4
FORM 4 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
 
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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
BALMUTH MICHAEL

(Last) (First) (Middle)
4440 ROSEWOOD DR.

(Street)
PLEASANTON CA 94588

(City) (State) (Zip)
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ROSS STORES INC [ ROST ]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
X Director 10% Owner
X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)
Vice Chairman, Pres. & CEO
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/17/2005
4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
X Form filed by One Reporting Person
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 03/17/2005 A 279,623(1) A $0.00 683,265 D
Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year) 7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Option $28.61 03/17/2005 A 559,246 (2) 03/17/2015 Common Stock 559,246 $0.00 559,246 D
Explanation of Responses:
1. Shares become vested as follows: 40% vest as of October 15, 2007 and 60% vest as of October 15, 2008.
2. Shares become vested as follows: 40% vest monthly in year ending March 17, 2008 and 60% vest monthly in year ending March 17, 2009.
Mark Askanas, Attorney in Fact 03/21/2005
** Signature of Reporting Person Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.
ROSS STORES, INC.
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know all by these presents, that the undersigned
hereby authorizes Mark Askanas, General Counsel, and
John Call, Chief Financial Officer, and their
designees, Mary Tanner, Vice President of Human
Resources, and Chuck Kurth, Vice President of Finance
and Treasurer, of Ross Stores, Inc. (the "Company"),
to execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in
the undersigned's capacity as an officer or director
of the Company, Forms 4 and 5, and any amendments
thereto, and cause such form(s) to be filed with the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission
pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Act of
1934, relating to the undersigned's beneficial
ownership of securities in the Company.  The
undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-
fact full power and authority to do and perform any
and every act and thing whatsoever requisite,
necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any
of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to
all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally present, with full power of
substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such
attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this
power of attorney and the rights and powers herein
granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such
capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not
assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the
undersigned's responsibilities to comply with
Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force
and effect until the undersigned is no longer required
to file Forms 4 and 5 with respect to the
undersigned's holdings of, and transactions in,
securities issued by the Company, unless earlier
revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing
delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has cause this
Power of Attorney to be executed as of this 4 day of
September, 2002.
/S/ MICHAEL BALMUTH
SIGNATURE, MICHAEL BALMUTH



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