PLEASANTON, Calif., March 3, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --

Ross Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq: ROST) today reported that sales increased 7% to $595 million for the four weeks ended February 26, 2011, up from $554 million for the four weeks ended February 27, 2010. Comparable store sales for the month grew 3% on top of a very strong 11% gain last year.

Michael Balmuth, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are pleased to report February same store sales outperformed our forecast for flat to up 1%. Dresses and Juniors were the strongest merchandise areas, with the Mid-Atlantic and Florida as our top performing markets. While we are encouraged by our solid start to the year, the much more important March/April holiday selling period is still ahead. As a result, our forecast for same store sales to be down 2% to 3% in March and up 4% to 5% in April remains unchanged."

Additional recorded information concerning today's press release and the Company's future outlook can be accessed by calling 706-645-9291, ID# 34785388, from 8:30 a.m. Eastern time on March 3, 2011 through 8:00 p.m. Eastern time on March 4, 2011. A transcript of these comments is available in the Investors section of the Company's website at http://www.rossstores.com/. The Company will report fourth quarter and fiscal year 2010 earnings results on Thursday, March 17, 2011 and March 2011 sales results on Thursday, April 7, 2011.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release and the recorded comments and transcript on our corporate website contain forward-looking statements regarding expected sales and earnings levels in future periods that are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause our actual results to differ materially from management's current expectations. The words "plan," "expect," "target," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "forecast," "projected," "guidance," "looking ahead" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. Risk factors for Ross Dress for Less(R) ("Ross") and dd's DISCOUNTS(R) include without limitation, competitive pressures in the apparel or home-related merchandise industry; changes in the level of consumer spending on or preferences for apparel or home-related merchandise; the potential impact from the macro-economic environment and uncertainty in financial and credit markets including but not limited tointerest rates, recession, inflation, deflation,energy costs, tax rates and policy, unemployment trends, and fluctuating commodity costs; changes in geopoliticalconditions; unseasonable weather trends; disruptions in supply chain; lower than planned gross margin, including higher than planned markdowns and higher than expected inventory shortage; greater than planned operating costs; our ability to continue to purchase attractive brand-name merchandise at desirable discounts; our ability to attract and retain personnel with the retail talent necessary to execute our strategies; our ability to effectively operate our various supply chain, core merchandising and other information systems; our ability to improve our merchandising capabilities through the implementation of new processes and systems enhancements; achieving and maintaining targeted levels of productivity and efficiency in our distribution centers; and obtaining acceptable new store locations. Other risk factors are detailed in our SEC filings including without limitation, the Form 10-K for fiscal 2009, Form 10-Qs for fiscal 2010, and Form 8-Ks for fiscal 2010 and 2011. The factors underlying our forecasts are dynamic and subject to change. As a result, our forecasts speak only as of the date they are given and do not necessarily reflect our outlook at any other point in time. We do not undertake to update or revise these forward-looking statements.

Ross Stores, Inc., an S&P 500, Fortune 500 and Nasdaq 100 (ROST) company headquartered in Pleasanton, California, is the nation's second largest off-price retailer with fiscal 2010 revenues of $7.9 billion. As of February 26, 2011 the Company operated 988 Ross Dress for Less(R) ("Ross") stores and 70 dd's DISCOUNTS(R) locations, compared to 953 Ross and 54 dd's DISCOUNTS locations at the end of the same period last year. Ross offers first-quality, in-season, name brand and designer apparel, accessories, footwear and home fashions for the entire family at everyday savings of 20 to 60 percent off department and specialty store regular prices. dd's DISCOUNTS features a more moderately-priced assortment of first-quality, in-season, name brand apparel, accessories, footwear and home fashions for the entire family at everyday savings of 20 to 70 percent off moderate department and discount store regular prices. Additional information is available at http://www.rossstores.com/.

SOURCE Ross Stores, Inc.

CONTACT:
John Call
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
+1-925-965-4315
or
Bobbi Chaville
Senior Director, Investor Relations
+1-925-965-4289
bobbi.chaville@ros.com
both of Ross Stores, Inc.