Ross Stores Reports September Same Store Sales Gain of 8%, Raises Third Quarter EPS Guidance

Ross Stores Reports September Same Store Sales Gain of 8%, Raises Third
Quarter EPS Guidance

PLEASANTON, Calif., Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ross Stores, Inc.
(Nasdaq: ROST) today reported that sales for the five weeks ended October 3,
2009 increased 12% to $629 million from $561 million for the five weeks ended
October 4, 2008. Same store sales for the month rose 8%.

For the eight months ended October 3, 2009, sales totaled $4.647 billion, up
9% over the $4.262 billion in sales for the eight months ended October 4,
2008. Comparable store sales for the eight months ended October 3, 2009
increased 4% on top of a 3% gain in the prior year period.

Michael Balmuth, Vice Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer,
commented, "September comparable store sales exceeded our expectations for a
6% to 7% increase. We believe our performance for both the month and
year-to-date periods reflects that our core strategy of delivering fresh and
exciting name brand bargains continues to resonate with today's value-focused
consumers. Merchandise and geographic trends remained relatively broad-based.
Shoes, Home and Dresses were the top merchandise categories during the month,
while the Mid Atlantic, Southeast and Texas were the best-performing markets."

Looking ahead, Mr. Balmuth said, "I am pleased to report that earnings per
share for the 13 weeks ending October 31, 2009 are now projected to be in the
range of $.75 to $.77, a significant increase over $.44 in the third quarter
of 2008. The forecasted upside from our previous earnings per share guidance
of $.57-$.63 is being driven mainly by favorable shortage results from our
annual physical inventory of stores in September. We believe our projected
shrink for the year, which is now expected to be much lower than originally
forecast, is benefiting from continued investments in our shortage control
initiatives as well as the reductions we have made in selling store
inventories. Our updated third quarter guidance also reflects
stronger-than-planned sales and merchandise margins quarter-to-date and our
continued expectation for a 5% to 6% same store sales gain in October."

Mr. Balmuth concluded, "For the important holiday period, we continue to
project a comparable store sales gain of 5% to 6% and earnings per share of
$.88 to $.94 for the 13 weeks ending January 30, 2010. For the 2009 fiscal
year ending January 30, 2010, earnings per share are now projected to be in
the range of $3.18 to $3.26, a forecasted increase of 36% to 40% over $2.33 in
fiscal 2008."

Additional recorded information concerning today's press release and the
Company's future outlook can be accessed by calling 706-645-9291, PIN
#13475425, from 8:30 a.m. Eastern time on October 8, 2009 through 8:00 p.m.
Eastern time on October 9, 2009. A transcript of these comments will also be
available in the Investors section of the Company's website at
www.rossstores.com.

The Company expects to report October 2009 sales results on Thursday, November
5th.

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® ("Ross") and
dd's DISCOUNTS® 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, including
the potential impact from uncertainty in financial and credit markets and the
severity and duration of the current recession; changes in geopolitical and
general economic conditions; 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 development and 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 2008 and Form
10-Qs and 8-Ks for fiscal 2009. 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., a Fortune 500 and Nasdaq 100 (ROST) company headquartered
in Pleasanton, California, is the nation's second largest off-price retailer
with fiscal 2008 revenues of $6.5 billion. As of October 3, 2009 the Company
operated 939 Ross Dress for Less® ("Ross") stores and 53 dd's DISCOUNTS®
locations, compared to 885 Ross and 57 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 www.rossstores.com.

SOURCE Ross Stores, Inc.

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.