ROST vs BURL

For growth investors, Burlington Stores, Inc.

(BURL) is the stronger pick with 8. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 7. 7% for Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST). Burlington Stores, Inc. (BURL) offers the better valuation at 33. 3x trailing P/E (32. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST) a "Buy" — based on 47 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Burlington Stores, Inc.

(BURL) is the cheapest at 33. 3x versus Ross Stores, Inc. at 34. 6x. On forward P/E, Burlington Stores, Inc. is actually cheaper at 32. 4x.

Over the past 5 years, Ross Stores, Inc.

(ROST) delivered a total return of +82. 8%, compared to -2. 4% for Burlington Stores, Inc. (BURL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BURL returned +480. 9% versus ROST's +319. 5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Ross Stores, Inc.

(ROST) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 89β versus Burlington Stores, Inc. 's 1. 30β — meaning BURL is approximately 46% more volatile than ROST relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 80% versus 103% for Burlington Stores, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Burlington Stores, Inc.

(BURL) is pulling ahead at 8. 9% versus 7. 7% for Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Burlington Stores, Inc. grew EPS 21. 9% year-over-year, compared to 4. 6% for Ross Stores, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BURL leads at 10. 0% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Ross Stores, Inc.

(ROST) is the more profitable company, earning 9. 4% net margin versus 5. 3% for Burlington Stores, Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ROST leads at 11. 9% versus 7. 3% for BURL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BURL leads at 40. 3%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Burlington Stores, Inc.

(BURL) trades at 32. 4x forward P/E versus 35. 1x for Ross Stores, Inc. — 2. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BURL: 4. 8% to $331. 88.

In this comparison, ROST (0.

7% yield) pays a dividend. BURL does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Ross Stores, Inc.

(ROST) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 89), 0. 7% yield, +319. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ROST: +319. 5%, BURL: +480. 9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

ROST pays a dividend while BURL does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.