ROSS STORES, INC.ROST

ROSS STORES, INC. Leases Disclosure

10-KFiled Mar 31, 20263 min read
Leases
The Company currently leases its store locations with original, non-cancelable terms that in general range from three years to ten years. Store leases typically contain provisions for three to four renewal options of five years each. The exercise of lease renewal options is at the sole discretion of the Company. Most store leases also provide for minimum annual rentals and for payment of variable lease costs. In addition, some store leases also have provisions for additional rent based on a percentage of sales (“percentage rent”) and others include rental payments adjusted periodically for inflation. The Company’s lease agreements do not contain any material residual guarantees or material restrictive covenants. The Company does not have any financing leases.

The Company leases certain distribution/warehouse facilities with expiration dates ranging from 2027 to 2031 and the majority contain renewal provisions. The Company also leases office space for its Los Angeles and Boston buying offices. The lease terms for these facilities expire in 2027 and 2028, respectively. The Los Angeles and Boston buying office facilities contain renewal provisions. In addition, the Company has a ground lease related to its New York buying office.

The following table presents net operating lease cost included in the Consolidated Statement of Earnings for fiscal 2025, 2024, and 2023:

($000)202520242023
Operating lease cost1
$843,374 $800,834 $760,268 
Variable lease costs2
261,306 246,315 219,526 
Net lease cost3
$1,104,680 $1,047,149 $979,794 
1 Net of sublease income which was immaterial.
2 Includes property and rent taxes, insurance, common area maintenance, percentage rent, and negotiated rent abatements.
3 Excludes short-term lease costs which were immaterial.

The maturity of operating lease liabilities, including the ground lease related to the New York buying office as of January 31, 2026, are as follows:

($000)
Operating Leases1
2026$807,211 
2027846,485 
2028719,092 
2029542,631 
2030397,727 
Thereafter1,694,931 
Total lease payments$5,008,077 
Less: interest1,313,345 
Present value of lease liabilities$3,694,732 
Less: current operating lease liabilities727,855 
Non-current operating lease liabilities$2,966,877 
1 Operating leases exclude $282.7 million of minimum lease payments for leases signed that have not yet commenced.
The weighted-average remaining lease term and the weighted-average discount rate for operating leases as of January 31, 2026 and February 1, 2025 are as follows:

20252024
Weighted-average remaining lease term (years):
Including the long-term ground lease related to the New York buying office
9.49.6
Excluding the long-term ground lease related to the New York buying office
5.55.5
Weighted-average discount rate:
Including the long-term ground lease related to the New York buying office
4.5%4.2%
Excluding the long-term ground lease related to the New York buying office
4.4%4.1%

The following table presents cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities and operating lease assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities (includes new leases and remeasurements or modifications of existing leases) for fiscal 2025, 2024, and 2023:

($000)202520242023
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities
$826,392 $789,211 $746,254 
Operating lease assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities
$925,067 $841,891 $682,580 

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2026Mar 31, 2026Showing above
2025Apr 1, 2025
2024Apr 2, 2024
2023Mar 28, 2023
2022Mar 29, 2022
2021Mar 30, 2021
2020Mar 31, 2020
2019Apr 2, 2019
2017Mar 28, 2017
2016Mar 29, 2016

About Leases Disclosures

Lease disclosures under ASC 842 provide a comprehensive view of a company's leased asset portfolio, including the split between operating and finance leases, discount rates used to present-value future payments, and the maturity schedule of lease obligations. This section reveals a significant source of off-balance-sheet commitments that were largely hidden before the current standard.

Key signals: the weighted-average discount rate affects the size of recorded lease liabilities — a higher rate reduces the reported obligation, so compare the chosen rate against the company's incremental borrowing rate. The operating versus finance lease mix affects both EBITDA and operating income presentation. Watch the maturity table for concentration risk: large payment cliffs in specific years may create cash flow pressure. Variable lease payments excluded from the liability measurement represent real obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet. Compare total lease costs against prior-year operating lease expense to assess the true economic burden.

Other Available Disclosures

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