ROSS STORES, INC. (ROST) FY 2022 MD&A

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Overview

Ross Stores, Inc. operates two brands of off-price retail apparel and home fashion stores—Ross Dress for Less® (“Ross”) and dd’s DISCOUNTS®. Ross is the largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain in the United States with 1,628 locations in 40 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam, as of January 29, 2022. Ross offers first-quality, in-season, name brand and designer apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions for the entire family at savings of 20% to 60% off department and specialty store regular prices every day. We also operate 295 dd’s DISCOUNTS stores in 21 states as of January 29, 2022 that feature a more moderately-priced assortment of first-quality, in-season, name brand apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions for the entire family at savings of 20% to 70% off moderate department and discount store regular prices every day.

Our primary objective is to pursue and refine our existing off-price strategies to maintain and improve both profitability and financial returns over the long term. In establishing appropriate growth targets for our business, and considering the pace and magnitude of the economic recovery as the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, we are closely monitoring market share trends for the off-price industry. We believe our share gains will continue to be driven mainly by continued focus on bringing value and convenience to our consumers. Our merchandise and operational strategies are designed to take advantage of the trends toward expanding market share of the off-price industry as well as the ongoing customer demand for name brand fashions for the family and home at compelling discounts every day.

We refer to our fiscal years ended January 29, 2022, January 30, 2021, and February 1, 2020 as fiscal 2021, fiscal 2020, and fiscal 2019, respectively.

Results of Operations

While the United States and other countries continued to experience the ongoing global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic throughout fiscal 2021, the effects on our operations were less disruptive than in fiscal 2020. All of our store locations and distribution centers remained open and operating throughout fiscal 2021, in contrast to 2020, when our results reflected the significant revenue decline and other impacts from our chain-wide store closures for approximately half of the first quarter and 25 percent of the second quarter, as well as mandated occupancy restrictions and reduced operating hours that occurred throughout that year. For fiscal 2021, we compare our results of operations to fiscal 2020 and also to fiscal 2019. We believe the extended closure of our operations in the spring of 2020, and the significant disruptions caused by COVID-19 throughout fiscal 2020, make fiscal 2019 a more useful and relevant basis for comparison to our fiscal 2021 performance in assessing our ongoing results of operations.

We achieved strong sales results in fiscal 2021, which benefited from a combination of government stimulus, increasing vaccination rates, diminishing COVID-19 restrictions, pent-up consumer demand, and strong execution of our merchandising strategies. We achieved these results despite the negative impacts from COVID-19 and related variants during fiscal 2021, especially the surge in Omicron cases which depressed in-person shopping behavior during the peak holiday selling period, and from continued supply chain congestion. Throughout the year, we continued to experience expense pressures from higher domestic freight costs of approximately 95 basis points, primarily due to the ongoing and worsening industry-wide supply chain congestion compared to fiscal 2019. We also incurred ongoing COVID-related increased operating costs of approximately 35 basis points (the vast majority of which impacted our selling, general and administrative expenses). We expect higher freight costs, higher distribution expenses, higher wages, and ongoing COVID-related operating costs to continue during fiscal 2022.

There remains significant uncertainty related to the ongoing industry-wide supply chain congestion. We also face external risks from the effects of inflation, both on consumer demand and on costs in our business. In addition, there continues to be significant uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, including its unknown duration, the potential for further new virus variants and future resurgences, as well as possible operational restrictions, the ongoing effect of the pandemic on consumer behavior and shopping patterns, and the potential adverse impact on our business.

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The following table summarizes the financial results for fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019:

Stores. Total stores open at the end of fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019 were 1,923, 1,859, and 1,805, respectively. The number of stores at the end of fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019 increased by 3%, 3%, and 5% from the respective prior years. In response to the impacts and uncertainties from the COVID-19 pandemic, we reduced our pace of new store openings for fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021. Looking forward to 2022, we expect to return to our historical annual opening program of approximately 100 new stores. Beyond fiscal 2022, we are planning for our pace of new store openings to be greater than our historical annual opening program of approximately 100 stores, based on trends we perceive toward consumers’ increased focus on value and convenience, favorable store performance in both our new and in-fill markets, and the market share opportunities resulting from the significant number of brick-and-mortar retail closures and bankruptcies over the last several years. Our longer term strategy is to open additional stores based on market penetration, local demographic characteristics, competition, expected store profitability, and the ability to leverage overhead expenses. We continually evaluate opportunistic real estate acquisitions and opportunities for potential new store locations. We also evaluate our current store locations and determine store closures based on similar criteria.

Sales. Sales for fiscal 2021 increased $6.4 billion, or 50.9%, compared to the prior year. This was primarily due to all store locations remaining open throughout fiscal 2021, compared to the negative impact from the COVID-19 related closures of all of our stores during a significant portion of the March 2020 to June 2020 period. Sales for fiscal 2021 also benefited from a combination of government stimulus payments, increasing vaccination rates, diminishing COVID-19 restrictions on operations, pent-up consumer demand, and strong execution of our

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merchandising strategies. Sales also increased due to the opening of 64 net new stores between fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021.

Sales for fiscal 2020 decreased $3.5 billion, or 21.9%, compared to fiscal 2019. This was primarily due to the negative impact from the COVID-19 related closures of all of our stores during a significant portion of the March 2020 to June 2020 period, the negative impacts on customer demand from the COVID-19 pandemic, mandated occupancy restrictions, and reduced store operating hours during the remainder of fiscal 2020. We opened 54 net new stores during 2020. The sales from these new stores partially offset the overall sales decline.

Sales for fiscal 2021 increased $2.9 billion, or 17.9%, compared to fiscal 2019, due to a 13% increase in sales from comparable stores and the opening of 118 net new stores between fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2021.

Our sales mix is shown below for fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019:

We intend to address the competitive retail climate for off-price apparel and home goods by pursuing and refining our existing strategies, and by continuing to strengthen our merchant organization, diversify our merchandise mix, and more fully develop our systems to improve our merchandise offerings.

It is difficult to predict any future impact from some of the factors that benefited our sales results for fiscal 2021, in particular the benefit from the government stimulus payments and pent-up consumer demand. There remains significant uncertainty related to ongoing industry-wide supply chain congestion. We also face external risks from the effects of inflation, both on consumer demand and on costs in our business. In addition, there continues to be significant uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, including its unknown duration, the potential for new virus variants and future resurgences, as well as possible operational restrictions, the ongoing effect of the pandemic on consumer behavior and shopping patterns, and the potential adverse impact on our business. We cannot be sure that our strategies and our store expansion program will result in a continuation of our historical sales growth, or an increase in net earnings.

Cost of goods sold. Cost of goods sold in fiscal 2021 increased $3.9 billion compared to the prior year, mainly due to higher sales, given that all our stores were open throughout fiscal 2021, compared to the negative impact from the COVID-19 related closures of all of our stores during a significant portion of the March 2020 to June 2020 period. Cost of goods also increased due to the opening of 64 net new stores between fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021.

Cost of goods sold in fiscal 2020 decreased $1.7 billion compared to fiscal 2019, mainly due to the lower sales from the temporary COVID-19 related closures of all of our stores during a significant portion of the March 2020 to June 2020 period, and ensuing negative impacts on shopping behavior and customer demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic after our store reopenings, as well as lower costs from the temporary furlough of most hourly associates in our distribution centers and some associates in our buying offices. These decreases were partially offset by higher markdowns used to clear aged and seasonal inventory, higher distribution costs primarily due to increased wages, and higher freight costs due to industry-wide supply chain congestion, added expenditures for COVID-19 related measures, and higher occupancy costs from the opening of 54 net new stores during 2020.

Cost of goods sold in fiscal 2021 increased $2.2 billion compared to fiscal 2019, primarily due to a 13% increase in comparable store sales, higher freight and distribution costs primarily due to industry-wide supply chain congestion, and higher wages, and higher sales due to the opening of 118 net new stores between fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2021.

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Cost of goods sold as a percentage of sales for fiscal 2021 increased approximately 55 basis points from fiscal 2019, primarily due to a 95 basis point increase in domestic freight costs, mainly driven by worsening industry-wide supply chain congestion, a 30 basis point increase in distribution expenses, mainly driven by higher wages, and a 10 basis point increase in buying costs. These increases were partially offset by leverage of 60 basis points in occupancy costs and a 20 basis point improvement in merchandise gross margin.

We expect higher supply chain costs from the industry-wide congestion and higher wages to continue throughout fiscal 2022.

Selling, general and administrative expenses. For fiscal 2021, selling, general and administrative expenses (“SG&A”) increased $371.2 million compared to the prior year. The increase was primarily due to all our stores remaining open throughout fiscal 2021, compared to the impact from the COVID-19 related closures of all of our stores during a significant portion of the March 2020 to June 2020 period, and to the opening of 64 net new stores between fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021, partially offset by approximately $240 million in long-term debt refinancing costs incurred in fiscal 2020.

For fiscal 2020, SG&A increased $146.6 million compared to fiscal 2019, primarily due to approximately $240 million in long-term debt refinancing costs, COVID-related expenses (primarily for supplies, cleaning, and payroll related to additional safety protocols), and payments to associates while our stores were closed (net of employee retention credits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”)), partially offset by payroll-related cost reduction measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (including the temporary furlough of most hourly associates in our stores during closure periods, and some associates in our corporate offices), reductions in non-business critical operating expenses, and lower store operating expenses on lower sales.

For fiscal 2021, SG&A increased $517.8 million compared to fiscal 2019, mainly due to a 13% increase in comparable store sales, the opening of 118 net new stores between fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2021, higher incentive compensation costs due to better-than-expected results, net COVID-related operating expenses primarily for supplies, cleaning, and payroll related to additional safety protocols, higher wages, and holiday related pay incentives.

SG&A as a percentage of sales for fiscal 2021 increased by approximately 50 basis points compared to fiscal 2019, primarily due to higher incentive compensation costs due to better-than-expected results, net COVID-related operating expenses for supplies, cleaning, and payroll related to additional safety protocols, higher wages, and holiday related pay incentives.

We expect our operating costs in fiscal 2022 to continue to reflect ongoing COVID-related expenses and also higher wages.

Interest expense (income), net. In fiscal 2021, net interest expense decreased by $9.1 million compared to 2020 primarily due to the elimination of interest expense on short-term debt due to the repayment of our $800 million revolving credit facility in October 2020 and higher capitalized interest primarily related to the construction of our Brookshire, Texas distribution center, partially offset by lower interest income due to lower interest rates.

In fiscal 2020, net interest expense increased by $101.5 million compared to 2019 primarily due to higher interest expense on long-term debt due to the issuance of Senior Notes in April 2020 and October 2020 (net of repurchase of Senior Notes), lower interest income due to lower interest rates, and higher interest expense on short-term debt due to the draw down on our $800 million revolving credit facility in March 2020 (which was subsequently repaid in October 2020), partially offset by higher capitalized interest primarily related to the construction of our Brookshire, Texas distribution center.

In fiscal 2021, net interest expense increased by $92.4 million compared to 2019 primarily due to higher interest expense on long-term debt due to the issuance of Senior Notes in April 2020 and October 2020 (net of repurchase of Senior Notes), and lower interest income due to lower interest rates, partially offset by higher capitalized interest primarily related to the construction of our Brookshire, Texas distribution center.

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The table below shows the components of interest expense and income for fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019:

Taxes on earnings. Our effective tax rates for fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019 were approximately 24%, 20%, and 23%, respectively. The increase in the effective tax rate of 4% for fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020 and the decrease of 3% for fiscal 2020 compared to fiscal 2019 was primarily due to the impact of hiring tax credits on lower pre-tax earnings in fiscal 2020. The increase in effective tax rate of 1% for fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2019 was primarily due to resolution of uncertain tax positions with a state tax authority during fiscal 2019.

Our effective tax rate represents the applicable combined federal and state statutory rates reduced by the federal benefit of state taxes deductible on federal returns. Our effective rate is impacted by changes in tax law and accounting guidance, location of new stores, level of earnings, tax effects associated with share-based compensation, and the resolution of tax positions with various tax authorities.

In fiscal 2020, the CARES Act was signed into law. The CARES Act made several significant changes to business tax provisions including modifications for net operating losses, employee retention credits, and deferral of employer payroll tax payments. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (“CAA”) was signed into law during fiscal 2020. The CAA made several changes to business tax provisions including extending certain employment-related tax credits through December 31, 2025.

Net earnings. Net earnings as a percentage of sales for fiscal 2021 were higher than in fiscal 2020, primarily due to lower cost of goods sold, lower SG&A expenses, and lower interest expense, partially offset by higher taxes on earnings. Net earnings as a percentage of sales for fiscal 2020 were lower compared to fiscal 2019, primarily due to higher cost of goods sold, higher SG&A expenses, and higher interest expense. Net earnings as a percentage of sales for fiscal 2021 were lower than in fiscal 2019, primarily due to higher cost of goods sold, higher SG&A expenses, and higher interest expense, partially offset by lower taxes on earnings.

Earnings per share. Diluted earnings per share in fiscal 2021 was $4.87, compared to $0.24 in the prior year. The higher diluted earnings per share in fiscal 2021 were primarily attributable to all our store locations remaining open throughout fiscal 2021, compared to the negative impact from the COVID-19 related closures of all of our stores during a significant portion of the March 2020 to June 2020 period.

Diluted earnings per share in fiscal 2020 was $0.24, compared to $4.60 in fiscal 2019. The lower diluted earnings per share in fiscal 2020 was primarily attributable to lower sales due to the closing of all our store locations during a significant portion of the March 2020 to June 2020 period and the negative impacts on shopping behavior and customer demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, higher markdowns to clear aged and seasonal inventory, long-term debt refinancing costs, payments to associates while our stores were closed (net of employee retention credits under the CARES Act), and higher expenditures for COVID-19 related measures.

Diluted earnings per share in fiscal 2021 was $4.87, compared to $4.60 in fiscal 2019. The 6% increase in diluted earnings per share for fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2019, was attributable to a 4% increase in net earnings, and to the reduction in weighted-average diluted shares outstanding of 2% for fiscal 2021, largely due to stock repurchases under our stock repurchase programs.

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Financial Condition

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The primary sources of funds for our business activities have been cash flows from operations and short-term trade credit. Our primary ongoing cash requirements are for merchandise inventory purchases, payroll, operating and variable lease costs, taxes, and for capital expenditures in connection with new and existing stores, and investments in distribution centers, information systems, and buying and corporate offices. We also use cash to pay dividends, to repay debt as it becomes due, and to repurchase stock under active stock repurchase programs.

In this report, we compare our cash flows from operating activities to both fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019. We believe fiscal 2019 is a more useful and relevant basis of comparison given that our stores were open for full 52-week periods in fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2019. Our cash flows from investing and financing activities are compared to fiscal 2020, given the construction of our Brookshire, Texas distribution center during fiscal 2020 and 2021, and the significant financing actions we took in fiscal 2020 to preserve our financial liquidity and enhance our financial flexibility in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating activities was $1.7 billion in fiscal 2021. This was primarily driven by net earnings excluding non-cash expenses for depreciation, amortization, and stock-based compensation, partially offset by higher merchandise inventory receipts net of accounts payable. Net cash provided by operating activities was $2.2 billion in fiscal 2020. This was primarily driven by higher accounts payable due to longer payment terms, lower merchandise receipts as we closely managed inventory levels and used packaway inventory to replenish our stores, and net earnings excluding non-cash expenses for depreciation, amortization, and stock-based compensation. Net cash provided by operating activities was $2.2 billion in fiscal 2019, and was primarily driven by net earnings excluding non-cash expenses for depreciation, amortization, and stock-based compensation, and for deferred taxes.

The decrease in cash flow from operating activities in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020 was primarily driven by lower Accounts payable leverage (defined as accounts payable divided by merchandise inventory), partially offset by higher net earnings in the current year. Accounts payable leverage was 105% and 150% as of January 29, 2022 and January 30, 2021, respectively. The decrease in Accounts payable leverage in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020 was primarily driven by higher merchandise receipts to support higher sales and to replenish our packaway inventory.

The increase in cash flow from operating activities in fiscal 2020 compared to fiscal 2019 was primarily driven by higher Accounts payable leverage. Accounts payable leverage was 150% and 71% as of January 30, 2021, and February 1, 2020, respectively. The increase in Accounts payable leverage in fiscal 2020 compared to fiscal 2019 was primarily driven by lower packaway and in-store inventory and longer payment terms.

The decrease in cash flow from operating activities in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2019 was primarily driven by higher merchandise receipts to support higher sales and to replenish packaway inventory, partially offset by higher incentive bonus accruals and higher net earnings.

As a regular part of our business, packaway inventory levels will vary over time based on availability of compelling merchandise purchase opportunities in the marketplace and our decisions on the timing for release of that inventory. Packaway merchandise is purchased with the intent that it will be stored in our warehouses until a later date. The timing of the release of packaway inventory to our stores is principally driven by the product mix and seasonality of the merchandise, and its relation to our store merchandise assortment plans. As such, the aging of packaway varies

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by merchandise category and seasonality of purchase, but typically packaway remains in storage less than six months. We expect to continue to take advantage of packaway inventory opportunities to maximize our ability to deliver bargains to our customers.

Changes in packaway inventory levels impact our operating cash flow. At the end of fiscal 2021, packaway inventory was 40% of total inventory compared to 38% and 46% at the end of fiscal 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Investing Activities

Net cash used in investing activities was $557.8 million, $405.4 million, and $555.0 million in fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively, and was related to capital expenditures. Our capital expenditures include costs to build, expand, and improve distribution centers (primarily related to the construction of our Brookshire, Texas distribution center); open new stores and improve existing stores; and for various other expenditures related to our information technology systems, buying and corporate offices.

The increase in cash used for investing activities in fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020 was primarily due to an increase in our capital expenditures related to the resumption of capital projects deferred during fiscal 2020. The decrease in cash used for investing activities in fiscal 2020 compared to fiscal 2019 was primarily due to our actions to preserve our financial liquidity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic disruptions. We opened 65, 66, and 98 new stores in fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.

Our capital expenditures over the last three years are set forth in the table below:

Capital expenditures for fiscal 2022 are projected to be approximately $800 million. Our planned capital expenditures for fiscal 2022 are expected to be used for investments in our supply chain to support long-term growth, including construction of our next distribution center, costs for fixtures and leasehold improvements to open planned new Ross and dd’s DISCOUNTS stores, investments in certain information technology systems, and for various other needed expenditures related to our stores, distribution centers, buying, and corporate offices. We expect to fund capital expenditures with available cash. The increase in our planned capital expenditures for fiscal 2022 compared to fiscal 2021 is primarily driven by the upgrade or remodeling of existing stores, costs for fixtures and leasehold improvements to open planned new Ross and dd’s DISCOUNTS stores, construction of our next distribution center, investments in information technology systems, and for various other needed expenditures related to our stores, distribution centers, buying, and corporate offices.

Financing Activities

Net cash used in financing activities was $1.2 billion in fiscal 2021. Net cash provided by financing activities was $1.7 billion in fiscal 2020. Net cash used in financing activities was $1.7 billion in fiscal 2019. The decrease in cash provided by financing activities for fiscal 2021, compared to fiscal 2020, was primarily due to the completion of our public debt offerings, net of refinancing costs in fiscal 2020, the resumption of our share repurchases in the second quarter of fiscal 2021, the resumption of cash dividend payments in the first quarter of fiscal 2021, and the repayment of our Series B unsecured Senior Notes. The increase in cash provided by financing activities for fiscal 2020, compared to fiscal 2019, was primarily due to the completion of our public debt offerings, net of repurchase and refinancing costs in fiscal 2020, and the suspension of our share repurchases and dividends in the second quarter of 2020.

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Revolving credit facilities. In February 2022 (the “Effective Date”), we entered into a new, $1.3 billion senior unsecured revolving Credit Agreement (the “2022 Credit Facility”), which replaced our previous $800 million unsecured revolving credit facility (the “Prior Credit Facility”). The 2022 Credit Facility expires in February 2027, and may be extended, at our option, for up to two additional one year periods, subject to customary conditions. The new facility contains a $300 million sublimit for issuance of standby letters of credit. It also contains an option allowing us to increase the size of our credit facility by up to an additional $700 million, with the agreement of the committing lenders. The interest rate on borrowings under the 2022 Credit Facility is a term rate based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“Term SOFR”) (or an alternate benchmark rate, if Term SOFR is no longer available) plus an applicable margin, and is payable quarterly and upon maturity. The 2022 Credit Facility is subject to a quarterly Consolidated Adjusted Debt to Consolidated EBITDAR financial leverage ratio covenant, effective the first quarter of fiscal 2022.

On the Effective Date of the 2022 Credit Facility, the Prior Credit Facility was terminated and was replaced by the new 2022 Credit Facility. As of January 29, 2022, we had no borrowings or standby letters of credit outstanding under the Prior Credit Facility, the $800 million credit facility remained in place and available, and we were in compliance with the financial covenant.

In March 2020, we borrowed $800 million under the Prior Credit Facility. Interest on the loan was based on LIBOR plus 0.875% (or 1.76%). In May 2020, we amended the Prior Credit Facility to temporarily suspend for the second and third quarters of fiscal 2020 the Consolidated Adjusted Debt to EBITDAR ratio financial covenant, and to apply a transitional modification to that ratio, effective in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. In October 2020, we repaid in full the $800 million we borrowed under the Prior Credit Facility.

In May 2020, we also entered into an additional $500 million 364-day senior revolving credit facility which was scheduled to expire in April 2021. In October 2020, we terminated this senior revolving credit facility. We had no borrowings under that credit facility at any time.

Senior notes. In April 2020, we issued an aggregate of $2.0 billion in unsecured senior notes in four tenors as follows: $700 million of 4.600% Senior Notes due April 2025, $400 million of 4.700% Senior Notes due April 2027, $400 million of 4.800% Senior Notes due April 2030, and $500 million of 5.450% Senior Notes due April 2050.

In October 2020, we accepted for purchase approximately $775 million in aggregate principal amount of senior notes pursuant to cash tender offers as follows: $351 million of the 2050 Notes, $266 million of the 2030 Notes, and $158 million of the 2027 Notes. We paid approximately $1.003 billion in aggregate consideration (including transaction costs, and accrued and unpaid interest) and recorded an approximately $240 million loss on the early extinguishment for the accepted notes.

In October 2020, we also issued an aggregate of $1.0 billion in unsecured senior notes in two tenors as follows: 0.875% Senior Notes due April 2026 (the “2026 Notes”) with an aggregate principal amount of $500 million and 1.875% Senior Notes due April 2031 (the “2031 Notes”) with an aggregate principal amount of $500 million. Cash proceeds, net of discounts and other issuance costs, were approximately $987.2 million. We used the net proceeds from the offering of the 2026 and 2031 Notes to fund the purchase of the accepted notes from our tender offers.

In December 2021, we repaid at maturity the $65 million principal amount of the Series B 6.530% unsecured Senior Notes.

Other financing activities. In March 2019, our Board of Directors had approved a two-year $2.55 billion stock repurchase program through fiscal 2020. Due to the economic uncertainty stemming from the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we suspended that stock repurchase program in March 2020, at which time we had repurchased $1.407 billion under the $2.55 billion stock repurchase program. In May 2021, our Board of Directors authorized a program to repurchase up to $1.5 billion of our common stock through fiscal 2022, with plans to buy back $650 million in fiscal 2021 and $850 million in fiscal 2022. In March 2022, our Board of Directors approved a new two-year program to repurchase up to $1.9 billion of our common stock through fiscal 2023. This new program replaces the previous $1.5 billion stock repurchase program, effective at the end of fiscal 2021 (at which time we had repurchased $650 million under the previous $1.5 billion program).

We repurchased 5.7 million, 1.2 million, and 12.3 million shares of common stock for aggregate purchase prices of approximately $650 million, $132 million, and $1,275 million in fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. We also

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acquired 0.5 million, 0.5 million, and 0.6 million shares in fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively, of treasury stock from our employee stock equity compensation programs, for aggregate purchase prices of approximately $57.3 million, $45.2 million, and $60.7 million during fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.

On March 1, 2022, our Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.310 per common share, payable on March 31, 2022. Our Board of Directors declared quarterly cash dividends of $0.285 per common share in March, May, August, and November 2021, respectively. Prior to fiscal 2021, our most recent quarterly dividend was a quarterly cash dividend of $0.285 per common share declared by our Board of Directors in March 2020. In May 2020, we temporarily suspended our quarterly dividends, due to the economic uncertainty stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Board of Directors declared quarterly cash dividends of $0.255 per common share in March, May, August, and November 2019, respectively.

During fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019, we paid dividends of $405.1 million, $101.4 million, and $369.8 million, respectively.

Short-term trade credit represents a significant source of financing for our merchandise inventory. Trade credit arises from customary payment terms and trade practices with our vendors. We regularly review the adequacy of credit available to us from all sources and expect to be able to maintain adequate trade credit, bank credit facility, and other credit sources to meet our capital and liquidity requirements, including lease and interest payment obligations.

During fiscal 2021 and 2019, our liquidity and capital requirements were provided by available cash and cash flows from operations. During fiscal 2020, our liquidity and capital requirements were provided by available cash and cash flows from operations and our long-term debt financing.

We ended fiscal 2021 with $4.9 billion of unrestricted cash balances, and as of the Effective Date we have $1.3 billion available under our senior unsecured revolving credit facility. We estimate that existing cash and cash equivalent balances, cash flows from operations, bank credit facility, and trade credit are adequate to meet our operating cash needs and to fund our planned capital investments, common stock repurchases, and quarterly dividend payments for at least the next 12 months.

Contractual Obligations

The table below presents our significant contractual obligations as of January 29, 2022:

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Supply chain finance program. We facilitate a voluntary supply chain finance program (the “program”) to provide certain suppliers with the opportunity to sell receivables due from us to a participating financial institution at the sole discretion of both the suppliers and the financial institution. A third party administers the program; our responsibility is limited to making payment on the terms originally negotiated with the supplier, regardless of whether the supplier sells its receivable to a financial institution. We do not enter into agreements with the participating financial institution in connection with the program. The range of payment terms we negotiate with our suppliers is consistent, irrespective of whether a supplier participates in the program.

All outstanding payments owed under the program are recorded within Accounts payable in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The amounts owed to a participating financial institution under the program and included in Accounts payable were $272.7 million and $15.6 million at January 29, 2022 and January 30, 2021, respectively. We account for all payments made under the program as a reduction to operating cash flows in Accounts payable within the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The amounts settled through the program and paid to the participating financial institution were $430.1 million and $2.6 million during fiscal 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Standby letters of credit and collateral trust. We use standby letters of credit outside of our revolving credit facility in addition to a funded trust to collateralize some of our insurance obligations. We also use standby letters of credit outside of our revolving credit facility to collateralize some of our trade payable obligations. As of January 29, 2022 and January 30, 2021, we had $3.3 million and $15.3 million, respectively, in standby letters of credit outstanding, and $56.7 million and $56.1 million, respectively, in a collateral trust. The standby letters of credit are collateralized by restricted cash and the collateral trust consists of restricted cash, cash equivalents, and investments.

Trade letters of credit. We had $19.3 million and $16.3 million in trade letters of credit outstanding at January 29, 2022 and January 30, 2021, respectively.

Other than the unrecorded contractual obligations noted above, we do not have any material off-balance sheet arrangements as of January 29, 2022.

Other

Critical Accounting Estimates

The preparation of our consolidated financial statements requires our management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts. These estimates and assumptions are evaluated on an ongoing basis and are based on historical experience and on various other factors that management believes to be reasonable. We believe the following critical accounting estimates describe the more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements and are not intended to be a comprehensive list of all of our accounting estimates.

Merchandise inventory. Our merchandise inventory is stated at the lower of cost (determined using a weighted-average basis) or net realizable value. Merchandise inventory includes acquisition, transportation, processing, and storage costs related to packaway inventory. Included in the carrying value of our merchandise inventory is a provision for shortage. The shortage reserve is based on historical shortage rates as determined through our annual physical merchandise inventory counts and cycle counts. Historically, our actual physical inventory count results have shown our provision for shortage to be reliable. If actual market conditions are less favorable than those projected by us, or if sales of the merchandise inventory are more difficult than anticipated, additional merchandise inventory write-downs may be required beyond our normal markdowns taken to clear seasonal and aged inventory. As a measure of sensitivity, a five percent change in shortage rates as of January 29, 2022, would not have materially impacted our cost of goods sold in fiscal 2021.

Lease accounting. In determining the present value of lease payments, for use in the calculation of the operating lease liabilities and right-of-use assets, we use the estimated collateralized incremental borrowing rate based on information available at the lease commencement date. Since our leases generally do not provide an implicit discount rate, this rate is determined using a portfolio approach based on the risk-adjusted rate of interest, and requires estimates and assumptions including credit rating, credit spread, and adjustments for the impact of collateral. Changes in these inputs can increase or decrease the recorded operating lease assets and related lease liabilities for new leases, and for remeasurements or modifications of existing leases. We believe that this

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approximates the rate we would have to pay to borrow an amount equal to the lease payments on a collateralized basis over a similar lease term.

Insurance obligations. We use a combination of insurance and self-insurance for a number of risk management activities, including workers’ compensation, general liability, and employee-related health care benefits. Our self-insurance and deductible liability is determined actuarially, based on claims filed and an estimate of claims incurred but not reported. Should a greater amount of claims occur compared to what is estimated or the costs of medical care increase beyond what was anticipated, our recorded reserves may not be sufficient and additional charges could be required. A five percent increase or decrease in our insurance reserves would not have materially impacted our net earnings in fiscal 2021.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See Note A to the Consolidated Financial Statements - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Recently issued accounting standards and Recently adopted accounting standards) for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements and their impact to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Forward-Looking Statements

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2021, and information we provide in our Annual Report to Stockholders, press releases, and other investor communications including those on our corporate website, may contain a number of forward-looking statements regarding, without limitation, the rapidly developing challenges and our plans and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic and supply chain disruptions, including adjustments to our operations, and planned new store growth, new markets, expected sales, projected earnings levels, capital expenditures, and other matters. These forward-looking statements reflect our then current beliefs, plans, and estimates with respect to future events and our projected financial performance, operations, and competitive position. The words “plan,” “expect,” “target,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “forecast,” “projected,” “guidance,” “looking ahead,” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements.

Future impact from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and other economic and industry trends that could potentially impact revenue, profitability, operating conditions, and growth are difficult to predict. Our forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those forward-looking statements and our previous expectations, plans, and projections. Refer to Item 1A in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a more complete discussion of risk factors for Ross and dd’s DISCOUNTS. The factors underlying our forecasts are dynamic and subject to change. As a result, any forecasts or forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are given and do not necessarily reflect our outlook at any other point in time. We disclaim any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements.