Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Oct. 29, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of presentation	Basis of presentation. The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared from the records of Ross Stores, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) without audit and, in the opinion of management, include all adjustments (consisting of only normal, recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of October 29, 2022 and October 30, 2021, the results of operations, comprehensive income, and stockholders’ equity for the three and nine month periods ended October 29, 2022 and October 30, 2021, and cash flows for the nine month periods ended October 29, 2022 and October 30, 2021. The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of January 29, 2022, presented herein, has been derived from the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year then ended. Certain information and disclosures normally included in the notes to annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted for purposes of these interim condensed consolidated financial statements. The interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements, including notes thereto, contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 29, 2022. The results of operations, comprehensive income, and stockholders’ equity for the three and nine month periods ended October 29, 2022 and October 30, 2021, and cash flows for the nine month periods ended October 29, 2022 and October 30, 2021 presented herein are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year.
Use of accounting estimates	Use of accounting estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. The Company’s significant accounting estimates include valuation reserves for inventory, packaway and other inventory carrying costs, useful lives of fixed assets, insurance reserves, reserves for uncertain tax positions, and legal claims. The uncertainties and potential impacts from inflation, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic increase the challenge of making these estimates; actual results could differ materially from the Company’s estimates.
Cash and cash equivalents and Restricted cash, cash equivalents, and investments	Cash and cash equivalents. Cash equivalents consist of highly liquid, fixed income instruments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less.Restricted cash, cash equivalents, and investments. Restricted cash, cash equivalents, and investments serve as collateral for certain insurance obligations. These restricted funds are invested in bank deposits, money market mutual funds, U.S. Government and agency securities, and corporate securities and cannot be withdrawn from the Company’s account without the prior written consent of the secured parties. The classification between current and long-term is based on the timing of expected payments of the obligations.
Property and equipment	Property and equipment. As of October 29, 2022 and October 30, 2021, the Company had $30.2 million and $14.4 million, respectively, of property and equipment purchased but not yet paid. These purchases are included in Property and equipment, Accounts payable, and Accrued expenses and other in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Recently issued accounting standards	Recently issued accounting standards. In September 2022, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2022-04, Liabilities — Supplier Finance Programs (Subtopic 405-50): Disclosure of Supplier Finance Program Obligations, to enhance transparency about an entity's use of supplier finance programs. The ASU requires enhanced and additional disclosures about the key terms of supplier finance programs including a description of where in the financial statements any related amounts are presented. The initial guidance in the ASU will be effective for the Company for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. In November 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-10, Government Assistance (Topic 832): Disclosures by Business Entities about Government Assistance, to increase the transparency of the effects of government assistance, including disclosure of the types of assistance an entity receives, an entity’s method of accounting for government assistance, and the effect of government assistance on an entity’s financial statements. The guidance in this ASU will be effective for the Company for its fiscal 2022 Form 10-K. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its disclosures in the consolidated financial statements.
Fair Value Measurements	Fair Value MeasurementsAccounting standards pertaining to fair value measurements establish a three-tier fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The inputs used to measure fair value include: Level 1, observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets; Level 2, inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and Level 3, unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists. This fair value hierarchy requires the Company to develop its own assumptions, maximize the use of observable inputs, and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. Corporate, U.S. government and agency, and mortgage-backed securities are classified within Level 1 or Level 2 because these securities are valued using quoted market prices or alternative pricing sources and models utilizing market observable inputs.
Earnings Per Share	Earnings Per ShareThe Company computes and reports both basic earnings per share (“EPS”) and diluted EPS. Basic EPS is computed by dividing net earnings by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS is computed by dividing net earnings by the sum of the weighted-average number of common shares and dilutive common stock equivalents outstanding during the period, except in cases where the effect of the common stock equivalents would be anti-dilutive. Diluted EPS reflects the total potential dilution that could occur from outstanding equity plan awards and unvested shares of both performance and non-performance based awards of restricted stock and restricted stock units.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Oct. 29, 2022

Basis of presentation. The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared from the records of Ross Stores, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) without audit and, in the opinion of management, include all adjustments (consisting of only normal, recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of October 29, 2022 and October 30, 2021, the results of operations, comprehensive income, and stockholders’ equity for the three and nine month periods ended October 29, 2022 and October 30, 2021, and cash flows for the nine month periods ended October 29, 2022 and October 30, 2021. The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of January 29, 2022, presented herein, has been derived from the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year then ended.

Certain information and disclosures normally included in the notes to annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted for purposes of these interim condensed consolidated financial statements. The interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements, including notes thereto, contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 29, 2022.

The results of operations, comprehensive income, and stockholders’ equity for the three and nine month periods ended October 29, 2022 and October 30, 2021, and cash flows for the nine month periods ended October 29, 2022 and October 30, 2021 presented herein are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year.

Use of accounting estimates

Use of accounting estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. The Company’s significant accounting estimates include valuation reserves for inventory, packaway and other inventory carrying costs, useful lives of fixed assets, insurance reserves, reserves for uncertain tax positions, and legal claims. The uncertainties and potential impacts from inflation, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic increase the challenge of making these estimates; actual results could differ materially from the Company’s estimates.

Cash and cash equivalents and Restricted cash, cash equivalents, and investments

Cash and cash equivalents. Cash equivalents consist of highly liquid, fixed income instruments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less.Restricted cash, cash equivalents, and investments. Restricted cash, cash equivalents, and investments serve as collateral for certain insurance obligations. These restricted funds are invested in bank deposits, money market mutual funds, U.S. Government and agency securities, and corporate securities and cannot be withdrawn from the Company’s account without the prior written consent of the secured parties. The classification between current and long-term is based on the timing of expected payments of the obligations.

Property and equipment

Property and equipment. As of October 29, 2022 and October 30, 2021, the Company had $30.2 million and $14.4 million, respectively, of property and equipment purchased but not yet paid. These purchases are included in Property and equipment, Accounts payable, and Accrued expenses and other in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Recently issued accounting standards

Recently issued accounting standards. In September 2022, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2022-04, Liabilities — Supplier Finance Programs (Subtopic 405-50): Disclosure of Supplier Finance Program Obligations, to enhance transparency about an entity's use of supplier finance programs. The ASU requires enhanced and additional disclosures about the key terms of supplier finance programs including a description of where in the financial statements any related amounts are presented. The initial guidance in the ASU will be effective for the Company for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its disclosures in the consolidated financial statements.

In November 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-10, Government Assistance (Topic 832): Disclosures by Business Entities about Government Assistance, to increase the transparency of the effects of government assistance, including disclosure of the types of assistance an entity receives, an entity’s method of accounting for government assistance, and the effect of government assistance on an entity’s financial statements. The guidance in this ASU will be effective for the Company for its fiscal 2022 Form 10-K. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its disclosures in the consolidated financial statements.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value MeasurementsAccounting standards pertaining to fair value measurements establish a three-tier fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The inputs used to measure fair value include: Level 1, observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets; Level 2, inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and Level 3, unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists. This fair value hierarchy requires the Company to develop its own assumptions, maximize the use of observable inputs, and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. Corporate, U.S. government and agency, and mortgage-backed securities are classified within Level 1 or Level 2 because these securities are valued using quoted market prices or alternative pricing sources and models utilizing market observable inputs.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings Per ShareThe Company computes and reports both basic earnings per share (“EPS”) and diluted EPS. Basic EPS is computed by dividing net earnings by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS is computed by dividing net earnings by the sum of the weighted-average number of common shares and dilutive common stock equivalents outstanding during the period, except in cases where the effect of the common stock equivalents would be anti-dilutive. Diluted EPS reflects the total potential dilution that could occur from outstanding equity plan awards and unvested shares of both performance and non-performance based awards of restricted stock and restricted stock units.