Compare StocksGS vs ROST

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) vs Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST)

GS
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
$923.71
VS
ROST
Ross Stores, Inc.
$228.84

Rewards

GS
  • Gross margin of 82.3% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
  • Share count has been reduced by 11% over the past 4 years through buybacks, increasing each share's claim on earnings.
  • Each dollar of retained earnings has created $2.53 of earning power — management is an exceptional capital allocator.
ROST
  • Ross Stores, Inc. has maintained ROIC above 15% for 4 consecutive years, indicating a durable competitive advantage.
  • Ross Stores, Inc. scores 94/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with revenue predictability as the strongest competitive dimension.
  • Free cash flow has grown at a 28.7% CAGR over the past 4 years, demonstrating strong earnings power growth.

Risks

GS
  • High leverage (6.79x debt/equity) combined with thin interest coverage (-1.0x) poses financial risk.
  • Altman Z-Score of 0.25 places the company in the distress zone — financial patterns resemble those of companies that experienced bankruptcy.
  • Insiders have sold $13.0M worth of stock in the past 3 months — significant insider liquidation.
ROST
  • FCF yield of 3.0% is below 3%, meaning the market is pricing in substantial future growth to justify the current price.
  • PEG ratio of 2.93 indicates the stock is expensive relative to its expected growth — the market may be pricing in more growth than analysts project.
  • 6 insider sales totaling $9.9M with no purchases in the past 3 months — insiders are reducing their exposure.

Key Valuation Metrics

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GS
ROST
Valuation
N/A
Free Cash Flow
$2.21B
N/A
FCF Yield
2.98%
16.86
Trailing P/E
34.62
14.13
Forward P/E
28.15
Quality & Moat
1.95%
ROIC
19.34%
13.17%
ROE
34.67%
82.27%
Gross Margin
32.56%
0.70
PEG Ratio
2.93
Balance Sheet Safety
6.79
Debt / Equity
0.84
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
N/A
Net Debt / EBITDA
0.19
1.95%
Dividend Yield
0.78%
GS: 5Ties: 1ROST: 3
GSROST

Historical Fundamentals

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GS

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

ROST

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

$1 Retained Earnings Test

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GS
$5.60
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$26.00B
Δ Market Cap
+$145.60B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
ROST
$5.68
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$4.64B
Δ Market Cap
+$26.33B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

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GS
62.8% Margin of Safety
Price is 62.8% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $923.71
Fair Value: $2479.85
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
ROST
38.0% Overvalued
Price is 38.0% above estimated fair value
Current Price: $228.84
Fair Value: $165.88
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued

Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth

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GS

Requires positive FCF to compute implied growth rate.

ROST

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $229?

+15.2%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +14.8%

The market implies +15.2% Owner Earnings growth, roughly in line with history — reasonably priced.

Standard FCF implies +14.8%, reflecting ongoing growth investment.

Economic Moat Score

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GS
65/100
Narrow Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Narrow moat with reinvestment efficiency as the key competitive advantage. Improving margin stability would strengthen the moat.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.
ROST
94/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Wide moat with strength across all dimensions. Revenue Predictability is the standout factor.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.

Forensic Accounting

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GS
-2.00
Possible Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
ROST
-2.48
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Ownership Breakdown

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GS
Insiders 0.5%Institutions 75.9%Retail & Other 23.6%
No. of Institutional Holders3,722
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
ROST
Insiders 2.1%Institutions 94.1%Retail & Other 3.7%
No. of Institutional Holders1,687
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

Insider Buying Activity

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GS
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
HESS JOHN B JR.
Director
$2.00M
@ $511.68 · 2025-04-15
JOHNSON KEVIN RONALD
Director
$1.49M
@ $619.02 · 2025-01-17
FLAHERTY MARK A
Director
$29,545
@ $360.30 · 2024-09-27
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
ROST
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
No open market insider purchases found.
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.

Insider Selling Activity

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GS
3
Sells (3M)
13
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $62.06M
GOLTEN ALEXANDER SIMON
Officer
$1.04M
@ $936.18 · 2026-04-23
GOLTEN ALEXANDER SIMON
Officer
$1.02M
@ $919.19 · 2026-04-17
COLEMAN DENIS P.
Chief Financial Officer
$10.94M
@ $941.57 · 2026-02-09
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$255,387
@ $938.92 · 2026-01-29
HALIO CAREY
Officer
$2.64M
@ $927.17 · 2026-01-27
FREDMAN SHEARA J.
Officer
$4.49M
@ $923.75 · 2026-01-23
RUEMMLER KATHRYN H
General Counsel
$8.89M
@ $927.51 · 2026-01-23
HALIO CAREY
Officer
$1.62M
@ $920.62 · 2026-01-23
WALDRON JOHN E.
President
$13.69M
@ $750.30 · 2025-08-28
COLEMAN DENIS P.
Chief Financial Officer
$5.41M
@ $724.40 · 2025-07-25
ROGERS JOHN F W
Officer
$4.31M
@ $717.39 · 2025-07-23
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$4.71M
@ $712.31 · 2025-07-23
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$3.04M
@ $607.17 · 2025-05-14
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$1.50M
@ $622.15 · 2025-02-26
GOLTEN ALEXANDER SIMON
Officer
$3.31M
@ $636.25 · 2025-01-28
HALIO CAREY
Officer and Treasurer
$2.32M
@ $636.74 · 2025-01-24
FREDMAN SHEARA J.
Officer
$1.28M
@ $627.01 · 2025-01-21
RUEMMLER KATHRYN H
General Counsel
$4.76M
@ $634.69 · 2025-01-21
HALIO CAREY
Officer
$965,120
@ $624.67 · 2025-01-21
VINIAR DAVID A
Director
$3.06M
@ $612.08 · 2024-11-29
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$4.00M
@ $610.91 · 2024-11-29
ROGERS JOHN F W
Officer
$3.83M
@ $596.36 · 2024-11-06
FREDMAN SHEARA J.
Officer
$1.77M
@ $594.51 · 2024-11-06
COLEMAN DENIS P.
Chief Financial Officer
$7.67M
@ $593.03 · 2024-11-06
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$3.00M
@ $500.29 · 2024-08-15
VINIAR DAVID A
Director
$2.51M
@ $502.43 · 2024-07-16
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$3.02M
@ $457.32 · 2024-05-10
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
ROST
6
Sells (3M)
11
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $17.77M
SHEEHAN WILLIAM W II
Chief Financial Officer
$1.06M
@ $216.95 · 2026-03-26
SYKES-DICK KAREN
Officer
$1.17M
@ $213.40 · 2026-03-25
HARTSHORN MICHAEL J.
Chief Operating Officer
$4.70M
@ $214.80 · 2026-03-25
BRINKLEY STEPHEN C
Officer
$884,429
@ $212.91 · 2026-03-24
FLEMING KAREN
Officer
$1.49M
@ $212.75 · 2026-03-24
SYKES-DICK KAREN
Officer
$546,755
@ $213.91 · 2026-03-10
BRINKLEY STEPHEN C
Officer
$971,794
@ $150.97 · 2025-10-08
FLEMING KAREN
Officer
$437,142
@ $149.09 · 2025-09-25
CONROY JAMES GRANT
Chief Executive Officer
$5.75M
@ $146.00 · 2025-09-24
SYKES-DICK KAREN
Officer
$607,058
@ $151.76 · 2025-09-04
FLEMING KAREN
Officer
$151,059
@ $151.06 · 2025-09-03
SYKES-DICK KAREN
Officer
$657,111
@ $130.48 · 2025-04-02
BALMUTH MICHAEL
Officer and Director
$1.48M
@ $131.60 · 2025-04-02
FLEMING KAREN
Officer
$672,979
@ $127.70 · 2025-03-31
HARTSHORN MICHAEL J.
Chief Operating Officer
$2.28M
@ $128.50 · 2025-03-25
FLEMING KAREN
Officer
$671,272
@ $125.73 · 2025-03-17
HARTSHORN MICHAEL J.
Chief Operating Officer
$1.30M
@ $155.64 · 2024-09-16
BALMUTH MICHAEL
Officer and Director
$2.27M
@ $152.22 · 2024-09-05
RENTLER BARBARA
Chief Executive Officer
$7.52M
@ $153.93 · 2024-08-27
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.

🎭 Mr. Market's Mood

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GS
FearGreed
😏Greed(66/100)

"Market is optimistic — be cautious and ensure you have a margin of safety"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
ROST
FearGreed
😏Greed(73/100)

"Market is optimistic — be cautious and ensure you have a margin of safety"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

⚖️ Buffett Signal

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GS
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Greed (66)
ROST
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Greed (73)
View GS Full AnalysisView ROST Full Analysis
GS vs ROST: Which Is the Better Buy? | SafetyMargin.io