Ross 2014 Annual Report Download - page 8

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6 | 2014 Annual Report Ross Stores, Inc.
Finally, we will continue to maintain tight expense control
throughout our entire Company. This has helped drive
profitability while still enabling us to invest in the most vital
areas of our business to support our long-term growth.
Looking ahead, we are excited and optimistic about our
long-term prospects, as we believe that off-price will
remain a strong-performing sector of the retail industry
for the foreseeable future. We know that consistently
delivering bargains our customers can count on every
day will always be the key to enhancing our opportunities
for growth in both sales and profits over the short
and long term.
Social Responsibility at Ross
The six Ross Dress for Less stores we opened in Northern
California in 1982 have grown into the largest off-price
apparel and home fashion chain in the United States, with
1,210 locations at the end of 2014. dd’s DISCOUNTS,
which we launched in 2004, had 152 stores at year end.
Our success over the past 32 years has been driven by
an unwavering commitment to creating value, with a
focus on excellence, ethics and integrity in all we do. This
extends far beyond our mission of offering customers
great name brand bargains. It also means enhancing
the lives of more than 71,400 associates by providing a
work environment where they can grow and succeed.
Our greatest assets are the people that work in our
stores, distribution centers and offices. They play a key
role in delivering great value to our customers and we
want to recognize their hard work and commitment
in contributing to our ongoing success. Further, we
continue to support the communities where we operate
through local hiring and philanthropic efforts, including
a foundation we established in 2013 that supports our
charitable mission to help create a brighter future for
today’s youth. In addition, we continually look for ways
to strengthen operating efficiencies while minimizing
our impact on the environment.
In closing, we would like to thank all of our
customers, business partners and stockholders
for their continued support.
Sincerely,
Norman A. Ferber
Chairman Emeritus
Michael Balmuth
Executive Chairman
Barbara Rentler
Chief Executive Officer