vs

Side-by-side financial comparison of Hormel Foods (HRL) and Ross Stores (ROST). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Ross Stores is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($5.6B vs $3.2B, roughly 1.8× Hormel Foods). Ross Stores runs the higher net margin — 9.1% vs -1.8%, a 10.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Ross Stores posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.4% vs 1.5%). Ross Stores produced more free cash flow last quarter ($617.8M vs $231.4M). Over the past eight quarters, Hormel Foods's revenue compounded faster (3.1% CAGR vs -3.6%).

Hormel Foods Corporation, doing business as Hormel Foods or simply Hormel, is an American multinational food processing company founded in 1891 in Austin, Minnesota, by George A. Hormel as George A. Hormel & Company. The company originally focused on the packaging and selling of ham, sausage and other pork, chicken, beef and lamb products to consumers, adding Spam in 1937. By the 1980s, Hormel began offering a wider range of packaged and refrigerated foods.

Ross Stores, Inc., operating under the brand name Ross Dress for Less, is an American chain of discount department stores headquartered in Dublin, California. It is the largest off-price retailer in the U.S.; as of July 2024, Ross operates 1,795 stores in 43 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. Puerto Rico and Guam, covering much of the country, but with no presence in New England and Alaska. The company also operates DD's Discounts, a discount department store chain with over 353 locations across t...

HRL vs ROST — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ROST
ROST
1.8× larger
ROST
$5.6B
$3.2B
HRL
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ROST
ROST
+8.9% gap
ROST
10.4%
1.5%
HRL
Higher net margin
ROST
ROST
10.9% more per $
ROST
9.1%
-1.8%
HRL
More free cash flow
ROST
ROST
$386.4M more FCF
ROST
$617.8M
$231.4M
HRL
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
HRL
HRL
Annualised
HRL
3.1%
-3.6%
ROST

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Revenue
$3.2B
$5.6B
Net Profit
$-56.1M
$511.9M
Gross Margin
14.0%
28.0%
Operating Margin
0.1%
11.6%
Net Margin
-1.8%
9.1%
Revenue YoY
1.5%
10.4%
Net Profit YoY
-125.5%
4.7%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.10
$1.58

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$3.2B
$5.6B
Q3 25
$3.0B
$5.5B
Q2 25
$2.9B
$5.0B
Q1 25
$3.0B
$5.9B
Q4 24
$3.1B
$5.1B
Q3 24
$2.9B
$5.3B
Q2 24
$2.9B
$4.9B
Q1 24
$3.0B
$6.0B
Net Profit
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$-56.1M
$511.9M
Q3 25
$183.7M
$508.0M
Q2 25
$180.0M
$479.2M
Q1 25
$170.6M
$586.8M
Q4 24
$220.2M
$488.8M
Q3 24
$176.7M
$527.1M
Q2 24
$189.3M
$488.0M
Q1 24
$218.9M
$609.7M
Gross Margin
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
14.0%
28.0%
Q3 25
16.1%
27.6%
Q2 25
16.7%
28.2%
Q1 25
15.9%
26.5%
Q4 24
16.6%
28.3%
Q3 24
16.8%
28.3%
Q2 24
17.4%
28.1%
Q1 24
17.0%
27.3%
Operating Margin
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
0.1%
11.6%
Q3 25
7.9%
11.5%
Q2 25
8.6%
12.2%
Q1 25
7.6%
12.4%
Q4 24
9.4%
11.9%
Q3 24
8.2%
12.5%
Q2 24
8.7%
12.2%
Q1 24
9.5%
13.2%
Net Margin
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
-1.8%
9.1%
Q3 25
6.1%
9.2%
Q2 25
6.2%
9.6%
Q1 25
5.7%
9.9%
Q4 24
7.0%
9.6%
Q3 24
6.1%
10.0%
Q2 24
6.6%
10.0%
Q1 24
7.3%
10.1%
EPS (diluted)
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$-0.10
$1.58
Q3 25
$0.33
$1.56
Q2 25
$0.33
$1.47
Q1 25
$0.31
$1.79
Q4 24
$0.41
$1.48
Q3 24
$0.32
$1.59
Q2 24
$0.34
$1.46
Q1 24
$0.40
$1.82

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$703.6M
$4.1B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.9B
$1.5B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$7.9B
$5.9B
Total Assets
$13.4B
$15.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.36×
0.26×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$703.6M
$4.1B
Q3 25
$630.7M
$3.8B
Q2 25
$699.0M
$3.8B
Q1 25
$866.4M
$4.7B
Q4 24
$766.6M
$4.3B
Q3 24
$561.9M
$4.7B
Q2 24
$1.5B
$4.7B
Q1 24
$981.9M
$4.9B
Total Debt
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$2.9B
$1.5B
Q3 25
$2.9B
$1.5B
Q2 25
$2.9B
$1.5B
Q1 25
$2.9B
$2.2B
Q4 24
$2.9B
$2.2B
Q3 24
$2.9B
$2.5B
Q2 24
$2.9B
$2.5B
Q1 24
$2.4B
$2.5B
Stockholders' Equity
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$7.9B
$5.9B
Q3 25
$8.1B
$5.7B
Q2 25
$8.0B
$5.6B
Q1 25
$8.0B
$5.5B
Q4 24
$8.0B
$5.3B
Q3 24
$7.9B
$5.1B
Q2 24
$7.9B
$4.9B
Q1 24
$7.8B
$4.9B
Total Assets
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$13.4B
$15.4B
Q3 25
$13.5B
$14.5B
Q2 25
$13.4B
$14.3B
Q1 25
$13.4B
$14.9B
Q4 24
$13.4B
$14.9B
Q3 24
$13.1B
$14.7B
Q2 24
$14.1B
$14.5B
Q1 24
$13.5B
$14.3B
Debt / Equity
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
0.36×
0.26×
Q3 25
0.35×
0.26×
Q2 25
0.35×
0.27×
Q1 25
0.36×
0.40×
Q4 24
0.36×
0.42×
Q3 24
0.36×
0.48×
Q2 24
0.36×
0.50×
Q1 24
0.30×
0.51×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$322.9M
$827.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$231.4M
$617.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
7.3%
11.0%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.9%
3.7%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.62×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$534.3M
$2.0B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$322.9M
$827.1M
Q3 25
$156.7M
$668.4M
Q2 25
$56.4M
$409.7M
Q1 25
$309.2M
$882.6M
Q4 24
$408.6M
$513.4M
Q3 24
$218.0M
$592.1M
Q2 24
$236.1M
$368.9M
Q1 24
$404.0M
$948.8M
Free Cash Flow
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
$231.4M
$617.8M
Q3 25
$84.5M
$466.6M
Q2 25
$-18.6M
$202.3M
Q1 25
$237.0M
$676.6M
Q4 24
$324.8M
$333.0M
Q3 24
$152.5M
$394.6M
Q2 24
$176.2M
$232.7M
Q1 24
$356.8M
$726.4M
FCF Margin
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
7.3%
11.0%
Q3 25
2.8%
8.4%
Q2 25
-0.6%
4.1%
Q1 25
7.9%
11.4%
Q4 24
10.4%
6.6%
Q3 24
5.3%
7.5%
Q2 24
6.1%
4.8%
Q1 24
11.9%
12.1%
Capex Intensity
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
2.9%
3.7%
Q3 25
2.4%
3.6%
Q2 25
2.6%
4.2%
Q1 25
2.4%
3.5%
Q4 24
2.7%
3.6%
Q3 24
2.3%
3.7%
Q2 24
2.1%
2.8%
Q1 24
1.6%
3.7%
Cash Conversion
HRL
HRL
ROST
ROST
Q4 25
1.62×
Q3 25
0.85×
1.32×
Q2 25
0.31×
0.85×
Q1 25
1.81×
1.50×
Q4 24
1.86×
1.05×
Q3 24
1.23×
1.12×
Q2 24
1.25×
0.76×
Q1 24
1.85×
1.56×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

HRL
HRL

Retail Segment$1.9B60%
Foodservice Segment$1.1B34%
Other$174.7M5%

ROST
ROST

Segment breakdown not available.

Related Comparisons