CLAIM #671 · Ross Stores Inc (ROST) · 2023Q4 earnings call · Mar 4, 2024 · due Feb 1, 2025
“So on the ocean freight side, we'll get a little bit of benefit in Q1, but kind of negligible over the course of the year.”
Adam Orvos · CFO
How to check this claim
Look at: Ocean freight cost benefit/impact on merchandise margin, fiscal year
It came true if: Full-year ocean freight benefit to merchandise margin is immaterial (near 0%, not a meaningfully quantified driver), following a modest benefit in Q1
Where: Management commentary on merchandise margin drivers (quarterly earnings calls, FY2024 quarters)
In context
“to do a good job while the minimum wage changes are putting pressure in the stores. Through some of the efficiencies that we've invested in, we've generally been able to offset that. So I'm not seeing much overall pressure on the store side on that front. Operator: The next question comes from the line of Ike Boruchow with Wells Fargo. Irwin Boruchow: Michael, maybe to you, I think to answering your question earlier, you had said that you expect freight to be a benefit this year but less so than in '23. Were you referring to domestic freight specifically? Are you talking to freight, including ocean freight within the merchandise margin loan? Michael Hartshorn: In that one, I was talking about domestic freight, but I'll let Adam take it to speak on this. Adam Orvos: Ike, this is Adam. So on the ocean freight side, we'll get a little bit of benefit in Q1, but kind of negligible over the course of the year. Obviously, this is going to be dependent on how the situation plays out in the Suez Canal. And the duration of that conflict if anything changes. But I would also say that impacts a very small portion of our freight, yet we're closely monitoring that situation. On the domestic side, that's what Michael was commenting on earlier because fuel prices are lower than where they were at least this time last year. And based on our contracted rates, we should see some slight benefit throughout the year on the domestic side. Irwin Boruchow: Got it. So slight benefits throughout the year on domestic. Adam, just based on the line of sight you have, is there any point in this year where ocean freight should flip to -- from a tailwind to a headwind? Or is it just kind of like flattening out for you g”
Verify independently
SEC filings for ROST ↗ · Claim quote is verbatim from the 2023Q4 earnings call.