RL vs ROST Stock Comparison
RL currently leads ROST in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 65 vs 58. The clearest difference is momentum, while ROST has the stronger risk resilience profile.
What is the main difference between RL and ROST?
RL leads the current stock comparison as Ralph Lauren Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Ralph Lauren Corporation vs Ross Stores, Inc.
RL leads
RL leads by 7 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Value, and the lead has widened from 4 points over 30 sessions.
Competitive: 4 of 6 evidence groups support RL, its lead is widening, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Ralph Lauren Corporation
Ross Stores, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors RL over ROST, 65 versus 58 as of Oct 21, 2026. RL's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and value, while ROST holds the stronger risk resilience profile. RL also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor RL today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. RL lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 4 to 7 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Ralph Lauren Corporation and Ross Stores, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare RL and ROST against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum84 vs 71RL +13
- Value38 vs 28RL +10
- Risk Resilience59 vs 68ROST +9
- Quality79 vs 73RL +6
4 of 6 evidence groups favor RL. RL’s edge is concentrated in momentum and value; ROST keeps a meaningful risk resilience edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum -4
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 3 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Momentum -1, not enough on its own to move the overall score.
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 4 active signals are unchanged.
RL's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ point in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — RL and ROST both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
RL (Ralph Lauren Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and value.
ROST (Ross Stores, Inc.): the counter-case, on risk resilience.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
RLRL on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
RLRL on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
RLRL on the peer-relative Value factor, by 10 points.
Momentum
RLRL on the Momentum factor, by 13 points.
Lower downside
ROSTROST on Risk Resilience, by 9 points.
Analyst upside
RLRL on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | RL | ROST | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +17.4% | +13.1% | RL has more room |
| Target dispersion | +23.7% | +31.3% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 9 | 14 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Dividend growth
| Dividend metric | RL | ROST |
|---|---|---|
| 5Y dividend CAGR | 38.96% | 41.56% |
| 2020 regular DPS | $0.688 | $0.285 |
| 2025 regular DPS | $3.563 | $1.620 |
| Years increased | 5 | 5 |
| No cut in window | Yes | Yes |
| Cohort rank | not ranked | not ranked |
ROST grew its split-adjusted regular dividend faster over 2020–2025 — 41.56% a year against RL's 38.96%. Neither company reduced its regular dividend in any year of the window. They are ranked in different cohorts — variable-dividend payers and US dividend-paying corporations — so their ranks are not comparable with each other.
Yield and payout ratio shown elsewhere on this page are current values, not part of the study window.
Split-adjusted regular dividends per share, 2020–2025, excluding special dividends. Research as of Sep 19, 2026.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor RL. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | RL | 65 vs 58 |
| Fundamentals | RLon balance | EPS growth 75.1% vs 31.4%; TTM ROE 35.6% vs 42.3%; gross margin 70.3% vs 29.9%; operating margin 14.9% vs 13.7% — RL takes 3 of 4 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | RL | Value 38 vs 28 |
| Technicals | Even | Price vs 50-day 5.5% vs 0.7%; vs 200-day 3.4% vs 7.5% |
| Risk Resilience | ROST | Risk Resilience 59 vs 68 |
| Analyst expectations | RL | Target upside 17.4% vs 13.1% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of RL and ROST and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 7 points.
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on RL.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20RL lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 4 to 7 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- RL +7
- 65 vs 58
- 7 sessions ago
- RL +11
- 67 vs 56
- 30 sessions ago
- RL +4
- 61 vs 57
- 90 sessions ago
- RL +7
- 55 vs 48
The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Sep 17 when ROST moved ahead of RL.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
2 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
Only RL
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (1.47%)
4 bullish / 0 bearish
Only ROST
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (5.38%)
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
Both carry 2 more signals that do not separate them: EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish, MACD Bullish Crossover.
RL leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +0.59%, AIQ -1 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -1.29%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1ROST closes the Momentum gap — currently 13 points behind, the largest single contributor to RL's edge.
- 2ROST's existing bullish trend signals translate into factor-score gains — the rules are already firing, but the scores have not yet followed.
- 3RL's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
RL leads on balance| Metric | RL | ROST |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | -1% | 4.2% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 75.1% | 31.4% |
| Gross margin | 70.3% | 29.9% |
| Operating margin | 14.9% | 13.7% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 35.6% | 42.3% |
| Debt to equity | 1.1 | 0.7 |
Performance
ROST leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | RL | ROST |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 1.2% | 5.1% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 9.4% | 2% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -2.3% | -0.4% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -2.2% | 5.2% |
| Year to date | 7% | 31.7% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 17.1% | 52.9% |
Technicals
Split| Metric | RL | ROST |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 68.3 | 55.8 |
| ADX (14) | 30.2 | 18.9 |
| Price vs 50-day | 5.5% | 0.7% |
| Price vs 200-day | 3.4% | 7.5% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 27.8% | 17.8% |
Risk
ROST is the more resilient| Metric | RL | ROST |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 1.2 | 0.55 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.47 | 1.59 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.89 | 2.54 |
| Max drawdown | -19.6% | -13% |
| Current drawdown | -8.7% | -7% |
| Annualized volatility | 34.9% | 26.1% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -3.3% | -2.3% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, RL or ROST?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, RL is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 65 against ROST's 58. The edge comes from momentum and value. ROST is not without a case — it holds the better risk resilience profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is RL or ROST the better buy right now?
RL carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Competitive rating means the two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
Why does the AIQ Score favor RL over ROST?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. RL leads Momentum by 13 points; RL leads Value by 10 points; ROST leads Risk Resilience by 9 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, RL or ROST?
Analyst price targets imply +17.4% upside for RL and +13.1% for ROST, so the Street currently favors RL. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, RL or ROST?
RL is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. RL on the peer-relative Value factor, by 10 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, RL or ROST?
RL on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, RL or ROST?
RL on the Momentum factor, by 13 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, RL or ROST?
ROST is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. ROST on Risk Resilience, by 9 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is RL more profitable than ROST?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 70.3% vs 29.9%; operating margin 14.9% vs 13.7%; ttm roe 35.6% vs 42.3%. RL leads on two measures and ROST on one measure, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is RL's lead over ROST getting stronger or weaker?
RL lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 4 to 7 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-09-17, when ROST moved ahead of RL.
What would change the RL vs ROST verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: ROST closes the Momentum gap — currently 13 points behind, the largest single contributor to RL's edge; ROST's existing bullish trend signals translate into factor-score gains — the rules are already firing, but the scores have not yet followed; RL's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about RL and ROST?
RL: 2 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. ROST: 4 bullish / 0 bearish. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on RL is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On ROST it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare RL and ROST with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.