McCormick & Company, Incorporated vs Ross Stores, Inc. — how do they compare? McCormick & Company, Incorporated trades at $51.43 (market cap $13.96B), while Ross Stores, Inc. trades at $225 (market cap $73.25B). The key difference: Ross Stores, Inc. is far larger — about 5.2× McCormick & Company, Incorporated's market cap, and McCormick & Company, Incorporated pays the higher dividend (3.7%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MKC | ROST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.96B | $73.25B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $71.65 | $255.23 |
52-Week Low | $45.60 | $144.67 |
Enterprise Value | $18.57B | $73.70B |
Dividend Yield | 3.7% | 0.78% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
McCormick & Company (MKC) trades at $51.90, down 0.35% with a bearish technical signal. The stock shows strong fundamentals with a P/E of 8.64, net income margin of 21.91%, and consistent dividend growth. Recent Q1 2026 earnings beat expectations, while analyst consensus remains mixed with 11 buy, 17 hold, and 2 sell ratings. The pending $65 billion Unilever Foods merger and London listing plans represent significant corporate developments.
MKC presents a compelling value opportunity with attractive valuation metrics and stable profitability. The Unilever merger offers substantial growth potential but carries integration risks. Current technical weakness near support at $50-$51 creates a potential entry point for long-term investors seeking dividend income and merger upside.
Ross Stores (ROST) trades at $229.31, down 0.6% on the day, showing bearish technical signals despite strong fundamental performance. The company reported three consecutive quarterly earnings beats, with Q2 2026 EPS of $2.66 beating expectations by 36%. Revenue growth accelerated to 13% in Q2 2026, with comparable store sales surging 10% driven by increased traffic and margin expansion. The stock faces technical resistance near $234 while maintaining strong analyst support with a $271.33 consensus price target.
ROST presents a compelling growth story with robust fundamentals but faces near-term technical headwinds. The company's value-focused retail strategy resonates with cost-conscious consumers, driving consistent earnings outperformance. Key risks include competitive pressures in off-price retail and macroeconomic sensitivity. With 64% of analysts maintaining buy ratings and a 19% upside to consensus targets, the stock offers growth potential for investors comfortable with current technical weakness.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
In its 130-year history, McCormick has grown to become the leading global manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of spices, herbs, extracts, seasonings, and other flavorings. Beyond end consumers, McCormick's customer base also includes top quick-service restaurants, retail grocery chains, and other packaged food and beverage manufacturers, with about 30% of sales generated beyond its home turf to include 150 other countries and territories. In addition to its namesake brand, the firm's portfolio includes Old Bay, Zatarain's, Thai Kitchen, Frank's RedHot, French's, and the recently acquired Cholula brand.
Read more on MKC →Ross Stores is a leading American off-price apparel and home fashion retailer, operating over 1,920 stores (at the end of fiscal 2021) across the Ross Dress for Less and dd's Discounts banners. Ross offers a variety of name-brand products and targets undercutting conventional retailers' regular prices by 20%-70%. The company uses an opportunistic, flexible merchandising approach
Read more on ROST →