Ross Stores, Inc. reported a decline in sales trends, attributing the downturn to uncharacteristically cold weather and declining consumer confidence. The company's Chief Financial Officer noted that the soft topline performance in February and the first quarter was affected by these factors, which negatively impacted discretionary sales. CEO commentary emphasized that sales trends began softening later in January and continued into February, influenced by heightened volatility in the macroeconomic and geopolitical environments. The company has decided to adopt a cautious approach in forecasting future business, citing uncertainty in customer traffic and overall economic conditions. Following this announcement, Ross Stores' stock fell by 2.5% in after-hours trading. Additionally, the company reported that same-store sales trends have shown improvement since early February, contrasting with Walmart's report of stronger trends as the quarter ended.