Burlington vs Ross Stores: Founders, CEOs and History
Burlington was founded in 1972 by Monroe Milstein and is led by Michael O'Sullivan. Ross Stores was founded in 1982 by Morris Ross, Bill Isackson, Stuart Moldaw and is led by James G. Conroy.
Company facts
Burlington
- Founded
- 1972
- Headquarters
- Burlington, New Jersey
- Current CEO
- Michael O'Sullivan
- Employees
- 83,309
Ross Stores
- Founded
- 1982
- Headquarters
- Dublin, California
- Current CEO
- James G. Conroy
- Employees
- 111,000
Founders
Burlington
Monroe Milstein
Monroe G. Milstein grew up in his family's wholesale outerwear business in New York.
Ross Stores
Morris Ross
Morris Ross opened the original Ross department store in San Bruno, California, in 1950. He ran the single store for several years before selling it in 1958.
Bill Isackson
Bill Isackson bought the Ross store from Morris Ross in 1958 and grew it into a small chain of six Bay Area junior department stores. That six-store chain is what an investor group bought in 1982 and converted to the off-price format.
Stuart Moldaw
Stuart Moldaw was a Bay Area retail entrepreneur and venture investor who led the 1982 purchase of the six-store Ross chain with Don Rowlett and other investors.
Don Rowlett
Don Rowlett was the retail operator in the 1982 investor group that bought the Ross chain.
CEOs and their tenures
Burlington
- Monroe Milstein1972–2006
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Milstein opened the first Burlington Coat Factory in Burlington, New Jersey, in 1972, broadened it from discount coats into year-round family apparel, shoes, baby and home goods, and took it public in 1983.
Source - Mark Nesci2006–2008
Chief Executive Officer
A 37-year Burlington veteran, Nesci became CEO in 2006 after Bain Capital took the company private for about $2.06 billion. He retired in December 2008, remaining an equity investor and senior adviser to the board.
Source - Tom Kingsbury2008–2019
President and Chief Executive Officer
A former Kohl's senior executive, Kingsbury was hired by Bain Capital in December 2008 to revamp buying, inventory management and the supply chain.
Source - Michael O'Sullivan2019–present
Chief Executive Officer
O'Sullivan joined from Ross Stores, where he spent 16 years and finished as president and COO, and became CEO around September 16, 2019.
Source
Ross Stores
- Barbara Rentler2014–2025
Former Chief Executive Officer
Sales grew from about $11 billion when she took over to $21.1 billion in fiscal 2024, her final full year as CEO.
Source - James G. Conroy2025–present
Chief Executive Officer
Under Conroy, comparable store sales rose 17% in Q1 and 10% in Q2 of fiscal 2026, driven mainly by traffic.
Source
Timeline: Burlington and Ross Stores side by side
1950Ross Stores
Original Ross store opens
Morris Ross opened the original Ross department store in the San Francisco Bay Area, creating the name later used by the chain.
1972Burlington
Burlington Coat Factory opens
Monroe Milstein bought a coat outlet in a former factory building in Burlington, New Jersey, and sold brand-name coats at discount prices, the start of Burlington Coat Factory.
1982Ross Stores
Off-price format begins
Six junior department stores in the San Francisco Bay Area were acquired and converted to the Ross Dress for Less off-price format.
1983Burlington
First public offering
Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation went public for the first time, funding expansion from a regional discounter into a national chain with year-round apparel, shoes, baby and home departments.
1985Ross Stores
Ross Stores IPO
Ross Stores went public on Nasdaq under the ticker ROST.
1989Burlington
Cohoes Specialty Stores acquired
Burlington bought the Cohoes Specialty Stores off-price chain from upstate New York, including a 50 percent stake in the Cohoes Commons building; a few stores still traded as Cohoes Fashions decades later.
2004Ross Stores
dd's DISCOUNTS launches
Ross created dd's DISCOUNTS to serve a more moderate-income value customer with deeper discounts.
2006Burlington
Bain Capital takes Burlington private
Bain Capital acquired Burlington Coat Factory for about $2.06 billion, ending 34 years of Milstein family control. Long-time executive Mark Nesci became chief executive.
2008Burlington
Tom Kingsbury named CEO
Former Kohl's executive Thomas Kingsbury became president and CEO in December 2008, succeeding Mark Nesci, and began overhauling buying, inventory management and the supply chain.
2013Burlington
Return to the stock market
Burlington Stores priced its IPO on October 2, 2013, selling 13.3 million shares at $17 each for about $226 million, and listed under the ticker BURL.
2019Burlington
Michael O'Sullivan becomes CEO
Former Ross Stores president and COO Michael O'Sullivan succeeded Tom Kingsbury as CEO around September 16, 2019, and later launched the Burlington 2.0 plan of leaner inventories and smaller stores.
2020Burlington
Online sales end and stores close for the pandemic
On March 5, 2020, Burlington said it would shut its e-commerce business. Days later pandemic lockdowns closed its stores, and fiscal 2020 revenue fell to $5.76 billion with a $216.5 million net loss.
2023Burlington
Bed Bath & Beyond leases
Burlington won 44 Bed Bath & Beyond leases for $12 million at the June 2023 bankruptcy auction, the largest share of the 109 sold, and later reported 62 former Bed Bath & Beyond leases in total.
2025Burlington
Joann leases
After Joann's second bankruptcy, Burlington agreed in April 2025 to take over 45 Joann store leases, many of which became part of its fiscal 2026 opening program.
2025Ross Stores
James Conroy becomes CEO
James G. Conroy became CEO at the start of fiscal 2025, succeeding Barbara Rentler.
2025Ross Stores
Fiscal 2025 sales reach $22.8B
Ross reported record full-year sales of $22.8 billion for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2026.
2026Burlington
Record fiscal 2025 results
Burlington reported fiscal 2025 total revenue of $11.57 billion and net income of $610.2 million, and ended the year on January 31, 2026, with 1,212 stores.
2026Burlington
Tariff refunds put into prices
In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, sales rose 11 percent to $2.998 billion. Burlington received $55 million in tariff refunds and said it would reinvest them in lower prices; the store count reached 1,287.
2026Burlington
Headquarters move to Philadelphia announced
On September 3, 2026, Burlington said it will invest $370 million to move its headquarters from Burlington Township, New Jersey, to Schuylkill Yards in Philadelphia, in phases from late 2028 or early 2029.
2026Ross Stores
Strong first half of fiscal 2026
First-half sales rose 17% to $12.3 billion with comparable store sales up 13%; Q2 results included about $253 million in IEEPA tariff refunds.
Acquisitions
Burlington
- Joann store leases2025Undisclosed
- Bed Bath & Beyond store leases2023$12M
- Burlington Coat Factory (taken private by Bain Capital)2006$2.1B
- Cohoes Specialty Stores (Cohoes Fashions)1989Undisclosed
Questions about Burlington vs Ross Stores
Who is the CEO of Burlington Stores, Inc. and Ross Stores, Inc.?
Burlington Stores, Inc. is led by Michael O'Sullivan and Ross Stores, Inc. is led by James G. Conroy. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Burlington Stores, Inc. founded vs Ross Stores, Inc.?
Burlington Stores, Inc. was founded in 1972 — 10 years before Ross Stores, Inc., which was founded in 1982. Burlington Stores, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Ross Stores, Inc..
How many employees does Burlington Stores, Inc. have compared to Ross Stores, Inc.?
Burlington Stores, Inc. employs approximately 83,309 people, while Ross Stores, Inc. employs approximately 111,000. Ross Stores, Inc. has the larger workforce at 111,000 employees, compared to Burlington Stores, Inc.'s 83,309. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Burlington Stores, Inc. and Ross Stores, Inc. headquartered?
Both Burlington Stores, Inc. and Ross Stores, Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Burlington Stores, Inc. and Ross Stores, Inc.?
Burlington Stores, Inc. was founded by Monroe Milstein. Ross Stores, Inc. was founded by Morris Ross, Bill Isackson, Stuart Moldaw, Don Rowlett.
Which company has a longer operating history — Burlington Stores, Inc. or Ross Stores, Inc.?
Burlington Stores, Inc. has been operating for approximately 54 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Ross Stores, Inc. has been in operation for around 44 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Burlington vs Ross Stores overview