Ross Stores vs Walmart: Founders, CEOs and History
Ross Stores was founded in 1982 by Morris Ross, Bill Isackson, Stuart Moldaw and is led by James G. Conroy. Walmart was founded in 1962 by Sam Walton and is led by John Furner.
Company facts
Ross Stores
- Founded
- 1982
- Headquarters
- Dublin, California
- Current CEO
- James G. Conroy
- Employees
- 111,000
Walmart
- Founded
- 1962
- Headquarters
- Bentonville, Arkansas
- Current CEO
- John Furner
- Employees
- 2,100,000
Founders
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.
Walmart
Sam Walton
Sam Walton opened the first Walmart Discount City in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962 and built the company around low prices, low costs, and its own distribution network. He served as CEO until 1988 and remained chairman until his death in 1992.
CEOs and their tenures
Ross Stores
- Michael Balmuth1996–2014
Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Ross sales grew from under $2 billion to more than $10 billion during his term. Barbara Rentler succeeded him in June 2014.
Source - 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
Walmart
- Sam Walton1962–1988
Founder and CEO
Founded Walmart and set its low-price, low-cost operating approach.
Source - David Glass1988–2000
Chief Executive Officer
David Glass served as chief executive of Walmart Inc. from 1988 to 2000.
Source - Lee Scott2000–2009
Chief Executive Officer
Lee Scott served as chief executive of Walmart Inc. from 2000 to 2009.
Source - Mike Duke2009–2014
Chief Executive Officer
Mike Duke served as chief executive of Walmart Inc. from 2009 to 2014.
Source - Doug McMillon2014–2026
Former President and CEO
Led Walmart's push into ecommerce, marketplace, advertising, and store-fulfilled delivery, and oversaw the Jet.com, Flipkart, and VIZIO deals.
Source - Greg Penner2015–present
Chairman of the Board
He successfully managed the transition of corporate leadership to Doug McMillon and actively oversees the Walton family's controlling stake in the retail giant.
Source - John David Rainey2022–present
Executive Vice President and CFO
As CFO, he aggressively executed multi-billion-dollar share repurchases while funding massive capital expenditures for store remodels and automation.
Source - John Furner2026–present
President and CEO
Became President and CEO on February 1, 2026, succeeding Doug McMillon. He reshaped the executive team with internal promotions in January 2026.
Source - David Guggina2026–present
President and CEO, Walmart U.S.
As head of supply chain operations, he modernized the underlying logistics network that allowed Walmart to successfully compete with Amazon's two-day delivery speeds.
Source
Timeline: Ross Stores and Walmart 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.
1962Walmart
First Walmart Opens
Sam Walton opens the first Walmart Discount City in Rogers, Arkansas.
1970Walmart
Walmart Goes Public
Walmart sells shares to the public to fund expansion.
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.
1982Ross Stores
Acquired Six-store Ross department store chain
Ross Stores acquired Six-store Ross department store chain. An investor group including Stuart Moldaw and Don Rowlett bought the six Bay Area Ross stores to convert them to an off-price format.
1983Walmart
Sam's Club Launches
The first Sam's Club warehouse club opens in Midwest City, Oklahoma.
1985Ross Stores
Ross Stores IPO
Ross Stores went public on Nasdaq under the ticker ROST.
1988Walmart
First Supercenter and New CEO
Walmart opens its first supercenter, and David Glass succeeds Sam Walton as CEO.
1999Walmart
Asda Acquired
Walmart bought the British supermarket chain Asda in 1999 for about $10 billion.
2000Walmart
Lee Scott Becomes CEO
Lee Scott succeeds David Glass as CEO.
2004Ross Stores
dd's DISCOUNTS launches
Ross created dd's DISCOUNTS to serve a more moderate-income value customer with deeper discounts.
2014Ross Stores
Barbara Rentler Becomes CEO
Barbara Rentler became chief executive of Ross Stores in June 2014.
2014Walmart
Doug McMillon Becomes CEO
Doug McMillon, who started as an hourly associate in 1984, becomes CEO.
2016Walmart
Jet.com Acquisition
Walmart buys Jet.com for about $3.3 billion to strengthen its U.S. ecommerce team.
2018Walmart
Flipkart Investment
Walmart acquires a majority stake in Flipkart for about $16 billion.
2024Walmart
VIZIO Acquisition
Walmart completes its $2.3 billion purchase of smart-TV maker VIZIO to expand its advertising business.
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.
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.
2026Walmart
John Furner Becomes CEO
John Furner succeeds Doug McMillon as President and CEO effective February 1, 2026; David Guggina takes over Walmart U.S.
2026Walmart
Q2 FY27 Results
Walmart reports Q2 FY27 revenue of $187.9 billion, up 5.9%, and raises full-year sales and operating income guidance.
Acquisitions
Walmart
- VIZIO2024$2.3B
- Flipkart2018$16B
- Bonobos2017Undisclosed
- Jet.com2016$3.3B
- BIG Bompreço2004Undisclosed
Questions about Ross Stores vs Walmart
Who is the CEO of Ross Stores, Inc. and Walmart Inc.?
Ross Stores, Inc. is led by James G. Conroy and Walmart Inc. is led by John Furner. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Ross Stores, Inc. founded vs Walmart Inc.?
Walmart Inc. was founded in 1962 — 20 years before Ross Stores, Inc., which was founded in 1982. Walmart 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 Ross Stores, Inc. have compared to Walmart Inc.?
Ross Stores, Inc. employs approximately 111,000 people, while Walmart Inc. employs approximately 2,100,000. Walmart Inc. has the larger workforce at 2,100,000 employees, compared to Ross Stores, Inc.'s 111,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Ross Stores, Inc. and Walmart Inc. headquartered?
Both Ross Stores, Inc. and Walmart Inc. are headquartered in United States. Their local rules and tax obligations may still differ.
Who founded Ross Stores, Inc. and Walmart Inc.?
Ross Stores, Inc. was founded by Morris Ross, Bill Isackson, Stuart Moldaw, Don Rowlett. Walmart Inc. was founded by Sam Walton.
Which company has a longer operating history — Ross Stores, Inc. or Walmart Inc.?
Walmart Inc. has been operating for approximately 64 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 Ross Stores vs Walmart overview