Morning movers: Ross jumps 9.0% after a traffic-led quarter

The Morning Read covers the broader rebound. These delayed pre-market quotes were requested at 05:43 ET on 21 August 2026 and compared with a second scan near 05:38 ET; early trading can change quickly.

ROST: +9.04% as customer traffic drives a strong quarter

Ross Stores reported fiscal Q2 sales of $6.3 billion, up 13%, with comparable-store sales up 10% on customer traffic. Net income rose to $851 million from $508 million, and EPS reached $2.66, including about $0.60 from tariff refunds.

• Why it matters: Ross raised fiscal 2026 EPS guidance to $8.61-$8.77, including the $0.60 refund, and expects Q3 comparable sales of +6% to +7%.
• Objective level: the $249.68 print was $20.69 above the $228.99 close, the first support reference if the gap fades.
• Peers: TJX and BURL can distinguish an off-price read-through from a Ross-specific win.
• Main risk: investors may discount the one-time refund and focus on tougher second-half comparisons.

OSIS: -14.50% as a record year meets a weaker quarter

OSI Systems reported fiscal Q4 revenue of $484.1 million, down 4%, while GAAP EPS rose 8% to $3.27 and non-GAAP EPS rose 17% to $3.78. Fiscal-year revenue reached $1.786 billion, up 4%, and backlog was about $1.9 billion. Middle East conflicts shifted some deliveries rather than cancelling them.

• Why it matters: the market appears to emphasize quarterly revenue and delivery timing over record annual cash flow and EPS.
• Guidance: fiscal 2027 revenue of $1.875-$1.930 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $11.13-$11.49.
• Objective level: $186.46 was $31.63 below the $218.09 close; the opening auction matters more than a thin pre-market tick.
• Main risk: deliveries could recover, or further disruption could prolong the timing problem.

FLO: -3.80% after bread volumes and guidance move lower

Flowers Foods said Q2 sales fell 4.0% to $1.193 billion as volume dropped 5.8%. Net income declined 30.3% to $40.7 million, and adjusted EPS fell to $0.21 from $0.30. Fiscal 2026 sales guidance fell to $5.070-$5.142 billion and adjusted EPS guidance to $0.75-$0.85.

• Why it matters: weaker demand, marketing, labour and freight costs pressure sales and margins.
• Objective level: $6.83 was $0.27 below the $7.10 close, near the recent low zone.
• Peers: CAG and CPB can separate packaged-food pressure from company execution.
• Main risk: cost actions and the Nature’s Own relaunch could improve the second half.

Also on the radar

• MSTR +10.33% at $124.00 near 05:43 ET: the move tracked Bitcoin; no fresh issuer filing supplied a separate catalyst.
• HL +4.13% at $21.68 near 05:32 ET: silver strength and a secondary-source analyst initiation kept Hecla active, but the exact target was not retained.
• MRNA +2.62% at $136.81 near 05:43 ET: the stock rebounded after Thursday’s 23.55% drop, but yesterday’s Phase 3 story had already been featured.

What to watch today

• 08:30 ET: Flowers Foods hosts its live results question-and-answer webcast.
• 09:30 ET — opening auction: compare regular-session prices and volume with the delayed prints, especially the thin ROST and OSIS pre-market trades.
• After 09:35 ET — option chains: rebuild bids, asks, implied volatility and strike-level liquidity before reading any premium.
• Through the close: test whether ROST holds the traffic-led gap while OSIS and FLO stabilize around their prior-close references.