Link to $10-$k via SEC Website $($if you cannot access the pdf$)$

Refer to Item $8($Page $50/91$ in pdf$)$ Consolidated Statements of Earnings and the past $3$ years of sales data. If you were creating a master budget for $2024$ and were to use cost of goods sold as a percentage of the total sales for your future predictions, what percentage would you use? Give calculations or explain your reasoning. hint: $($cost of goods sold $/$ sales$)$

Item $1$ A $($Page $12/91-25/91$ in pdf$)$ Lists multiple Risk Factors associated with the company and the financial information $).$ Consider the Sales Budget and what items are listed on the sales budget. Find $2$ items listed by Ross Stores, Inc. that you think could directly impact the Sales Budget and must be greatly considered when the Sales Budget is created. Give reasoning as to why you chose those items. For example, page $12/91$ mentions consumer spending levels and shopping behaviors that could impact the amount of sales dollars.

Review the list of Risk Factors again. Find $2$ items listed by Ross Stores, Inc. that you think could directly impact the Production Budget and must jreatly considered when the Production Budget is created. Give reasoning as to why you chose those items. For example, page $15/91$ mentions a change in inventory values if low$-$cost vendors are better able to manage their inventory levels which will impact the dollar amount for cost of goods sold.

Review the list of Risk Factors again. Find $2$ items listed by Ross Stores, Inc. that you think could directly impact the Selling and Administrative Budget and must be greatly considered when it is created. Give reasoning as to why you chose those items. For example, page $\frac{12}{91}$ mentions an increase in fuel and energy costs due to inflation which will impact utilities expense.

Refer to Item $8($Page $50/91$ in pdf$)$ Consolidated Statements of Earnings and your answers to the above questions. Do you feel like Ross is positioned well for the future? Why or why not?