However, Ross Stores has been witnessing the effects of the worsening of the industry-wide supply-chain congestion, which has been leading to higher freight costs and distribution expenses. On the last reported quarter'searnings call Ross Stores anticipated continued impacts from the industry-wide supply-chain dynamics and other risks from inflation, as well as costs within its business to hurt the fiscal first-quarter performance. This is likely to have partly impacted the company’s cost of goods sold rate in the fiscal first quarter.