** Off-price retailer Ross Stores' shares down ~1.31% at $140.5 premarket
** Citigroup downgrades ROST to "neutral" from "buy" rating, says upcoming CEO transition creates uncertainty
** ROST named James Conroy as next CEO, effective Dec, 2
** Brokerage says CEO is coming from outside the off-price industry, which introduces more uncertainty
** Citigroup cuts PT to $152 from $179, which still represents a 6.8% upside to stock's last close
** 18 of 23 brokerages rate ROST stock "buy" or higher, 5 "hold"; their median PT is $175 - LSEG data
** As of last close, stock up ~2.9% YTD
(Reporting by Prakhar Srivastava in Bengaluru)
((Prakhar.srivastava2@thomsonreuters.com))