Kohl's Corporation
- Open
- 17.42
- Day high
- 18.49
- Day low
- 17.21
- Prev close
- 17.81
- Volume
- 1.1M
- Mkt cap
- $2.1B
- P/E (TTM)
- 7.6
- EPS (TTM)
- $2.41
- P/B
- 0.5
- P/S
- 0.1
- Yield
- 2.71%
- Per share
- $0.50
- ▼Insiders net selling -$760K over the last 3 months (0 open-market buys, 3 sales)
- 🏛Institutions mixed (13F)
Kohl's Corporation (KSS) is a Consumer Cyclical company listed on NYSE. The stock is up 11% over the past year. Over the trailing 3 months, insiders filed 0 open-market buys and 3 sales (SEC Form 4).
Kohl's Corporation (KSS) financials & analyst ratings
Fundamentals (TTM)
Analyst consensus · 3 analysts
Source: exchange market data + company filings. Figures are trailing-twelve-month or as most recently reported. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
KSS earnings date, history & EPS estimates
| Report date | EPS est | EPS actual | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 26, 2026 | $0.58 | $1.28 | +119.6% | $3.3B | -0.2% |
| May 28, 2026 | $-0.18 | $-0.13 | +27.8% | $3.0B | +0.1% |
| Mar 10, 2026 | $0.86 | $1.07 | +24.4% | $5.0B | -0.9% |
| Nov 25, 2025 | $-0.13 | $0.10 | +176.9% | $3.6B | +7.4% |
| Aug 27, 2025 | $0.33 | $0.56 | +69.7% | $3.5B | +3.7% |
| May 29, 2025 | $-0.22 | $-0.13 | +40.9% | $3.2B | -3.2% |
| Mar 11, 2025 | $0.72 | $0.95 | +31.9% | $5.4B | +71.1% |
| Nov 26, 2024 | $0.31 | $0.20 | -35.5% | $3.7B | +1.6% |
| Aug 28, 2024 | $0.45 | $0.59 | +31.1% | $3.7B | +3.9% |
| May 30, 2024 | $0.05 | $-0.24 | -542.8% | $3.4B | -0.9% |
| Mar 12, 2024 | $1.28 | $1.67 | +30.5% | $6.0B | +4.5% |
| Nov 21, 2023 | $0.35 | $0.53 | +51.4% | $4.1B | -27.8% |
KSS insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 2026 | Chaudhary Nirendirector | Grant | 7,548 | — |
| Aug 18, 2026 | Arlin Wendy C.director | Grant | 8,850 | — |
| Aug 18, 2026 | Villagomez Adolfodirector | Grant | 1,562 | — |
| Aug 4, 2026 | Raymond Christieofficer: Sr. EVP, Chief Marketing Off. | Sell | 15,000 | $20.00 |
| Aug 4, 2026 | Kent Jennifer J.officer: Sr. EVP, CLO & Corp. Sec. | Sell | 22,942 | $20.00 |
| Jul 16, 2026 | Steinmetz Mariofficer: Sr. EVP, Chief People Officer | Sell | 53 | $17.17 |
| Jul 16, 2026 | Steinmetz Mariofficer: Sr. EVP, Chief People Officer | Tax | 189 | $16.43 |
| Jul 16, 2026 | Steinmetz Mariofficer: Sr. EVP, Chief People Officer | Grant | 107 | — |
| Jun 26, 2026 | Raymond Christieofficer: Sr. EVP, Chief Marketing Off. | Grant | 84 | — |
| Jun 26, 2026 | Raymond Christieofficer: Sr. EVP, Chief Marketing Off. | Tax | 40 | $17.53 |
| Jun 25, 2026 | Villagomez Adolfodirector | Grant | 78 | $0.13 |
| Jun 25, 2026 | Mitchell Robbindirector | Grant | 78 | $0.13 |
| Jun 25, 2026 | Arlin Wendy C.director | Grant | 108 | $0.13 |
| Jun 25, 2026 | Floyd H. Charlesdirector | Grant | 78 | $0.13 |
| Jun 25, 2026 | Floyd H. Charlesdirector | Grant | 123 | $0.13 |
Source: KSS SEC Form 4 filings, latest Aug 18, 2026. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
See the full KSS insider & 13F page →Kohl's Corporation company profile
Overview
Kohl's Corporation (NYSE:KSS) is a major American department store chain founded in 1988 and headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. The company went public in 1992 and has grown to operate approximately 1,100 stores across the United States, alongside its e-commerce platform Kohls.com. Kohl's has positioned itself as a value-oriented retailer targeting middle-income families, offering a mix of national brands, exclusive brands, and private label merchandise across apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty, and home categories. The company has undergone significant strategic transformation in recent years, including a leadership transition with Ashley Buchanan becoming CEO in January 2025, and has been working to revitalize its business model amid challenging retail conditions.
Business
Kohl's operates in the department store retail industry, which represents a traditional brick-and-mortar retail format that offers a wide variety of merchandise categories under one roof. Department stores have historically served as anchor tenants in shopping malls and standalone locations, providing customers with convenient one-stop shopping for clothing, accessories, home goods, and beauty products. The company's core business revolves around selling branded apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty products, and home goods through both physical stores and digital channels. Kohl's merchandise strategy includes three main components: national brands (such as Nike, Levi's, and Adidas), exclusive partnerships with designer and celebrity brands, and proprietary private label brands. The company's private label portfolio includes Apt. 9, Croft & Barrow, Jumping Beans, SO, and Sonoma Goods for Life, along with exclusive licensed brands like Food Network, LC Lauren Conrad, Nine West, and Simply Vera Vera Wang. A significant strategic initiative has been Kohl's partnership with Sephora, the French beauty retailer. This partnership involves dedicated Sephora shop-in-shop spaces within Kohl's stores, offering premium beauty products and services. As of recent reports, Sephora shops operate in over 1,050 Kohl's locations and have become a major growth driver, with beauty sales increasing substantially year-over-year. The company has also launched partnerships with Babies"R"Us, creating dedicated baby product sections in approximately 200 stores. Kohl's operates through an omnichannel model, meaning customers can shop seamlessly across physical stores and digital platforms. The company offers services like buy-online-pickup-in-store, ship-from-store, and various fulfillment options to bridge the gap between online and offline shopping experiences.
Revenue model
Kohl's generates revenue primarily through product sales across its retail channels, operating on a traditional retail markup model where merchandise is purchased wholesale and sold at retail prices. The company's customers are primarily middle-income families and value-conscious consumers who appreciate the combination of brand-name merchandise and frequent promotional offers. The business model relies heavily on promotional strategies, including Kohl's Cash (a rewards program that provides store credit for future purchases), percentage-off coupons, and seasonal sales events. The company also operates a Kohl's Rewards program that provides points and exclusive offers to frequent shoppers, helping to drive customer loyalty and repeat purchases. Several factors significantly impact Kohl's profitability and margins. Inventory management is crucial, as the company must balance having sufficient stock to meet demand while avoiding excess inventory that requires markdowns. Private label merchandise typically provides higher margins than national brands, making the success of proprietary brands important for profitability. The company's promotional intensity directly affects margins - while promotions drive traffic and sales, excessive discounting can erode profitability. Consumer spending patterns and economic conditions heavily influence performance, as middle-income customers tend to reduce discretionary spending during economic uncertainty. Competition from e-commerce giants like Amazon and fast-fashion retailers continues to pressure traditional department stores. Real estate costs for physical stores represent a significant fixed expense, making sales productivity per square foot critical. The success of growth initiatives like Sephora partnerships and new category expansions can positively impact margins by attracting new customers and increasing basket sizes. Additionally, supply chain efficiency and freight costs affect the company's ability to maintain competitive pricing while preserving margins.
Competitive moat
Kohl's operates in a highly competitive retail environment with limited sustainable competitive advantages. The company's moat is relatively weak compared to businesses with stronger defensive characteristics. The company's primary competitive advantages include its extensive physical store network of approximately 1,100 locations, which provides convenient access for customers and serves as fulfillment centers for omnichannel operations. The Kohl's Cash rewards program creates some customer stickiness by incentivizing repeat purchases, though similar loyalty programs are easily replicated by competitors. The Sephora partnership represents the strongest element of Kohl's current competitive position, as it provides access to premium beauty products and attracts younger, higher-income customers who might not otherwise shop at Kohl's. However, this advantage is dependent on maintaining the partnership relationship and is not entirely within Kohl's control. The company's private label brands offer some differentiation and higher margins, but these brands lack the strong consumer recognition and loyalty that would create a significant moat. Most of Kohl's merchandise is available through other retailers, limiting pricing power. Significant competitive threats come from multiple directions: e-commerce platforms like Amazon offer superior convenience and often better prices; off-price retailers like TJX Companies provide comparable or better value on brand-name merchandise; specialty retailers offer deeper assortments in specific categories; and fast-fashion retailers appeal to younger consumers with trendy, affordable options. The department store format itself faces structural challenges as consumer shopping habits shift toward online channels and specialized retailers. The company's large physical footprint, while providing market presence, also represents a significant fixed cost burden that more flexible competitors don't face. Overall, Kohl's operates in a commoditized industry with low barriers to entry and intense competition, resulting in a weak economic moat.
Risks & safety
Kohl's presents a moderate margin of safety with some financial stability but ongoing operational challenges that create uncertainty. **Financial Position:** 1. Cash position: $134 million in cash and short-term investments as of Q4 2024, relatively low for a company of this size 2. Debt levels: Debt-to-equity ratio of 1.88, indicating significant leverage that constrains financial flexibility 3. Current ratio: 1.08, barely above 1.0, suggesting tight working capital management 4. Free cash flow: $497 million in Q4 2024 (positive), but was negative in Q3 2024 at -$323 million, showing volatility **Valuation Metrics:** 1. P/E ratio: 7.6x based on recent earnings, appearing relatively cheap 2. Price-to-book ratio: 0.39x, trading below book value 3. EV/EBITDA: 6.9x, reasonable for a struggling retailer 4. Graham number: $18.26 vs. current price around $8.54, suggesting potential undervaluation **Other Considerations:** 1. Dividend cut: Reduced to $0.125 per share, indicating management's focus on cash preservation 2. Declining revenues: Multi-year trend of sales decreases creates ongoing pressure 3. Store closure potential: Large physical footprint may require optimization
Recent development
Over the past few years, Kohl's has undergone significant strategic transformation aimed at revitalizing its business model and addressing declining sales trends. The most prominent initiative has been the expansion of Sephora shop-in-shop locations, which has grown from a pilot program to over 1,050 stores. This partnership has been highly successful, with beauty sales increasing substantially and attracting new customers to Kohl's stores. The company has also launched the Babies"R"Us partnership, creating dedicated baby product sections in approximately 200 stores to capture the lucrative baby and family market. Additionally, Kohl's has expanded impulse merchandising areas near checkout lanes and introduced home decor sections, both of which have shown strong sales growth. Leadership changes have been significant, with Tom Kingsbury serving as CEO through a transition period before Ashley Buchanan took over as CEO in January 2025. Buchanan, formerly CEO of Michaels, has outlined a strategic focus on curating balanced merchandise assortments, reestablishing value leadership, and delivering frictionless omnichannel experiences. The company has been working to rebuild its private label inventory after identifying that reductions in proprietary brand offerings had negatively impacted customer satisfaction. Management has also focused on optimizing promotional strategies, reducing unnecessary discounts while maintaining competitive value propositions. Store layout optimization has been another key initiative, with the company repositioning departments, expanding successful categories like home decor, and reintroducing previously discontinued sections like fine jewelry and petites based on customer feedback. The company has also invested in supply chain improvements to enhance inventory management and reduce costs.
KSS company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
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