Kohl's Corporation (KSS)
NYSE:KSS
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Kohl's
(NYSE:KSS)
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Rating:62Neutral
Price Target:
$16.50
▲(13.64% Upside)
Action:Reiterated
Date:05/29/26
KSS scores as a moderate-risk turnaround: strong cash flow and an inexpensive valuation support the score, but they’re offset by significant revenue contraction, elevated leverage, and only partially confirmed technical momentum. Reaffirmed guidance and improved liquidity help, yet ongoing comp declines and margin/category pressures keep the overall rating in the low-to-mid 60s.
Positive Factors
Cash generation
Consistent, sizable operating and free cash flow provides durable financial flexibility for Kohl’s. Strong FCF supports reinvestment in merchandising, omnichannel initiatives, dividends and opportunistic debt paydown, improving resilience through retail cycles and enabling strategic optionality over months.
Negative Factors
Sustained revenue decline
A multi‑year, large revenue contraction erodes scale economics and bargaining power with vendors, pressures fixed‑cost absorption, and makes merchandising/marketing investments less effective. Reversing such a deep decline typically requires many quarters of consistent execution and product reinvestment.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Cash generation
Consistent, sizable operating and free cash flow provides durable financial flexibility for Kohl’s. Strong FCF supports reinvestment in merchandising, omnichannel initiatives, dividends and opportunistic debt paydown, improving resilience through retail cycles and enabling strategic optionality over months.
Read all positive factors
Kohl's Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Any
Revenue by Segment
Breaks down revenue across different business areas, highlighting which segments are driving growth and which may need strategic adjustments.
Breaks down revenue across different business areas, highlighting which segments are driving growth and which may need strategic adjustments.
Data provided by:
The Fly
The FlyKohl's (KSS) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$1.78B
Dividend Yield2.33%
Average Volume (3M)5.35M
Price to Earnings (P/E)6.4
Beta (1Y)2.05
Revenue Growth-3.80%
EPS Growth122.79%
CountryUS
Employees87,000
SectorConsumer Cyclical
Sector Strength84
IndustryDepartment Stores
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)2.44
Shares Outstanding112,253,150
10 Day Avg. Volume7,243,478
30 Day Avg. Volume5,349,924
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio0.05
Price to Book (P/B)0.48
Price to Sales (P/S)0.13
P/FCF Ratio1.77
Enterprise Value/Market Cap2.03
Enterprise Value/Revenue0.23
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit0.59
Enterprise Value/Ebitda2.76
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$16.05Price Target Upside10.51% Upside
Rating ConsensusHold
Number of Analyst Covering12
EPS Forecast (FY)1.39
Revenue Forecast (FY)$14.67B
Kohl's Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
Kohl's Corporation operates as a retail company in the United States. It offers branded apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty, and home products through its stores and website. The company provides its products primarily under the brand names of ...
How the Company Makes Money
Kohl's primarily makes money by selling merchandise to consumers through its physical stores and its website/mobile channels. Revenue is driven by retail sales across key product categories (apparel and footwear; accessories; beauty; and home). Th...
Kohl's Earnings Call Summary
Earnings Call Date:May 28, 2026
(Q1-2026)
| % Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Aug 13, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call presented a mix of constructive operational progress and remaining near‑term challenges. Positives include stabilization of the core Kohl's card customer (flat comps, ~600 bps improvement vs. Q4), strong private‑brand performance (+6% comps) and spring seasonal strength (mid‑teens), digital growth (+4%), meaningful balance sheet improvement (cash up, ABL cleared) and inventory/turn improvements (~8% lower inventory and turns +8%). Headwinds remain: Q1 produced a small net loss (‑$14M), overall comps still declined (‑1.1%), store transactions are down, Sephora/makeup and certain categories (men's, footwear) underperformed, and margin pressure from increased digital/shipping and embedded fuel costs is expected. Management reaffirmed full‑year guidance and outlined a clear plan (assortment curation, proprietary brand investment, omnichannel/trip assurance, marketplace expansion), so while near‑term sales and margin pressure persist, the directional operational and financial improvements give the company a cautiously optimistic outlook.Positive Updates
Best Quarterly Comparable Sales in Over Four Years
Comparable sales declined 1.1% but management noted this was the best quarterly performance in over four years; net sales declined 1.7% (difference driven by closed-store timing).
Negative Updates
Sales Decline and Transaction Weakness
Net sales declined 1.7% and comparable sales declined 1.1%, with the primary driver a decrease in transactions. The stores channel underperformed, running down low single digits.
Read all updates
Q1-2026 Updates
Positive
Negative
Best Quarterly Comparable Sales in Over Four Years
Comparable sales declined 1.1% but management noted this was the best quarterly performance in over four years; net sales declined 1.7% (difference driven by closed-store timing).
Read all positive updates
Company Guidance
Kohl’s reaffirmed its FY26 guidance with comparable sales to be down 2% to flat vs. 2025, operating margin targeted at 2.8%–3.4% and diluted EPS of $1.00–$1.60; full‑year capital expenditures are expected to be $350–$400M, inventory down low‑ to middle‑single‑digits, and fuel costs are embedded at current rates. Management expects roughly $900M of operating cash flow and about $500–$600M of free cash flow (guidance excludes any AFA tariff refunds — the company submitted $140M of claims and is eligible for $190M), and will prioritize investing in the business, the $0.125 quarterly dividend (Q2), opportunistic debt repurchases and potential future buybacks. For context, Q1 results (which drove the reaffirmation) included net sales -1.7% and comps -1.1% (would have been -0.6% including marketplace GMV), proprietary brands +6%, spring seasonal up mid‑teens, digital +4% while stores were down low‑single‑digits, cash of $429M with no ABL borrowings (vs. $153M cash and $545M ABL borrowings LY, >$800M net cash improvement), inventory -8% with receipts +1% and an 8% turn improvement, SG&A down ~$20M, depreciation $174M, interest $63M, tax rate 15% and a Q1 net loss of $14M (loss per diluted share $0.13).Kohl's Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Income Statement
46
Neutral
Balance Sheet
55
Neutral
Cash Flow
72
Positive
| Breakdown | TTM | Jan 2026 | Jan 2025 | Jan 2024 | Jan 2023 | Jan 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | ||||||
| Total Revenue | 15.46B | 15.53B | 16.22B | 17.48B | 18.10B | 19.43B |
| Gross Profit | 6.09B | 6.30B | 6.56B | 6.98B | 6.64B | 8.00B |
| EBITDA | 1.31B | 1.32B | 1.18B | 1.47B | 1.05B | 2.32B |
| Net Income | 272.00M | 272.00M | 109.00M | 317.00M | -19.00M | 938.00M |
Balance Sheet | ||||||
| Total Assets | 13.16B | 13.36B | 13.56B | 14.01B | 14.35B | 15.05B |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 429.00M | 674.00M | 134.00M | 183.00M | 153.00M | 1.59B |
| Total Debt | 6.53B | 6.63B | 7.16B | 7.38B | 7.57B | 6.79B |
| Total Liabilities | 9.14B | 9.31B | 9.76B | 10.12B | 10.58B | 10.39B |
| Stockholders Equity | 4.02B | 4.05B | 3.80B | 3.89B | 3.76B | 4.66B |
Cash Flow | ||||||
| Free Cash Flow | 1.21B | 1.10B | 182.00M | 591.00M | -544.00M | 1.67B |
| Operating Cash Flow | 1.40B | 1.48B | 648.00M | 1.17B | 282.00M | 2.27B |
| Investing Cash Flow | -309.00M | -333.00M | -467.00M | -562.00M | -783.00M | -570.00M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -813.00M | -603.00M | -230.00M | -576.00M | -933.00M | -2.38B |
Kohl's Technical Analysis
Positive
14.52
Price Trends
13.68
Positive
15.22
Positive
16.44
Negative
Market Momentum
0.35
Negative
60.92
Neutral
83.16
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For KSS, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 14.52 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 13.44, above the 50-day MA of 13.68, and below the 200-day MA of 16.44, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.35 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 60.92 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 83.16 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for KSS.
Kohl's Risk Analysis
Kohl's disclosed 23 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Kohl's reported the most risks in the "Ability to Sell" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 3 New Risks
1.
Our capital allocation strategy may be inefficient, may not yield the anticipated returns, or may not effectively support our long-term growth. Q4, 2025
2.
We are subject to income and other taxes in the United States and various local jurisdictions, and changes in tax laws or the interpretation of existing laws could increase our tax liabilities and impact our financial results. Q4, 2025
3.
Evolving regulations related to ESG, climate change, and sustainability could increase our costs and impose operational restrictions. Q4, 2025
Kohl's Peers Comparison
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
75 Outperform | $9.26B | 14.50 | 33.85% | 3.99% | 0.62% | 16.32% | |
71 Outperform | ― | ― | 22.70% | ― | 8.64% | ― | |
70 Outperform | $5.72B | -0.13 | 14.20% | 3.23% | -0.35% | 25.21% | |
66 Neutral | $3.24B | 40.98 | 8.78% | 1.97% | 15.48% | -54.34% | |
62 Neutral | $1.78B | 6.39 | 4.34% | 2.33% | -3.80% | 122.79% | |
61 Neutral | $18.38B | 12.79 | -2.54% | 3.03% | 1.52% | -15.83% |
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
KSS
Kohl's
15.52
7.25
87.78%
DDS
Dillard's
611.14
233.52
61.84%
M
Macy's
21.80
10.41
91.33%
SHOO
Steven Madden
43.80
19.76
82.23%
VSCO
Victoria's Secret
80.06
59.18
283.43%
Kohl's Corporate Events
Business Operations and StrategyDividendsFinancial Disclosures
Kohl’s Affirms 2026 Outlook After Q1 Sales Dip
Neutral
May 28, 2026
Kohl’s Corp. is a leading U.S. omnichannel retailer focused on family apparel, home goods and related merchandise, operating more than 1,100 stores in 49 states as well as e-commerce channels including Kohls.com and the Kohl’s app. The...
Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Kohl’s Shareholders Back Board Slate and Executive Pay
Positive
May 22, 2026
At its annual meeting held on May 20, 2026, Kohl’s shareholders elected eight board nominees to one-year terms, confirming the company’s existing board slate despite varying levels of support among individual directors. Investors also ...
DividendsRegulatory Filings and ComplianceShareholder Meetings
Kohl’s Declares Quarterly Dividend, Highlights Shareholder Focus
Positive
May 20, 2026
On May 20, 2026, Kohl’s Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.125 per share on its common stock, continuing its practice of returning capital to shareholders. The dividend will be paid on June 24, 2026, to inves...
Business Operations and StrategyDividendsFinancial Disclosures
Kohl’s Reports 2025 Results and Sets 2026 Outlook
Neutral
Mar 10, 2026
On March 10, 2026, Kohl’s reported fourth-quarter and full-year fiscal 2025 results for the period ended January 31, 2026, showing net sales declines of 3.9% in the quarter and 4.0% for the year, with comparable sales down 2.8% and 3.1%, res...
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Kohl’s Elevates Mari Steinmetz to Top People Role
Positive
Mar 4, 2026
Effective February 27, 2026, Kohl’s Corporation promoted Mari Steinmetz to Senior Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer, and designated her as an executive officer, elevating her role from the Executive Vice President, Chief People ...
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer
This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.