Kohl’s (NYSE:KSS) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.05 EPS

Kohl’s (NYSE:KSS) issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The company reported ($0.13) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.18) by $0.05, FiscalAI reports. Kohl’s had a return on equity of 4.72% and a net margin of 1.75%.The firm had revenue of $3.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.99 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned ($0.13) earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.7% on a year-over-year basis. Kohl’s updated its FY 2026 guidance to 1.000-1.600 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Kohl’s’ conference call:

• Kohl’s said Q1 comparable sales declined only 1.1%, its best quarterly performance in more than four years, and management said results improved progressively through the quarter.
• Proprietary brands were a standout, rising 6% on a comparable basis and helping both sales and gross margin, with management planning to keep investing in this portfolio.
• The company highlighted a meaningful recovery in its core Kohl’s Card customer, whose comp turned flat versus a mid-single-digit decline in Q4, signaling better customer engagement and value perception.
• Kohl’s said inventory is cleaner and more productive, with inventory down about 8%, receipts up 1%, and depth increasing while choice counts are being reduced to improve trip assurance and in-stock levels.
• The company reaffirmed full-year 2026 guidance, calling for comps down 2% to flat, operating margin of 2.8% to 3.4%, and EPS of $1.00 to $1.60, while noting tariff refunds are not included in the outlook.

Kohl’s Stock Performance

NYSE KSS opened at $15.64 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $1.76 billion, a PE ratio of 6.63 and a beta of 1.46. The company has a current ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94. Kohl’s has a twelve month low of $7.82 and a twelve month high of $25.22. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $13.42 and a 200-day simple moving average of $17.09.

Kohl’s Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 24th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, June 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.125 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, June 10th. This represents a $0.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.2%. Kohl’s’s dividend payout ratio is currently 21.19%.

Trending Headlines about Kohl’s

Here are the key news stories impacting Kohl’s this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kohl’s reported first-quarter EPS of -$0.13, beating Wall Street’s -$0.18 estimate, and revenue of $3.17 billion versus expectations of $2.99 billion. Kohl’s stock jumps as slumping retailer says sales trends are improving
• Positive Sentiment: The company said comparable sales improved at the strongest pace in four years, signaling that traffic and demand may be stabilizing. Department store chain Kohl’s reaffirms annual targets
• Positive Sentiment: Kohl’s reaffirmed its annual targets, which may reassure investors that the business is not deteriorating as quickly as feared. Department store chain Kohl’s reaffirms annual targets
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue still declined 1.7% year over year, showing that Kohl’s turnaround is early and sales remain under pressure. Kohl’s Posts Narrower-Than-Expected Q1 Loss, Net Sales Down 1.7% Y/Y
• Negative Sentiment: FY2026 EPS guidance of $1.00 to $1.60 came in below the consensus estimate of $1.48 at the midpoint, suggesting some caution about the rest of the year. Earnings Snapshot: Kohl’s beats Q1 estimates, but FY26 profit guidance falls short

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

KSS has been the subject of several research reports. Bank of America reiterated an “underperform” rating on shares of Kohl’s in a research report on Friday. Gordon Haskett cut Kohl’s from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $14.00 target price for the company. in a report on Friday, May 15th. Wall Street Zen cut Kohl’s from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, February 14th. Zacks Research upgraded Kohl’s from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. Finally, Citigroup dropped their target price on Kohl’s from $23.00 to $20.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 19th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and six have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Kohl’s currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $14.77.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Kohl’s

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. IFP Advisors Inc grew its holdings in shares of Kohl’s by 3,777.6% during the 3rd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,900 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 1,851 shares during the period. iSAM Funds UK Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Kohl’s during the 3rd quarter worth $39,000. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Kohl’s during the 4th quarter worth $45,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Kohl’s during the 4th quarter worth $46,000. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC lifted its stake in Kohl’s by 2,529.7% during the 3rd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 3,103 shares of the company’s stock worth $48,000 after acquiring an additional 2,985 shares in the last quarter. 98.04% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Kohl’s

Kohl’s Corporation, founded in 1962 by Maxwell Kohl and headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, is a leading American department store retailer. The company operates approximately 1,100 stores across 49 states, offering a combination of value-oriented pricing, private-label brands and national labels. Since its initial public offering in 1992, Kohl’s has focused on broadening its product assortment and enhancing the in-store and online shopping experience.

The retailer’s merchandise portfolio spans apparel, footwear, accessories, and beauty products for women, men and children, as well as home goods, kitchenware and seasonal décor.