KSS

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Macy's (M). Shares have added about 1% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Macy's due for a pullback? Well, first let's take a quick look at its latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent drivers for Macy's, Inc. before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late. Macy’s reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein earnings and revenues surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Also, both metrics increased from the year-ago quarter.The company delivered its strongest fiscal first-quarter comparable-sales performance in four years, supported by positive sales growth across all three nameplates — Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury. Management highlighted that the company’s Bold New Chapter strategy continues to gain traction, driving broad-based operational and financial improvements.Encouraged by the strong fiscal first-quarter performance and positive second-quarter trends, management raised its fiscal 2026 outlook for net sales, comparable sales and adjusted earnings per share, reflecting confidence in the momentum of its go-forward business. The company reported adjusted earnings of 13 cents per share, comfortably surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 2 cents and improving from adjusted earnings of 11 cents in the year-ago quarter. Earnings per share were 23 cents compared with 13 cents in the prior-year period.Net sales of $4,682 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4,623 million. The top line increased 1.8% year over year, benefiting from positive comparable sales across all three nameplates. Comparable sales rose 3%, marking the company’s strongest fiscal first-quarter comparable-sales performance in four years. M’s go-forward business comps, including go-forward locations and digital platforms across Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury, increased 3.1% on an owned-plus-licensed-plus-marketplace basis.Net credit card revenues were $172 million, up 11.7% year over year, driven by the company’s healthy credit portfolio and prudent management of net credit card losses. The metric represented 3.7% of net sales compared with 3.3% in the year-ago quarter.Macy’s Media Network revenues were $38 million, down 5% year over year, indicatin...

Following the solid earnings report from Kohl's Corporation (NYSE:KSS), the market responded by bidding up the stock price. Despite this, our analysis suggests that there are some factors weakening the foundations of those good profit numbers. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. In high finance, the key ratio used to measure how well a company converts reported profits into free cash flow (FCF) is the accrual ratio (from cashflow). In plain english, this ratio subtracts FCF from net profit, and divides that number by the company's average operating assets over that period. This ratio tells us how much of a company's profit is not backed by free cashflow. Therefore, it's actually considered a good thing when a company has a negative accrual ratio, but a bad thing if its accrual ratio is positive. While it's not a problem to have a positive accrual ratio, indicating a certain level of non-cash profits, a high accrual ratio is arguably a bad thing, because it indicates paper profits are not matched by cash flow. To quote a 2014 paper by Lewellen and Resutek, "firms with higher accruals tend to be less profitable in the future". Over the twelve months to May 2026, Kohl's recorded an accrual ratio of -0.13. That implies it has good cash conversion, and implies that its free cash flow solidly exceeded its profit last year. To wit, it produced free cash flow of US$1.1b during the period, dwarfing its reported profit of US$273.0m. Kohl's' free cash flow improved over the last year, which is generally good to see. However, that's not all there is to consider. The accrual ratio is reflecting the impact of unusual items on statutory profit, at least in part. See our latest analysis for Kohl's That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates. Surprisingly, given Kohl's' accrual ratio implied strong cash conversion, its paper profit was actually boosted by US$114m in unusual items. While we like to see profit increases, we tend to be a little more cautious when unusual items have made a big contribution. When we crunched the numbers on thousands of publicly listed companies, we found that a boost from unusual items in a given year...

In late May 2026, Kohl’s reported first-quarter revenue of US$3,167 million with a net loss of US$14 million, while reaffirming full-year 2026 guidance for net and comparable sales to range from a 2% decline to flat. Separately, Popilush announced a new partnership with Kohls.com, adding inclusive-size “viral” shapewear and apparel to Kohl’s expanding online brand roster alongside prior tie-ups with Nordstrom.com and Macys.com. Next, we will examine how Kohl’s strongest quarterly performance in over four years reshapes its existing investment narrative. Uncover the next big thing with 24 elite penny stocks that balance risk and reward. To own Kohl’s today, you need to believe its renewed focus on proprietary brands, Sephora shop-in-shops, and digital improvements can offset weak traffic, thin margins, and a leveraged balance sheet. The latest quarter, described by management as its best in over four years, supports the near term catalyst of operational stabilization, but cautious 2026 sales guidance and ongoing comparable sales pressure mean the biggest risk around sustained revenue weakness remains largely unchanged. The reaffirmed full year 2026 outlook for net and comparable sales, guiding to a 2% decline to flat, is the most relevant update for this narrative. It signals that, despite better execution and new online partnerships like Popilush on Kohls.com, management still frames the year as a stabilization effort rather than a clear growth story, which matters for how investors weigh any short term share price reaction against longer running concerns on demand. Yet behind the “best quarter in four years,” investors should still be aware of shrinking same store sales and margin pressure that could... Read the full narrative on Kohl's (it's free!) Kohl's narrative projects $15.5 billion revenue and $202.0 million earnings by 2029. This implies fairly flat yearly revenue and a $70.0 million earnings decrease from $272.0 million today. Uncover how Kohl's forecasts yield a $17.46 fair value, a 13% upside to its current price. Compared with the baseline view, the most optimistic analysts assumed Kohl’s could lift profit margins to about 1.5% by 2028 and earn around US$225 million, yet the recent quarter and ongoing digital challenges suggest both that upbeat margin story and the risk of weak online performance may be reassessed as new data comes in. Explore 3...

Kohl’s first quarter results were received positively by the market, reflecting stabilization in key customer segments and progress on several strategic initiatives. Management credited the recovery to improvements in proprietary brands, particularly in women’s and kids’ apparel, and ongoing inventory management efforts. CEO Michael J. Bender described the quarter as “the best quarterly performance in over 4 years,” emphasizing that proprietary brand sales were up 6% and that the company’s core Kohl’s card customer stabilized. The company also saw notable progress in its spring assortment and digital sales, which helped offset continued softness in store traffic. Is now the time to buy KSS? Find out in our full research report (it’s free). Revenue: $3.17 billion vs analyst estimates of $3.16 billion (2% year-on-year decline, in line) Adjusted EPS: -$0.13 vs analyst estimates of -$0.19 (31.5% beat) Management reiterated its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance of $1.30 at the midpoint Operating Margin: 1.5%, in line with the same quarter last year Locations: 1,151 at quarter end, down from 1,153 in the same quarter last year Same-Store Sales fell 1.1% year on year (-3.9% in the same quarter last year) Market Capitalization: $1.74 billion While we enjoy listening to the management’s commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls is the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention. Mark Altschwager (Baird): Asked about key drivers behind improved category balance and the sustainability of positive trends. CEO Michael J. Bender emphasized proprietary brand investments and clean inventory execution as critical, while CFO Jill Timm noted momentum from earlier transitions into spring seasonal goods. Oliver Chen (TD Cowen): Inquired about underperforming store traffic and categories, and the impact of trip assurance initiatives. Timm detailed improvements in apparel in-stocks and investments in store experience, expecting further gains in men’s and footwear later in the year. Robert Drbul (BTIG): Requested detail on credit business trends and cost savings. Timm highlighted stabilization in Kohl’s card customer health, with payment rates up and loss rates down, and credited technology and AI for corporate expense reductions....

Interested in Macy's, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. Macy’s beat first-quarter expectations across sales, comparable sales, EBITDA and EPS, with CEO Tony Spring saying the company’s turnaround strategy is gaining traction. Comparable sales rose 3%, marking the fourth straight quarter of growth. Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury were standout performers, while Macy’s reimagined store base continued to outperform the broader banner. Bloomingdale’s posted its highest-ever first-quarter sales, and Bluemercury comparable sales accelerated 6.4%. The company raised full-year guidance after strong results, now expecting fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS of $2.00 to $2.20 and comparable sales growth of 0.5% to 1.2%. Macy’s also returned $100 million to shareholders in the quarter and highlighted AI, events and merchandising initiatives as growth drivers. Kohl's Stock Soars After Better-Than-Feared Quarter Macy's (NYSE:M) reported a stronger-than-expected first quarter of fiscal 2026, with executives saying the retailer’s “A Bold New Chapter” turnaround strategy is gaining traction across its Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury banners. Chairman and CEO Tony Spring said the company delivered “enterprise-wide growth” and its best comparable sales performance in four years, with all nameplates and channels positive. Macy’s Inc. net sales, comparable sales, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted diluted earnings per share all exceeded the company’s prior guidance. → Palantir’s Drone Tailwind Puts Its Defense AI Story Back in Focus for Investors MGM Buyout: The House Doesn't Always Win “Our customer-led focus is resonating and driving tangible results,” Spring said, adding that the company has now posted five consecutive quarters of better-than-expected top- and bottom-line results and four consecutive quarters of comparable sales growth. For the quarter, Macy’s Inc. net sales rose 1.8% to $4.7 billion, above guidance of $4.575 billion to $4.625 billion, COO and CFO Tom Edwards said. Excluding roughly $40 million of impact from 14 non-go-forward store closures at the end of last year, net sales increased 2.7%. → Best Buy’s AI Laptop Boost Sparks Hope for a BBY Turnaround Record Revenue, Rising Dividends—So Why Aren't Analysts Saying Buy? Comparable sales rose 3% on a reported basis, compared with guidance of 0.5% to 1.5%. Go-forward comparable sales increased 3.1%. Macy’s namepl...

Kohl’s Corporation KSS used its first-quarter fiscal 2026 call to argue that operational fixes are starting to show up in the numbers. Management pointed to the best comparable sales performance in more than four years and a more stable core card customer.The call mattered less for the headline loss and more for what executives said about assortment, value, inventory and digital execution as they try to rebuild consistency Chief executive officer Michael Bender said the quarter showed progressive improvement after a year spent resetting the business. Comparable sales fell 1.1%, but he framed that as a meaningful step forward given the backdrop and the company’s recent trend.Bender said Kohl’s card customers stabilized to a flat comp, a sharp improvement from the mid-single-digit decline in the fourth quarter. He also highlighted a 6% comparable-sales increase in proprietary brands as evidence that opening price points and product quality are resonating.The financial release supported that steadier tone. Net sales declined 1.7% to $3.17 billion, while the loss per share was $0.13, matching the prior year. That result was better than the Zacks Consensus Estimate for a loss of $0.18, producing a 27.78% surprise, while revenue came in just above the $3.16 billion consensus. Kohl's Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Kohl's Corporation Quote Bender returned repeatedly to value as Kohl’s central message for a pressured low- to middle-income customer. He said the company is expanding coupon eligibility, increasing proprietary-brand inventory and using marketing to reinforce its By Kohl’s labels.Management tied some of the strongest category commentary to that strategy. Women’s, kids, accessories and home were flat to slightly positive, while juniors rose 10%, helped by the SO brand. Executives also cited strength in LC Lauren Conrad, Sonoma and Flex.Chief financial officer Jill Timm said private brands are serving both loyal and newer shoppers because they fill a gap at more affordable opening price points. In Q&A, she said those brands are now being used more deliberately to restore relevance with Kohl’s charge customers and improve traffic. Inventory discipline was one of the clearest areas of management confidence. Timm said inventory fell 8% from a year ago, yet receipts rose 1%, which she described as evidence of cleaner and fresher goods rather t...

Interested in Kohl's Corporation? Here are five stocks we like better. Kohl's reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings and revenue and delivered its strongest comparable sales performance in more than four years, sending shares sharply higher. Despite the encouraging results, Kohl's still reported a quarterly loss and a decline in sales, highlighting that the retailer's turnaround remains a work in progress. Wall Street remains cautious on the stock, and recent analyst actions have been mixed, including a Citigroup upgrade to Buy following the earnings report. Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS) delivered first-quarter results last week that were better than Wall Street had feared. While sales still declined and Kohl's posted a loss for the quarter, the retailer delivered its best comparable sales performance in more than four years and topped analyst expectations on both earnings and revenue. The report sent shares soaring, fueling optimism that the retailer's multiyear turnaround effort may finally be gaining traction. → Palantir’s Drone Tailwind Puts Its Defense AI Story Back in Focus for Investors For the quarter, Kohl's reported a loss of 13 cents per share, matching its year-ago loss and coming in ahead of Wall Street's expectation for an 18-cent-per-share loss. Revenue of $3.17 billion declined 1.7% from the prior year but exceeded analyst estimates by nearly $177 million. Comparable sales (comps) fell 1.1% year over year. → Best Buy’s AI Laptop Boost Sparks Hope for a BBY Turnaround The company said the decline in sales was driven primarily by fewer in-store transactions. Within the business, Kohl's proprietary brands were a bright spot, with comps rising 6%. Four lines of business posted flat-to-slightly positive comp growth, including women's, kids, accessories, and home. Men's and footwear were weaker and underperformed the company overall. → 3 Up-and-Coming Stocks That Could Be the Next NVIDIA The company also strengthened its balance sheet during the quarter, improving its net cash position by more than $800 million and reducing inventory by approximately 8%. Kohl's reaffirmed its full-year outlook, as it continues to expect comps to range from down 2% to flat compared with 2025. The company also maintained its forecast for an operating margin of 2.8% to 3.4% and earnings per diluted share of $1 to $1.60. On the earnings call, Chief Executive O...

Get insights on thousands of stocks from the global community of over 7 million individual investors at Simply Wall St. Kohl's (KSS) just posted a first quarter loss that was smaller than many expected, with revenue ahead of forecasts and reaffirmed full year guidance, putting its turnaround efforts and stock firmly back in focus. See our latest analysis for Kohl's. The latest results sit against a mixed trading backdrop, with the share price down 32.71% year to date, but an 83.14% 1-year total shareholder return showing how quickly sentiment has already swung on early turnaround progress. If this kind of retail reset has your attention, it may be a good moment to widen your watchlist and check out 20 top founder-led companies With Kohl's stock down sharply this year but still carrying a strong 1 year total return and trading about 20% below the average analyst price target, you have to ask: is there real value left here, or is the market already pricing in the next leg of the turnaround? Against a last close of $14.36, one widely followed narrative pegs Kohl's fair value at $34 per share, implying a large gap between price and perceived worth. Read the complete narrative. This narrative focuses on the gap between reported cash generation, real estate backing, and the current share price. It examines how revenue trends, margins, and future earnings multiples are combined to reach that $34 fair value and what kind of return profile that valuation implies over the long term. Result: Fair Value of $34 (UNDERVALUED) Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what's behind the forecasts. However, you still need to weigh risks, such as ongoing pressure on long term returns and any further cuts to dividends or earnings guidance that challenge the turnaround story. Find out about the key risks to this Kohl's narrative. With sentiment clearly split between risk and recovery, this is a good time to review the numbers for yourself and move quickly to form your own view using the 4 key rewards and 2 important warning signs If Kohl's has you thinking harder about where the next opportunity might come from, do not stop here. Broaden your search before the market moves on. Spot potential high reward setups early by scanning 23 elite penny stocks with strong financials that pair smaller size with stronger financial footing than many peers. Zero in on quality at a d...

The Gap, Inc. GAP delivered adjusted earnings of 38 cents per share in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, down 25.5% year over year and missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 39 cents. Net sales of $3.50 billion rose 1% year over year but fell short of the consensus mark of $3.53 billion.Comparable sales (comps) increased 2% for the ninth straight quarter of positive comps, led by a standout performance at the Gap brand. Still, tariff-related pressure and higher spending on growth initiatives weighed on adjusted profitability.Gap’s shares fell nearly 4% in the after-hours session yesterday on soft first-quarter results and trimmed sales view for fiscal 2026. Shares of this Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) company have lost 9.1% compared with the industry’s 0.2% drop over the past six months. Results across brands were uneven, with strength concentrated in the Gap banner and more pressure in Athleta. Gap Global posted net sales of $796 million, up 10% year over year, alongside a 10% comps gain, reflecting momentum in key destination categories such as denim, fleece, and kids and baby.Old Navy Global generated $2 billion of net sales, up 1% year over year, while comps increased 1%. Banana Republic Global recorded net sales of $431 million, up 1%, with comps up 2%. Athleta remained soft, with net sales down 12% to $270 million and comparable sales down 11%. Gap brand's revenues surpassed our model's estimate of $745.3 million, while Banana Republic and Athleta brands' revenues lagged our estimates of $434.4 million and $301.1 million, respectively. Old Navy's revenues were in line with our model's estimate. The Gap, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | The Gap, Inc. Quote Gross margin was 40.5%, down 130 basis points from the year-ago quarter, yet management said the outcome exceeded expectations. Merchandise margin declined 100 basis points, including an anticipated net tariff impact of about 200 basis points, implying underlying improvement supported by better inventory management and strength at the Gap brand. Average unit retail rose across all brands. Adjusted operating income was $182 million and adjusted operating margin was 5.2%, down 230 basis points year over year, mainly reflecting the net tariff impacts. We had expected adjusted gross margin contraction of 150 basis points to 40.3% and adjusted operating margin decrease of 220 basis points to 5.3%.On the e...

Kohl's Corporation (NYSE:KSS) reported first quarter 2026 results that showed a smaller-than-expected loss and better-than-anticipated revenue and sales trends, sending its shares up about 17% on Thursday. For the quarter ended May 2, 2026, Kohl’s posted a diluted loss of $0.13 per share, beating Wall Street expectations for a loss of $0.21 per share. Revenue totaled $3 billion, slightly ahead of estimates of $2.99 billion. Net sales declined 1.7% year-over-year, while comparable sales fell 1.1%, a smaller drop than the 1.7% decline analysts had forecast. Kohl’s CEO Michael Bender said the company’s “key initiatives continue to drive progressive improvements to the business,” highlighting the retailer’s “best comparable sales performance in over four years.” He also pointed to disciplined cost management, lower inventories, and an improved balance sheet. “We remain committed to delivering more value and a better experience to our customers,” Bender said. Kohl’s reiterated its full-year fiscal 2026 guidance. The company continues to expect net and comparable sales to range from a 2% decline to flat, with adjusted operating margin projected between 2.8% and 3.4%. Adjusted diluted earnings per share are expected in the range of $1 to $1.60, while capital expenditures are forecast between $350 million and $400 million. The company also declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.125 per share, payable June 24, 2026, to shareholders of record as of June 10, 2026.

Our analysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here. Achieved the best quarterly comparable sales performance in over four years, driven by a significant stabilization of the core Kohl's card customer who reached a flat comp versus a mid-single-digit decline in Q4. Proprietary brands outperformed with a 6% comparable sales increase, serving as a critical tool to offer opening price points for inflation-pressured consumers. Successfully corrected previous seasonal inventory missteps; spring seasonal business grew mid-teens following strategic adjustments to buying and supply chain processes. Implemented a 'Trip Assurance' strategy by increasing inventory depth in high-demand apparel by high-single digits while reducing overall choice counts to ensure customers find specific sizes and colors. Attributed store underperformance to a decline in transactions, which management is addressing through elevated in-store environments and localized 'By Kohl's' marketing campaigns. Modernized the digital experience through AI-powered tools like Google Gemini for gift finding and an expanded digital marketplace, which contributed 50 basis points to total comparable sales. Guidance assumes continued choiceful discretionary spending from low-to-middle income consumers who remain under financial pressure from essential costs like food and gas. Anticipates progressive improvement in the men's and footwear categories starting in Q2 as newness from brands like Brixton, Nike, and Adidas arrives for the back-to-school season. Plans to more than double the digital marketplace offering this year to capture white space categories that complement the core retail assortment. Expects gross margin to remain flat to slightly down as benefits from proprietary brand penetration are offset by higher digital shipping costs and strategic investments in value pricing. Maintains a cautious stance on the balance sheet, prioritizing a $700 million cash target and opportunistic debt repurchases before considering the reinstatement of share buybacks. Reported a $14 million net loss for the quarter, impacted by lower credit revenue due to decreased accounts receivable balances and lower late fees. Identified $190 million in potential Phase 1 China tariff refunds; however, no refunds were received in Q1...

Interested in Kohl's Corporation? Here are five stocks we like better. Kohl’s said Q1 marked its strongest comparable sales performance in more than four years, though comps still fell 1.1% and net sales declined 1.7%. Management said the results reflect progress in resetting the business, tighter expense and inventory control, and better balance-sheet discipline. Proprietary brands and Kohl’s Card customers showed notable improvement, with proprietary brand comp sales up 6% and Kohl’s Card sales flat after recent declines. Strength was led by women’s, juniors and home, while men’s and footwear remained weaker. The company reaffirmed full-year guidance for fiscal 2026, even as it remains cautious about pressured low- to middle-income consumers. Kohl’s is banking on digital growth, store in-stock improvements, and tariff refunds to support results, while Sephora at Kohl’s and some store categories still need work. Dillard’s Posted a Huge Earnings Beat—So Why Did the Rally Fade? Kohl's (NYSE:KSS) reported what executives described as its strongest quarterly comparable sales performance in more than four years, as the retailer cited gains in proprietary brands, improved inventory management and stabilization among its Kohl's Card customers. On the company's first-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings call, Chief Executive Officer Michael Bender said comparable sales declined 1.1% from a year earlier, while net sales fell 1.7%. Bender said the quarter showed "progressive improvements" in the business and reflected Kohl's efforts to reset its foundation after several quarters of weaker trends. → Rocket Lab Keeps Making Headlines and Highs—Here's What's Driving the Latest Move Kohl’s Stock Rebound Faces a Showdown With Short Sellers "We are pleased with our start to 2026," Bender said, adding that the company continues to manage expenses, inventory and its balance sheet tightly. He said the results gave management "increased confidence" in its ability to execute against key initiatives, though he cautioned that the company remains realistic about the work ahead. A central focus of the call was Kohl's proprietary brand portfolio, which Bender said rose 6% on a comparable sales basis in the quarter. He said the brands are resonating with customers because they offer quality products at affordable opening price points. → Quantum Stocks Just Got a Lifeline—Who Benefits Most? W...