Kohl’s (NYSE:KSS) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume on Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Kohl’s Corporation (NYSE:KSS) shares saw unusually-strong trading volume on Tuesday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. Approximately 9,938,855 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 150% from the previous session’s volume of 3,979,290 shares.The stock last traded at $16.0030 and had previously closed at $14.80.

The company reported $1.07 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.86 by $0.21. The business had revenue of $5.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.08 billion. Kohl’s had a return on equity of 4.30% and a net margin of 1.23%.The company’s revenue was down 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.95 earnings per share. Kohl’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.000-1.600 EPS.

Kohl’s Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 18th will be paid a dividend of $0.125 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 18th. This represents a $0.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.4%. Kohl’s’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.07%.

Trending Headlines about Kohl’s

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 profit beat expectations — Kohl’s reported $1.07 EPS, ahead of consensus, and reported margin improvement that helped lift reported net income. Kohl’s (KSS) Surpasses Q4 Earnings Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Management tone: CEO remains upbeat about turnaround progress and margin opportunities despite near-term softness — a signal that the company sees operational levers to improve profitability. Kohl’s Turnaround Stalls in Fourth Quarter, But CEO Remains Upbeat on Progress
• Neutral Sentiment: Index/market action: stock movement and visibility may be affected by Russell 1000 reshuffle attention, which can amplify volume and volatility independent of fundamentals. Kohl’s Retail (NYSE:KSS) Moves Reshape Market Attention Within The Russell 1000 Today
• Negative Sentiment: Weak guidance — Kohl’s issued FY guidance (EPS $1.00–$1.60 vs. consensus ~$1.82) and signaled annual sales below Street estimates, which undercuts valuation assumptions and is a primary driver of the down move. Kohl’s forecasts annual sales below estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Top-line pressure — comparable sales fell and revenue was down ~3.9% y/y; analysts flagged the sales miss and the outlook as reasons for sharp share swings. Kohl’s Slides 8.5% After Sales Miss and FY27 Profit Outlook Trails Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst actions: JPMorgan cut its price target to $15 and moved to underweight, signaling lower near-term expectations and adding selling pressure. JPMorgan cuts KSS price target to $15
• Negative Sentiment: Street skepticism: Evercore and other firms call the post‑earnings pop a “relief rally,” advising using strength to sell given structural challenges — this increases downside risk if comps and traffic don’t stabilize. Kohl’s Stock: Why Its Post-Earnings Pop Is An Opportunity To ‘sell’
• Negative Sentiment: Customer mix pressure: Management and the CFO warned core, budget-conscious shoppers remain “choiceful”; Kohl’s is pivoting to e‑commerce but faces margin pressure if higher‑margin categories underperform. Kohl’s CFO Warns Core Shoppers Are Being ‘Choiceful’

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

KSS has been the subject of several research reports. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Kohl’s from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. TD Cowen restated a “hold” rating on shares of Kohl’s in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Kohl’s in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. UBS Group boosted their price target on Kohl’s from $4.50 to $7.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $24.00 price objective on Kohl’s in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and six have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $15.64.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Baird Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Kohl’s in the first quarter valued at $96,000. Caxton Associates LLP purchased a new position in shares of Kohl’s during the 1st quarter valued at about $166,000. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Kohl’s by 14.2% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 489,708 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,006,000 after buying an additional 60,769 shares during the period. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Kohl’s in the second quarter worth about $120,000. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can grew its holdings in Kohl’s by 14.3% during the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 25,110 shares of the company’s stock worth $213,000 after acquiring an additional 3,136 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 98.04% of the company’s stock.

Kohl’s Stock Performance

The firm has a fifty day moving average of $18.32 and a 200 day moving average of $18.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 0.12. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.49 and a beta of 1.42.

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.