Kohl's stock reports stronger Q2 earnings and guidance increase

Published on 10/05/2026 at 10:03 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Kohl's stock posted adjusted Q2 EPS of USD 1.28 on August 26, 2026, up 128.6 percent from a year earlier. Revenue slipped 0.9 percent to USD 3.515 billion and the average analyst target was USD 16.17.

KSS, US5002551043, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Kohl's stock (ISIN US5002551043) posted adjusted earnings of USD 1.28 per share in fiscal Q2 2026, up 128.6 percent from USD 0.56 a year earlier. Zacks reported the result on September 25, 2026, while fiscal 2026 guidance also moved higher after the August 26, 2026 earnings release.

Guidance rises after Q2 beat

Zacks said Kohl's lifted its fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings outlook to USD 1.80-2.40 per share from USD 1.00-1.60. The company also raised its adjusted operating margin outlook to 3.5-4 percent from 2.8-3.4 percent.

The improvement came with a mixed sales picture. Total revenue fell 0.9 percent year over year to USD 3.515 billion in fiscal Q2 2026, narrowly below the USD 3.516 billion consensus estimate, while comparable sales also declined 0.9 percent.

Margin gains meet consumer pressure

Gross margin expanded 305 basis points to 43 percent in fiscal Q2 2026, according to Zacks. Operating income nonetheless declined to USD 261 million from USD 279 million, showing that the quarter's earnings improvement depended on margin gains and other benefits rather than stronger sales.

Cash provided by operations reached USD 478 million in the first six months of fiscal 2026, compared with USD 506 million a year earlier. Kohl's also restarted share repurchases with up to USD 100 million planned for 2026, adding capital allocation to the earnings debate.

Analyst target stays below price

Analyst sentiment remains more cautious than the quarterly earnings headline. MarketBeat reported a Reduce consensus from 15 firms, comprising one Strong Buy, one Buy, eight Hold and five Sell ratings, with an average 12-month target of USD 16.17. That target is USD 2.64 below the October 2 reference price, making the gap between improved earnings guidance and restrained valuation expectations the central issue for the next report.

Investing.com lists November 12, 2026 as Kohl's next earnings date. The upcoming release will test whether the Q2 margin benefit can offset weaker comparable sales and support the higher full-year outlook.

NYSE quote remains below yearly high

Kohl's was last at USD 18.81 on the NYSE on October 2, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. ET, down 0.58 percent on the session. The USD 18.81 price stood USD 6.41 below the 52-week high of USD 25.22 and USD 7.43 above the 52-week low of USD 11.38.