Kohl's Corporation (KSS) Earnings Call Transcripts

Kohl's Corporation's Latest Earnings Call - Q1 FY2027

In Q1 2026, Kohl's Corporation reported a net sales decline of 1.7% and a comparable sales decline of 1.1%, marking the best quarterly performance in over four years despite the overall decrease. The company achieved a net loss of $14 million, translating to a loss per diluted share of $0.13. Management reaffirmed guidance for the fiscal year, expecting comparable sales to range from a 2% decrease to flat, with operating margins between 2.8% and 3.4%, and earnings per share of $1 to $1.60. The results indicate a cautious optimism as strategic initiatives begin to take hold, particularly in proprietary brands and digital sales growth.

Reported metrics

Guidance from management

Kohl's reaffirmed its fiscal year 2026 guidance, expecting comparable sales to range from a 2% decrease to flat, with operating margins between 2.8% and 3.4%, and earnings per diluted share of $1 to $1.60.

What management said

Yes. I think just on the quarter-to-date performance, I think 1 of the things we saw in Q1 is we did build our sales as the quarter went on. So these initiatives definitely showed that progressive improvement. And as we start Q2, we are, as I mentioned on the call, I'm pleased with the performance. we think we can build on the continued momentum we saw behind these key initiatives, particularly the proprietary bran...

Oliver, the other thing that I would add to in terms of category focus for us going forward, that continues to give us encouragement about the progress that we intend to continue to make is footwear. That's been an area of the business that's lagged we see newness coming in, in the back-to-school time frame and look to the back half of the year for that piece of the business to continue to -- or to start to show some...

What analysts pressed on

Analysts expressed concerns about the underperformance of the Sephora business and the overall decline in transactions. There were questions regarding how management plans to address these issues and improve customer engagement moving forward.

Main topics on the call

• Comparable Sales Performance — Kohl's reported a comparable sales decline of 1.1%, which is an improvement from prior quarters. CEO Michael Bender noted, "This represents a significant improvement from the fourth quarter where we ran down mid-single d...
• Proprietary Brands Growth — Proprietary brands saw a 6% increase in comparable sales, reflecting strong customer demand. Bender stated, "Our proprietary brands increased 6% on a comparable sales basis. Our customers love the quality and affordabili...
• Digital Sales Growth — Digital sales grew by 4%, driven by increased traffic and strategic investments in enhancing the digital experience. Jill Timm highlighted that "this performance is a direct result of our strategic investments to moderni...
• Inventory Management — Kohl's improved its inventory position, with an 8% decrease compared to last year, allowing for better in-stock levels. Timm noted, "We did chase receipts where we saw the trend in sales," indicating a proactive approach...

Read the full Kohl's Corporation transcript (Q1 FY2027) → Summary generated from the call transcript; every figure above is stated by management on the record.

Earnings Call History

EarningsCalls.dev has 36 Kohl's Corporation earnings call transcripts on record, spanning March 3, 2020 to May 28, 2026. Based on this history, Kohl's Corporation reports quarterly. The most recent call on file is dated May 28, 2026. The full list is below — each row opens the complete, free-to-read transcript.

Ticker

KSS

Exchange

NYSE

Country

US

Sector

Consumer Discretionary

Industry

Broadline Retail

Calls on record

36

First call

March 3, 2020

Most recent

May 28, 2026

Reporting cadence

quarterly