Kohl’s Corp. raised its full-year outlook for the second straight quarter, a sign that Chief Executive Officer Michael Bender is helping to stabilize performance at the struggling retailer. https://t.co/6MBC3g6SKF ...

Core Insights - Kohl's executives expressed optimism despite declines in Q3, with CEO Michael Bender highlighting progress made during his tenure [3][5] - The company is addressing longstanding issues and reversing unsuccessful turnaround initiatives, including expanding private labels and adjusting brand policies [4] Financial Performance - Q3 net sales decreased nearly 3% year over year to $3.4 billion, with comparable sales down 1.7% [8] - Gross margin improved by 51 basis points to 39.6%, while inventory decreased by 5% to $3.9 billion [8] - Net income fell 64% to $8 million [8] Future Outlook - Kohl's upgraded its full-year net sales forecast, now expecting a decline of 3.5% to 4% and comparable sales to fall 2.5% to 3% [6] - Operating margin is projected to grow to 3.1% to 3.2%, an increase from the previous estimate of 2.5% to 2.7% [6] - Analysts noted that while revenue and profitability trends remain negative, the rate of decline is slowing, and the company has raised its guidance for the year [7]

Core Viewpoint - Kohl's has raised its annual forecasts for the second time this year, driven by expectations of increased demand during the holiday season due to new collections and promotions across various categories [1] Group 1: Company Performance - Kohl's has adjusted its annual forecasts upward, indicating confidence in its sales strategy and product offerings [1] - The company is focusing on new collections and promotional activities to stimulate consumer demand [1] Group 2: Market Strategy - The emphasis on diverse categories and promotions suggests a strategic approach to capture market share during the competitive holiday season [1]

Core Viewpoint - Tata Motors is focusing on its newly launched sport-utility vehicle (SUV) to enhance competition against rivals such as Hyundai Motor and Maruti Suzuki in a rapidly growing market segment [1] Company Summary - Tata Motors aims to strengthen its market position with the introduction of the new SUV, which is expected to attract more customers and increase sales [1] - The company is entering a highly competitive landscape, where established players like Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki dominate [1] Industry Summary - The SUV market is characterized by fierce competition and rapid growth, indicating a significant opportunity for companies to capture market share [1] - The introduction of new models by various manufacturers is likely to intensify competition further in this segment [1]

Financial Performance - Net sales for Q3 2025 decreased by 2.8% year-over-year to $3.4 billion, with comparable sales down 1.7%[5] - Gross margin increased by 51 basis points to 39.6% of net sales[6] - SG&A expenses decreased by 2.1% year-over-year to $1.3 billion, representing 35.3% of total revenue, an increase of 55 basis points[6] - Operating income for Q3 2025 was $73 million, down from $98 million in the prior year, with an adjusted operating income of $77 million[6] - Net income for Q3 2025 was $8 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, compared to $22 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, in the prior year[6] - Net income for the nine months ended November 1, 2025, was $147 million, a significant increase from $61 million in the same period last year, reflecting a growth of 141%[20] Cash Flow and Liquidity - Cash flow from operating activities was $124 million, a significant improvement from a use of $195 million in the prior year[6] - Net cash provided by operating activities rose to $630 million for the nine months ended November 1, 2025, compared to $52 million in the prior year, indicating a substantial improvement[20] - Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period were $144 million, down from $174 million, a decrease of 17.24%[20] - The company reported a net cash used in investing activities of $269 million, compared to $363 million in the previous year, showing a reduction of 25.93%[20] - The company had a net cash outflow from financing activities of $351 million, contrasting with a net inflow of $302 million in the prior year[20] Inventory and Assets - Inventory decreased by 5% year-over-year to $3.9 billion[6] - Merchandise inventories decreased from $4,099 million to $3,895 million, a reduction of 4.97% year-over-year[18] - Total assets decreased from $15,054 million in November 2, 2024, to $14,144 million in November 1, 2025, representing a decline of 6.05%[18] - Total current liabilities decreased from $4,393 million to $3,307 million, a decline of 24.74%[18] - Long-term debt increased from $1,174 million to $1,522 million, an increase of 29.6%[18] Dividends and Financial Outlook - Dividends paid decreased significantly from $166 million to $42 million, a reduction of 74.7%[20] - The company raised its full-year 2025 financial outlook following the Q3 results[5] - For the full year 2025, Kohl's expects net sales to decrease by 3.5% to 4% and adjusted diluted EPS in the range of $1.25 to $1.45[11] Leadership Changes - Kohl's Board of Directors appointed Michael J. Bender as CEO effective immediately[4]

US-based omnichannel retailer Kohl’s has appointed Michael Bender as CEO, effective from 23 November 2025, Bender has been the company’s interim CEO since 1 May after the board fired Ashley Buchanan. An external legal review, overseen by the Audit Committee, found that Buchanan had violated company policies by steering the company into vendor deals with undisclosed conflicts of interest. Bender will remain on the retailer’s board, where he has been a director since 2019. He was also board chair from May ...

Earnings Reports Overview - The current earnings season is nearing its end, with notable companies reporting during the holiday-shortened week [1] - Retail investors are particularly focused on earnings reports from major companies [1] Company-Specific Earnings Reports - WeRide Inc. (NASDAQ:WRD) and LexinFintech Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:LX) reported before the market opened on November 24, both showing better-than-expected results, leading to stock price increases [2] - Zoom Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:ZM) is expected to report third-quarter results after the market closes on November 24, with analysts predicting earnings of $1.44 per share and revenue of $1.21 billion [3] - Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE:BABA) will release its Q2 earnings report before the market opens on November 25, with expectations of adjusted earnings of 81 cents per share and revenue of $34.43 billion [3] - Retailers Kohl's Corp. (NYSE:KSS) and Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE:BBY) are anticipated to provide insights into consumer behavior with their reports on November 25 [4] - Cleanspark Inc. (NASDAQ:CLSK), Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL), and Zscaler Inc. (NASDAQ:ZS) are set to report after the market closes on November 25 [5] - Li Auto Inc. (NASDAQ:LI) and EHang Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:EH) will report their results before the market opens on November 26, alongside Deere & Co. (NYSE:DE), which has consistently beaten analyst expectations for 12 consecutive quarters [6] Market Schedule - U.S. stock markets will be closed on November 27 for the Thanksgiving holiday [8] - The stock market will have an early closure at 1 p.m. ET on November 28 [9]

Core Insights - Retail earnings are in focus this week as several companies within the Direxion Daily Retail Bull 3X Shares (RETL) prepare to report results just before the Thanksgiving and Black Friday shopping weekend [1] - Six retailers, including Burlington Stores, Best Buy, Kohl's, Dick's Sporting Goods, Urban Outfitters, and Abercrombie & Fitch, will release quarterly results [1][2] Group 1: Earnings Reports - Urban Outfitters will report earnings on Monday after market close, while the other five companies will report on Tuesday morning [2] - These six retailers represent approximately 6.7% of RETL's portfolio [2][6] Group 2: ETF Performance and Structure - RETL tracks the S&P Retail Select Industry Index and offers three times the index's daily performance, utilizing a modified equal-weighted methodology [3] - The equal-weight structure allows smaller retailers like Dick's Sporting Goods to impact the fund's performance similarly to larger companies like Amazon [4] Group 3: Market Trends and Forecasts - Consulting firm Bain & Company forecasts an 11% increase in Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales this year, surpassing broader holiday shopping growth estimates [5] - RETL has seen $6.01 million in net inflows over the past month and $349,400 in net inflows over the past five days [2][5]

Kohl’s announced on Monday that interim CEO Michael Bender will become the ailing retailer’s permanent new CEO—making him the third chief executive to head the company in about three years. Most Read from Fast Company The news comes a day before the Wisconsin-based department store chain releases its third-quarter earnings report on Tuesday, November 25, at 9 a.m. “Over the past several months as interim CEO, Michael has proven to be an exceptional leader for Kohl’s—progressively improving results, drivi ...

Core Insights - Kohl's has appointed Michael Bender as the permanent CEO after a successful tenure as interim CEO, focusing on regaining customer loyalty and improving sales performance [2][9] - The company is implementing a strategy that emphasizes private labels, jewelry, and petite sizes to attract long-time customers while also appealing to new audiences [2][9] Financial Performance - Kohl's reported second-quarter results that exceeded expectations and raised its outlook in August, indicating some success in its turnaround strategy [3] - Despite recent gains, Kohl's shares have lost 8% over the past year, although they are up 12% year-to-date and recently increased by 2% [5] Strategic Initiatives - The company is adjusting its merchandise to emphasize value, enhance the in-store experience, and avoid stockouts of popular items [6] - Bender highlighted the importance of expanding fashion and home goods lines, as well as broadening coupon applicability to attract more customers [6] Market Context - Kohl's is part of a broader retail trend where companies are cutting prices and accepting smaller profit margins to entice cautious consumers [4] - The focus on private labels and jewelry is aimed at improving the company's standing with women, which has been a key demographic for Kohl's [10]