Kohl's Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates, Comparable Sales Dip 4.2% Y/Y

Core Insights - Kohl's Corporation (KSS) reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 56 cents for Q2 fiscal 2025, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 33 cents, but down from 59 cents in the same period last year [1][10] - Total revenues for the quarter were $3,546 million, a decrease of 5% from $3,732 million in the prior-year quarter, yet above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,476 million [2][10] - Comparable sales fell by 4.2% year over year, better than the expected decline of 5.6% [2] Revenue and Sales Performance - Net sales decreased by 5.1% to $3,347 million, while other revenues fell by 3.9% to $199 million [2] - The company's gross margin improved by 28 basis points to 39.9%, surpassing the anticipated increase of 20 basis points [4] - Operating income rose to $279 million from $166 million in the previous year, with the operating income margin expanding by 343 basis points to 7.9% [5][10] Financial Health and Future Outlook - Kohl's ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $174 million and shareholders' equity of $3,927 million [6] - The company expects capital expenditures of $400 million for fiscal 2025 and has projected a net sales decline of 5-6% for the year [6][7] - Comparable sales are anticipated to decline by 4-5%, with an expected operating margin in the range of 2.5-2.7% and full-year EPS projected between 50 cents and 80 cents [7] Market Reaction - Following the better-than-expected results, Kohl's shares increased by over 15% during trading hours, with a 60.9% gain over the past three months compared to the industry's growth of 27.8% [3]