Retail Giant Catapulted Higher on Surprise Earnings Beat-and-Raise

Core Insights - Kohl's Corp (NYSE: KSS) stock surged 29% to $20.20 following a surprise third-quarter profit, reporting earnings per share of 10 cents on revenue of $3.58 billion, significantly exceeding estimates of -19 cents per share [1] - The company has raised its full-year guidance, indicating positive future expectations [1] Stock Performance - Prior to the recent increase, KSS struggled to surpass the $17.50 resistance level but is now 50% higher for 2025 [2] - The stock has found support at the $15 floor, and the recent boost marks its best performance since July [2] Analyst Sentiment - Analysts exhibit skepticism with eight "holds," one "sell," and four "strong sells," reflecting a bearish sentiment towards the stock [2] - There is potential for upgrades if the stock continues to outperform [2] Short Interest - Currently, 29.29 million shares are sold short, representing 27% of the stock's total available float [3] - Short interest has decreased by 15% in the latest reporting period, indicating it would take shorts nearly five days to cover their positions [3] Options Activity - The 10-day put/call volume ratio for KSS stands at 1.75, suggesting that traders have purchased nearly two puts for every call in the past two weeks [4] - This ratio is in the 100th percentile of its annual range, indicating a heightened appetite for bearish bets recently [4]