Core Insights - The company has improved its fiscal year net sales forecast, now expecting a decrease of 3.5% to 4%, compared to the previous estimate of 5% to 6% [1] - Comparable sales are projected to decline by 2.5% to 3%, a narrower drop than the earlier forecast of 4% to 5% [1] Q3 FY25 Performance - For the quarter ending 1 November 2025, the company reported net sales of $3.4 billion, a year-over-year decrease of 2.8%, with comparable sales falling by 1.7% [2] - Gross margin increased by 51 basis points to 39.6% of net sales [2] - Operating income for the quarter was $73 million, down from $98 million in the prior year [2] Net Income and Expenses - Net income for Q3 FY25 was $8 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, compared to $22 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, in the same period last year [3] - Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses decreased by 2.1% to $1.3 billion compared to the prior year [3] Nine Months Performance - Over the nine months to 1 November 2025, net sales totaled $9.8 billion, a decline of 4% from the previous year, with comparable sales dropping by 3.2% [4] - Operating income for this period increased to $412 million from $307 million in the prior year [4] - Net income for the nine months was $147 million, up from $61 million in the previous year [4] Leadership Changes - The board appointed Michael J. Bender as CEO effective 24 November 2024, after serving as interim CEO since May [5] - The company plans to accelerate its focus on reducing debt and strengthening its financial position [5] Management Commentary - The CEO expressed satisfaction with the third quarter results, highlighting a third consecutive quarter of performance exceeding expectations [6] - The company aims to build on its momentum while delivering quality products and a seamless customer experience amid a challenging macroeconomic environment [7]

Core Insights - Kohl's shares surged by up to 36% after reporting a surprise profit of $8 million and raising its annual guidance, despite still expecting a sales decline of up to 4% for the year, an improvement from the previous forecast of 5% to 6% [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - Kohl's reported a net income of $8 million, indicating a positive shift in sales growth last month [1] - The company had a record earnings year in 2021 but faced significant challenges afterward, leading to a decline in stock value [3] Group 2: Management and Strategy - New CEO Michael Bender, appointed permanently this week, is focusing on a turnaround plan that includes expanding product offerings and cost-cutting measures [2][5] - The company has closed underperforming stores and reduced its corporate workforce by 10% as part of its reinvention strategy [3][5] Group 3: Market Context - Kohl's stock has more than doubled since hitting an all-time low in April, although it remains over 60% down from its 2022 levels [2] - The retail environment remains challenging, with predictions of a 10% decrease in holiday spending from Deloitte and a 5% drop from PwC, which could impact Kohl's profit margins [3]

Core Viewpoint - Kohl's is positioned as a stock appealing to both meme traders and value investors, trading at a significant discount to its intrinsic value despite the meme stock phenomenon continuing into 2025 [1][2]. Group 1: Stock Performance and Market Position - Kohl's share price has increased by 42.63%, reaching $22.43, with a market cap of $1.76 billion [5][8]. - The stock has experienced a 52-week range of $6.04 to $22.45, indicating substantial volatility [6]. - The gross margin stands at 35.97%, and the dividend yield is 3.90% [6]. Group 2: Meme Stock Dynamics - Unlike previous meme stocks that became detached from fundamentals, Kohl's still reflects its underlying profitability [2][4]. - The surge in Kohl's share price last summer was driven by meme traders attempting to initiate a short squeeze, although their influence has diminished compared to 2021 [3][4]. Group 3: Real Estate Value - Kohl's real estate assets have a book value of $9.44 billion, exceeding its current enterprise value by approximately $1 billion [7]. - A previous $60-per-share takeover offer highlighted the value of Kohl's owned real estate, with a private equity firm previously bidding $2 billion solely for these assets [6][8]. Group 4: Future Outlook - The potential for significant returns exists if Kohl's were to sell off its real estate, but the stock's future performance is more likely to depend on the successful execution of an operational turnaround [8].

Core Viewpoint - Macy's is facing significant challenges in the evolving retail landscape, with declining sales and difficulties in maintaining relevance despite efforts to adapt [2][3][8] Sales Performance - Macy's sales have declined by 2.5% year-over-year in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, although comparable sales increased by 0.8%, marking the best performance in 12 quarters [3] - The Bloomingdale's brand showed strong performance with comparable sales up 3.6% from the previous year [3] Financial Metrics - Gross margin decreased by 0.8 percentage points to 39.7%, while adjusted net income was reported at $113 million, reflecting a margin of just 2.3% [3] - Macy's current market capitalization stands at $6 billion, with a stock price of $21.85 [5] Stock Performance - Over the past year, Macy's stock has increased by 30%, outperforming the S&P 500, which rose by 12% [6] - Over the last five years, Macy's stock has returned 128%, compared to the S&P 500's 99% [6] - However, over the past decade, Macy's stock has declined by 21%, while the S&P 500 has increased by 277%, indicating a long-term struggle [6] Market Position - Macy's remains a significant player with $22 billion in trailing 12-month sales, but this is below its historical highs [8] - The company is burdened by expensive real estate and faces competition from smaller brands in the e-commerce space [2][8] Valuation - Macy's stock is currently trading at 11 times trailing 12-month earnings, which may not represent a compelling investment opportunity given its current outlook [7]

Core Viewpoint - Kohl's Corporation has shown a significant stock price increase following better-than-expected profit and sales figures, alongside the confirmation of a new CEO, indicating positive momentum for the company [2][3]. Financial Performance - Kohl's reported an adjusted profit of $0.10 per share, contrasting with the anticipated loss of $0.16 per share [2][4]. - Revenue for the quarter ending September 30 reached $3.58 billion, slightly exceeding analysts' expectations of $3.33 billion, despite a 2.8% decline from the previous year [4][6]. - Comparable sales decreased by 1.7%, better than the expected drop of 3.89% [4]. Operational Improvements - The company achieved a gross margin of 39.6%, reflecting operational efficiency [5][6]. - Inventory levels were reduced by 5%, contributing to improved cash flow, which increased to $124 million [5][6]. Leadership Changes - Michael Bender has been confirmed as the permanent CEO, which has positively influenced investor sentiment and stock performance [3]. Market Reaction - Following the announcement of the financial results and leadership confirmation, Kohl's stock surged by 43% to close at $22.42, marking its highest level since July 2024 [2][6].

Market Overview - U.S. markets closed higher, with the Nasdaq up 0.67% to 23,025.59, S&P 500 advancing 0.9% to 6,765.88, and Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing 1.43% to 47,112.45 [1] Dell Technologies - Dell reported third-quarter revenue of $27.01 billion, slightly below estimates, while adjusted earnings rose to $2.59 per share, beating expectations [2] - Revenue grew 11% year-over-year, driven by a 37% increase in servers and networking to $10.1 billion, while storage and consumer segments declined [2] - The company highlighted record AI server orders of $12.3 billion for the quarter and raised its fourth-quarter revenue outlook to up to $32 billion, with full-year revenue projected at $111.2–$112.2 billion [3] Kohl's - Kohl's appointed interim chief Michael Bender as permanent CEO, marking its third leadership change in three years [4] - The company reported third-quarter net sales of $3.4 billion, down 2.8% year-over-year, with comparable sales falling 1.7% and EPS at $0.07 [5] - Kohl's raised its full-year outlook, noting a stronger cash flow of $124 million and a 5% reduction in inventory [5] Zscaler - Zscaler's stock rose 3.35% to $289.73, but dipped 7.99% to $267 in after-hours trading [6] - The company beat first-quarter expectations with revenue of $788.1 million and EPS of 96 cents, while deferred revenue rose 32% to $2.35 billion [6] Workday - Workday's stock increased by 3.11% to $233.69, but slipped nearly 6.2% to $219.25 in after-hours trading [7] - The company beat third-quarter estimates with revenue of $2.43 billion and EPS of $2.32, supported by strong demand in its subscription business [8] - Subscription revenue rose 14.6% to $2.24 billion, and the 12-month backlog grew 17.6% to $8.21 billion [8] Autodesk - Autodesk shares climbed 1.58% to $294.43, jumping 6.14% to $312.50 in extended trading [9] - The company reported third-quarter revenue up 18% to $1.85 billion and adjusted EPS rising to $2.67, both ahead of expectations [9] - Autodesk lifted full-year earnings guidance to $10.18–$10.25 per share and projected fourth-quarter revenue of up to $1.92 billion [10]

Market Overview - The Dow is up 1.3%, with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 also showing gains, driven by hopes of a Fed rate cut in December benefiting small-cap companies [2][4]. - The 10-year Treasury note is at 4%, and the US dollar is slightly declining [3]. - Healthcare and consumer discretionary sectors are performing well, with notable gains from retailers like Walmart and Home Depot [3][4]. Big Tech Performance - Alphabet is nearing a $4 trillion market cap, driven by a recent rally and strong performance from its new AI model, Gemini 3 [24][40]. - Nvidia's stock is down 3% amid competition concerns, particularly from Google's potential AI chip sales to Meta [5][73]. - Alphabet's stock has outperformed other tech giants like Nvidia and Microsoft, with a year-to-date performance increase of over 100% compared to Nvidia's slump [36][40]. Investment Insights - Investors are advised to consider trimming positions in overexposed tech stocks, particularly those heavily weighted in portfolios, to manage risk [10][11]. - Founder-led companies are highlighted as potentially more stable investments due to conservative balance sheets and cash reserves [15][16]. - The AI infrastructure buildout is identified as a significant investment opportunity, particularly in power generation and industrial sectors, as power is seen as the biggest bottleneck for AI growth [118][120]. Retail Sector Updates - Retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch and Kohl's reported mixed results, with Abercrombie's Hollister brand showing strong same-store sales growth of 15% [78][81]. - Best Buy reported a 3% increase in same-store sales, attributed to AI-driven product innovations [85][87]. Cryptocurrency Market - Bitcoin is down 1.5%, trading around $86,000, unable to sustain a recent rally [6][74]. - Coinbase has been downgraded from buy to hold due to its stock trading at a higher range compared to peers [74].

Shares of Kohl's Corporation ( KSS ) surged over 30% on Tuesday as investors digested solid earnings. With this pop, shares are now higher than they were a year ago and have more than tripled from their lows, aOver fifteen years of experience making contrarian bets based on my macro view and stock-specific turnaround stories to garner outsized returns with a favorable risk/reward profile. If you want me to cover a specific stock or have a question for an article, just let me know!Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we h ...

Shares of Kohl’s ( KSS ) surged over 30% on Tuesday as investors digested solid earnings. With this pop, shares are now higher than they were a year ago and have more than tripled from their lows, a remarkableOver fifteen years of experience making contrarian bets based on my macro view and stock-specific turnaround stories to garner outsized returns with a favorable risk/reward profile. If you want me to cover a specific stock or have a question for an article, just let me know!Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we ha ...

Market Overview - Major U.S. equities indexes experienced gains, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up over 1%, the S&P 500 climbing 0.5%, and the Nasdaq increasing by 0.1% [1] Retail Sector Performance - Kohl's (KSS) shares surged 35% after reporting a surprise third-quarter profit and appointing Michael Bender as permanent CEO [2] - Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) saw a 30% increase in shares after exceeding third-quarter earnings estimates, with sales growth expected to be driven by the Hollister brand during the holiday season [3] Technology Sector Developments - Zoom Communications (ZM) reported quarterly results that surpassed analysts' expectations, resulting in a 12% rise in shares, attributed to meaningful adoption of its AI offerings [4] - Nvidia (NVDA) shares fell nearly 4% following reports that Meta Platforms is considering using chips from Alphabet, impacting Nvidia and its competitor AMD negatively [5] Cryptocurrency and Commodities - Coinbase (COIN) and other cryptocurrency-related stocks continued to decline as Bitcoin's price dropped to around $87,200, while gold prices rose and crude oil futures decreased [6]