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]

Kohl's is a stock both meme traders and value investors can get behind.The meme stocks phenomenon has carried on in 2025. However, while there is still some hope and hype surrounding the original "meme kings" like AMC Entertainment and GameStop, new stocks have taken center stage among meme traders.One such example is Kohl's (KSS +42.63%). However, in contrast to the "meme kings" of the past, which during their meme rallies became divorced from fundamentals, Kohl's still trades at a big discount to its unde ...

It might not be as good as you think over many years.Macy's (M +9.14%) is an iconic department store chain that has been around since 1858. It has stood the test of time, but it's been struggling over the past few years.Let's check out where it stands today and how its stock has performed for shareholders. What's happening at Macy'sMacy's sales continue to decline as the American retail landscape shifts. The huge department store of the past has morphed into boutique experiences, designer stores, and, most ...

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]

Core Insights - Kohl's Corporation reported third-quarter fiscal 2025 results with earnings of 10 cents per share, down from 20 cents in the year-ago quarter, but exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 19 cents [1][7] - Total revenues were $3,575 million, a decrease of 3.6% from $3,710 million in the prior-year quarter, yet surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,486 million [2][7] - The company raised its fiscal 2025 outlook for net sales, comparable sales, and operating margin, with full-year EPS guidance increased to $1.25-$1.45, significantly higher than the previous estimate of 50 cents to 80 cents [5][7] Financial Performance - Net sales fell 2.8% to $3,407 million, while other revenues decreased by 17.2% to $168 million, with comparable sales dipping 1.7% year over year, better than the expected decline of 4.6% [2][7] - Gross margin expanded by 51 basis points to 39.6%, contrary to expectations of a decrease, while SG&A expenses dropped 2.1% to $1,263 million, although as a percentage of total revenues, they increased by 55 basis points to 35.3% [3][7] - Adjusted operating income was $77 million, down from $98 million in the year-ago period, with an operating income margin of 2.2% [3] Financial Health - Kohl's ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $144 million and shareholders' equity of $3,930 million [4] - For the nine months ending Nov. 1, 2025, net cash provided by operating activities was $630 million, with management expecting capital expenditures of $400 million for fiscal 2025 [4] Future Outlook - For fiscal 2025, Kohl's expects net sales to decline by 3.5-4%, an improvement from the prior forecast of a 5-6% drop, and comparable sales are projected to fall by 2.5-3% compared to the earlier outlook of a 4-5% decline [5] - The adjusted operating margin is anticipated to be in the range of 3.1-3.2%, up from the previously projected range of 2.5-2.7% [5]