Kohl's raises 2026 earnings outlook as second-quarter sales fall 0.9%
Kohl's reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 net sales down 0.9% to $3.3 billion, while GAAP diluted EPS was $1.28 versus $1.35 a year earlier. The company raised its full-year 2026 guidance, which includes about $150 million of tariff refunds received in the quarter, and said it is restarting share repurchases of up to $100 million this year.
Key points
- Net sales fell 0.9% to $3.3 billion and comparable sales fell 0.9% in the quarter ended August 1, 2026.
- GAAP operating income was $261 million versus $279 million a year earlier; gross margin rate rose 305 basis points to 43.0%.
- Full-year 2026 adjusted diluted EPS guidance is $1.80 to $2.40; net sales guidance is a decrease of 1.5% to flat.
- Share repurchases of up to $100 million are restarting under an existing $3 billion authorization; the $0.125 quarterly dividend is payable September 23, 2026.
The filing
Written by AI (Anthropic Claude, claude-haiku-5-5) on Nov 8, 2026, 1:49 AM ET, from the text of the filing and its press-release exhibits only. Written later: this filing was briefed after the fact, when past filings were added to the site, so the brief may be read with hindsight; the filing itself is the record of what was known on August 26, 2026.
Briefs are written by AI from the filing text (each brief's own page names the model) and can contain mistakes — open the filing before acting on anything. Impact (1-5) and tone are the model's reading of the filing for shareholders, not a price forecast. Not investment advice.