Bank of America Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Kohl’s (NYSE:KSS) Stock Price

Kohl’s (NYSE:KSS) had its price target cut by research analysts at Bank of America from $18.00 to $15.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an “underperform” rating on the stock. Bank of America‘s target price suggests a potential upside of 13.77% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on KSS. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on Kohl’s from $22.00 to $15.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on Kohl’s from $24.00 to $20.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price objective on Kohl’s from $15.00 to $13.00 and set a “sell” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. TD Cowen reduced their target price on Kohl’s from $23.00 to $17.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Citigroup decreased their target price on Kohl’s from $23.00 to $20.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and six have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Kohl’s presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $14.83.

Kohl’s Trading Down 0.6%

KSS opened at $13.19 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $17.88 and a 200 day simple moving average of $18.05. Kohl’s has a fifty-two week low of $6.04 and a fifty-two week high of $25.22. The company has a market cap of $1.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.59 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 1.46 and a quick ratio of 0.12.

Kohl’s (NYSE:KSS) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, March 10th. The company reported $1.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.86 by $0.21. Kohl’s had a net margin of 1.75% and a return on equity of 4.72%. The firm had revenue of $5.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.08 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.95 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. Kohl’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.000-1.600 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Kohl’s will post 1.3 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Kohl’s

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of KSS. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd raised its stake in shares of Kohl’s by 221.5% in the 3rd quarter. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd now owns 143,376 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,204,000 after purchasing an additional 98,778 shares during the period. Federated Hermes Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Kohl’s during the third quarter worth about $5,198,000. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in shares of Kohl’s during the second quarter worth about $1,324,000. TriaGen Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Kohl’s during the third quarter worth about $730,000. Finally, Caxton Associates LLP grew its holdings in shares of Kohl’s by 2,958.8% during the second quarter. Caxton Associates LLP now owns 621,862 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,273,000 after buying an additional 601,532 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.04% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Kohl’s

Here are the key news stories impacting Kohl’s this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Kohl’s plans above-target employee bonuses, signaling management confidence in the early turnaround and improving margins; this supports the message that the restructuring and merchandising changes are gaining traction. Kohl’s Plans Above-Target Employee Bonuses as Turnaround Shows Early Progress
• Positive Sentiment: Kohl’s reported quarterly and fiscal results that beat expectations on EPS and revenue and set FY26 EPS guidance (1.00–1.60), supporting the case for earnings recovery and cash generation. Kohl’s (KSS) releases results for quarter and year to January 31, 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Management reiterated the 2026 outlook and highlighted progress in execution (assortment rationalization, private-label focus) that could drive better gross margins and traffic if sustained. Kohl’s Reports 2025 Results and Sets 2026 Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic shift — fewer SKUs, more exclusive/proprietary brands and lower-price entry points (items under $10) — aims to simplify operations and win back budget-conscious shoppers; this could support traffic and margin expansion over time. More ‘Fun,’ Fewer Choices, and Stuff Under $10: How Kohl’s Is Trying to Win Back Shoppers
• Neutral Sentiment: Kohl’s elevated Mari Steinmetz to a top people role, which may help execution on store and workforce initiatives but is unlikely to move the stock materially by itself. Kohl’s Elevates Mari Steinmetz to Top People Role
• Neutral Sentiment: Kohl’s inclusion/expansion within Russell 1000 index sector coverage is a structural detail for passive flows but is not an immediate catalyst. Kohl’s (NYSE:KSS) Expands Retail Reach In Russell 1000 Index Sector
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple sell-side firms have cut expectations and price targets (Bank of America lowered its PT to $15 with an underperform call; reports note downgrades/negative views from Baird, TD Cowen, Jefferies, Telsey and JPMorgan), increasing selling pressure and signaling skepticism about the durability of the turnaround. Bank of America price target cut / sell coverage Robert W. Baird Issues Pessimistic Forecast TD Cowen Lowers Expectations Jefferies Lowers Expectations
• Negative Sentiment: Unusually large put option activity (noted recent spike vs. average) and high post-earnings trading volume indicate elevated bearish positioning and short-term volatility risk. Kohl’s Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume Following Earnings Beat

Kohl’s Company Profile

Kohl’s Corporation, founded in 1962 by Maxwell Kohl and headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, is a leading American department store retailer. The company operates approximately 1,100 stores across 49 states, offering a combination of value-oriented pricing, private-label brands and national labels. Since its initial public offering in 1992, Kohl’s has focused on broadening its product assortment and enhancing the in-store and online shopping experience.

The retailer’s merchandise portfolio spans apparel, footwear, accessories, and beauty products for women, men and children, as well as home goods, kitchenware and seasonal décor.