Kohl's (KSS) Shares Surge 18.5% After Q1 Comparable Sales Beat Estimates, Narrower Loss

Kohl's (NYSE:KSS) stock jumped 18.5% on May 29, 2026, after the department store chain reported first-quarter comparable sales fell just 1.1%, easily beating the 1.7% decline analysts expected. The narrower-than-feared loss signaled a stabilization in its core customer base, erasing roughly half of the year-to-date share decline. The company posted a net loss of $14 million, or $0.13 per share—nearly 40% better than consensus. Management noted Kohl's Card customers, who had seen mid-single-digit comparable sales drops in Q4, reached flat performance in Q1. Kohl's reaffirmed full-year adjusted EPS guidance of $1.00 to $1.60, with comparable sales flat to down 2%. It also disclosed $140 million in tariff refund claims already submitted, part of $190 million in eligibility, none yet received or included in guidance. At $15.38, the stock remains 37.8% below its 52-week high of $24.71 from December 2025.