Kohl’s on Monday said it has tapped its fourth CEO in as many years, attempting to staunch an extended sales slide and to move beyond a leadership scandal that led to the departure of its previous chief executive.
The company named Michael Bender as its permanent CEO nearly seven months after he took over on an interim basis.
Bender replaced Ashley Buchanan who was fired in May after an internal investigation found that he had directed the company to do business with a vendor founded by someone with whom he had a personal relationship.
At the same time, Kohl’s is struggling to reverse a long-term sales slump amid a challenging economic environment for many shoppers, who are grappling with an affordability crisis. Retailers are also navigating tariffs rolled out this year by the Trump administration, adding to their challenges.
“The appointment of Michael Bender as permanent CEO of Kohl’s brings some much-needed stability to the beleaguered chain,” said Neil Saunders, an analyst with GlobalData, in a Monday research note.
He added, “Unfortunately. Kohl’s has been one of the worst performers in retail – with sales and market share plummeting since 2019. This chronic underperformance is directly linked to operational sloppiness and the absence of a clear strategy.”
The board conducted a comprehensive search using an external firm before picking Bender as its next CEO, Chairman John Schlifske said in the statement.
Bender is a retail veteran with 30 years of experience at retailers from Walmart to PepsiCo.
Buchanan, who was Kohl’s CEO for less than four months, had replaced CEO Tom Kingsbury, who had served as the company’s leader from 2023 until early 2025. Prior to Kingsbury, Michelle Gass was Kohl’s CEO until she departed in late 2022 to become the president of Levi Strauss.
Kohl’s releases its third-quarter earnings results Tuesday.
Shares of Kohl’s Corp., based in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, were unchanged Monday.
Kohl’s (KSS) stock has recently experienced significant volatility, characterized by notable momentum swings and meme stock-like trading patterns that have largely disconnected the share price performance from its fundamental metrics. While KSS is up a staggering 42% in the past month alone, the surge in its stock price has primarily been driven by retail investor interest in potential short squeeze conditions rather than fundamental business improvements.
On the charts, KSS is currently trading near a 50% retracement of its 52-week high and low. The shares are no longer technically overbought, based on the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI), and daily trading volume has tapered off considerably from the late-July peaks.
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Ahead of the upcoming earnings report from Kohl’s, due out before the market opens next Wednesday, Aug. 27, the options market is pricing in a bigger-than-usual price swing for the retail stock. Currently, KSS options expiring next Friday reflect expectations for a post-earnings move of 13.07% in either direction, compared to the stock’s average earnings reaction of 10.70% over the past four quarters.
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Kohl’s recently received an upgrade from Gordon Haskett, which revised their rating on KSS to “Hold” from “Reduce,” though the broader analyst consensus among 13 experts in coverage is a “Moderate Sell.” UBS maintains a “Sell” rating with a $4.00 price target, citing channel checks that indicate softer Q2 sales trends.
For income investors, the retailer continues to demonstrate its commitment to shareholder returns by declaring a quarterly dividend of $0.125 per share, representing an attractive yield of approximately 3.67%. Trading at a price-to-book ratio of 0.38, market indicators suggest the stock may be significantly undervalued, though investors should weigh this appealing valuation against ongoing operational challenges.
Rising tariffs are creating pricing pressures across the retail industry, forcing companies to carefully balance pricing strategies against consumer sensitivity. The broader retail environment presents additional challenges for Kohl’s, with consumer spending patterns showing increasing disparity between income groups and overall retail sector performance displaying mixed signals. The combination of economic uncertainty, inflation concerns, and shifting consumer preferences continues to create a challenging operating environment.
Despite these headwinds, Kohl’s maintains its position as a significant tenant in various commercial properties, underscoring its continued importance in the retail real estate sector. The retailer maintains a substantial physical presence with over 1,100 stores across 49 states while pursuing an omnichannel strategy through its online store and mobile applications.
The recent trading activity in KSS suggests that while speculative interest may drive short-term price movements, longer-term results will likely depend on the company’s ability to address fundamental business challenges and adapt to evolving retail dynamics. The upcoming earnings may provide some clarity on the latter point; but for now, investors should be prepared for additional event-related volatility around earnings next week, with notable gamma exposure at the $15-strike call.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. On the date of publication, the editor did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com
People often go to Amazon to find products on sale, but Kohl’s is really where it’s at when it comes to deals if you’ve got the right coupons. The retailer sells thousands of items from big-name brands across its several shopping categories and boasts a pretty large sale section that we can’t help but peruse. We were delighted to find so many great home products on sale that we know will enhance our readers’ lives, including this impressive Shark vacuum, the Amazon Echo Show and more.
Read on to see the best deals we found at Kohl’s home sale, and don’t forget to add the “FRIENDS20” promo code at checkout to save an extra 20% on your purchase. Shipping is free with a $49 purchase or more. Plus, you’ll earn $10 in Kohl’s Cash for every $50 you spend (redeemable March 18-30). Act fast to take advantage of these offers; the promos will end on Sunday, March 17.
Operating your home is made much easier with the Amazon Echo Show. That’s because one of the device’s functionalities is being a smart home hub. From here, you can connect and control security cameras, lights and more with your voice (so long as those are compatible with Zigbee, Matter, and Thread). You can also use voice control to update household to-do lists and set timers while cooking.
With the device’s eight-inch HD touchscreen, you can enjoy video calls with loved ones, watch your favorite TV shows or movies via streaming services, such as Prime and Netflix, and display photos of friends and family when you connect with Amazon Photos. Plus, this Echo model has Spotify and Apple Music.
Regularly $150, you can get this for $100 during Kohl’s home sale. Plus, you’ll get $20 in Kohl’s Cash to spend.
J.A. Henckels International Elan self-sharpening knife block set: Save $116
Kohl’s
Every home cook needs a great set of knives, but quality knives come at a high price that not everyone can afford. This J.A. Henckels knife block set, while not necessarily cheap, is discounted by $70 off its original price. And if you add the code “FRIENDS20 at checkout, you can get an even greater discount of $116. You’ll also score $30 in Kohl’s Cash.
The knife set includes a 3-inch paring knife, 5-inch serrated utility knife, 6-inch utility knife, 7-inch santoku knife, 8-inch bread knife, 8-inch chef knife, six 4.5-inch steak knives and kitchen shears. What’s interesting about this set is that it comes with self-sharpening knife slots, which means that your knives are sharpened every time you take them in and out of the block. This saves you the trouble of having to purchase a knife sharpener or needing to go to a professional to get them sharpened.
Ninja Professional Plus kitchen system with Auto-iQ: Save $95
Kohl’s
What’s so great about the Ninja Professional Plus kitchen system is that you get a blender and a food processor in one purchase, saving you tons of money. Even if the kitchen appliance set wasn’t on sale, the value of the products would be worth the full price. (For context, quality food processors, by themselves, are often priced at $145 or higher.)
The blender pitcher offers plenty of room to blend several servings of smoothies and soups. Meanwhile, the food processor cup is 64 ounces, which is big enough to knead two pounds of dough. Your purchase also includes two, 24-ounce serving cups, allowing you to bring blended drinks on the go.
The Ninja Professional Plus kitchen system with Auto-IQ is on sale for $180, but when you add the limited-time promo code (FRIENDS20), the price goes down to $145. Plus, you’ll get $20 in Kohl’s Cash.
Shark Stratos upright vacuum: Save $150
Kohl’s
If you’ve been considering upgrading your vacuum, take this discount as a sign that you absolutely should. The Shark Stratos will level up your cleaning experience, full stop. It has the brand’s DuoClean Powerfins, which translates to two brush rolls, one that’s a soft roller and another one that has hard fins, the latter of which does a great job of digging into rugs and carpets to pick up debris.
It also offers versatility, as the vacuum can be transformed into a handheld, allowing you to clean your couch and stairs with greater ease. Plus, by removing the canister, you’ll also be able to position the vacuum in a way so that it can clean under furniture. Other perks of this discounted vacuum include a self-cleaning brush roll, LED headlights and an anti-allergen complete seal, which keeps 99.99% of dust and allergens picked up in the vacuum in the canister where it belongs.
Regularly $500, this vacuum is discounted to $350 at Kohl’s. Plus, you’ll score a whopping $70 in Kohl’s Cash.
Koolaburra by UGG Elladine faux fur comforter set with shams: Save 30%
Kohl’s
Those who love lounging with a faux fur blanket may find greater relaxation and comfort with this faux fur comforter set from Koolaburra. Koolaburra is UGG’s sister brand, so you can expect a similar level of softness with this material.
The set comes with a comforter and two shams, and if you’re buying a twin/twin XL, you get just one sham. Sizes also available are a full/queen and a king. These are designed to be all-season, so they’ll keep you warm during winter, as well as protect you from the chill that comes with running your AC all summer.
These come in two colors, including white and balsam. Keep in mind that this comforter set is dry clean only.
This bedding set is $120, reduced from $150. You’ll earn $20 in Kohl’s Cash when you purchase it through March 17.
Rachel Center is a writer with more than eight years of experience creating lifestyle content for brands such as Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple and Apartment Therapy.
