Kohl’s Stock vs Competition: Who Wins?
Kohl’s stock has delivered strong returns over the past year, outperforming some key peers. But how does it measure up against competitors navigating a dynamic retail landscape marked by cautious consumer spending and intense competition? A closer look reveals a relatively low valuation, yet faces significant challenges from declining revenue and thin operating and free cash flow margins. These factors underscore limited upside amidst persistent industry headwinds and evolving shopper preferences.
- KSS’s 3.3% operating margin is lowest among peers, reflecting department store inefficiencies vs. HD’s 13.1%.
- KSS’s -7.2% revenue growth, lowest among peers, signals persistent department store model struggles amid changing consumer habits.
- KSS’s 31.0% stock gain and 12.1 PE trailed peers like DDS, M, signaling investor doubt in long-term growth despite recent short-covering.
Here’s how Kohl’s stacks up across size, valuation, and profitability versus key peers.
| KSS | HD | TJX | DDS | M | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap ($ Bil) | 2.5 | 348.3 | 169.9 | 10.4 | 5.9 |
| Revenue ($ Bil) | 15.9 | 165.1 | 57.9 | 6.6 | 22.7 |
| PE Ratio | 12.1 | 23.8 | 34.2 | 18.1 | 12.0 |
| LTM Revenue Growth | -7.2% | 8.5% | 4.1% | -2.4% | -3.4% |
| LTM Operating Margin | 3.3% | 13.1% | 11.2% | 10.9% | 3.7% |
| LTM FCF Margin | 3.0% | 8.6% | 7.0% | 11.7% | 2.7% |
| 12M Market Return | 31.0% | -16.2% | 23.6% | 51.8% | 44.2% |
For more details on Kohl’s, read Buy or Sell KSS Stock. Below we compare KSS’s growth, margin, and valuation with peers across years
Revenue Growth Comparison
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| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KSS | -7.2% | -7.2% | -3.4% | -6.9% |
| HD | 8.5% | 4.5% | -3.0% | 4.1% |
| TJX | 4.1% | 4.0% | 8.6% | 2.9% |
| DDS | -2.4% | -4.1% | -1.7% | 5.6% |
| M | -3.4% | -3.6% | -6.2% | 0.2% |
Operating Margin Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KSS | 3.3% | 3.1% | 4.1% | 1.4% |
| HD | 13.1% | 13.5% | 14.2% | 15.3% |
| TJX | 11.2% | 11.2% | 10.7% | 9.7% |
| DDS | 10.9% | 11.2% | 13.5% | 16.1% |
| M | 3.7% | 4.1% | 5.3% | 6.4% |
PE Ratio Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KSS | 12.1 | 14.3 | 10.0 | -159.5 |
| HD | 23.8 | 26.0 | 22.9 | 18.9 |
| TJX | 34.2 | 28.0 | 24.0 | 26.5 |
| DDS | 18.1 | 11.7 | 9.0 | 6.4 |
| M | 12.0 | 8.1 | 122.6 | 4.9 |
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