Stock Traders Buy High Volume of Kohl’s Put Options (NYSE:KSS)

Kohl’s Corporation (NYSE:KSS) was the recipient of some unusual options trading on Thursday. Investors acquired 21,793 put options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 40% compared to the typical daily volume of 15,618 put options.

Kohl’s News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat consensus ($1.07 EPS vs. $0.86) and management provided a 2026 EPS outlook, showing margin improvement despite revenue weakness. This explains the underlying fundamental reason the stock had strength after results. Zacks: Q4 Earnings Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Kohl’s published its 2025 results and set its 2026 outlook (EPS range and strategic focus on proprietary brands/value), which supports management’s path to profitability even as comps soften. Press Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Kohl’s stock saw unusually high trading volume after the earnings release, indicating heavy repositioning by investors (mix of buyers and sellers). That volume can increase short‑term volatility. AmericanBankingNews: High Volume
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate update: Mari Steinmetz was promoted to a top people role — operational/HR move unlikely to move the stock materially near term. Globe and Mail: Promotion
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple sell/underweight calls and price‑target cuts from major banks (Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Jefferies and others) after the report—these reduce investor conviction and can drive further selling. Benzinga: Analyst Cuts
• Negative Sentiment: Unusual options activity: a notable surge in put buying (21,793 puts, ~40% above typical volume) signals that some traders are hedging or speculating on downside, adding downward pressure. (3/12 trade report)
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst commentary and research pieces highlight eroding sales trends and competitive pressures (e.g., Seeking Alpha, Evercore warnings), reinforcing concerns that the EPS beat may not translate into durable top‑line recovery. Seeking Alpha: Shaky Sales

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in KSS. Farther Finance Advisors LLC increased its position in Kohl’s by 233.9% during the fourth quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,666 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 1,167 shares during the period. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Kohl’s in the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. IFP Advisors Inc increased its holdings in shares of Kohl’s by 3,777.6% during the 3rd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,900 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 1,851 shares during the period. Plato Investment Management Ltd bought a new position in shares of Kohl’s during the 4th quarter worth about $42,000. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its position in shares of Kohl’s by 164.7% during the fourth quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 2,102 shares of the company’s stock valued at $43,000 after buying an additional 1,308 shares during the last quarter. 98.04% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Kohl’s Stock Down 3.0%

Shares of KSS traded down $0.42 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $13.38. 6,019,792 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,337,760. The stock has a market cap of $1.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.67 and a beta of 1.42. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $18.18 and a two-hundred day moving average of $18.09. The company has a quick ratio of 0.12, a current ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94. Kohl’s has a twelve month low of $6.04 and a twelve month high of $25.22.

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

Kohl’s Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 18th will be paid a dividend of $0.125 per share. This represents a $0.50 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.7%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 18th. Kohl’s’s dividend payout ratio is 29.07%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. TD Cowen cut their price target on shares of Kohl’s from $23.00 to $17.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Bank of America dropped their target price on shares of Kohl’s from $18.00 to $15.00 and set an “underperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. Evercore raised their target price on shares of Kohl’s from $13.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock an “in-line” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Kohl’s from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, Robert W. Baird dropped their price target on Kohl’s from $24.00 to $20.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and six have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $14.83.

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.