Kohl's Corporation Reports Financial Results

May 22, 2018
  • Comparable sales increase 3.6%
  • Outstanding debt reduced $500 million
  • Earnings per share guidance raised
     

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)—May 22, 2018-- Kohl’s Corporation (NYSE:KSS) today reported results for the quarter ended May 5, 2018.

Michelle Gass, Kohl's chief executive officer, said, “We are very pleased with our strong start to fiscal 2018 as we continued to focus on our priorities of driving traffic and operational excellence. We built on our recent momentum and achieved our third consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales, which increased on both a fiscal and a shifted basis. Further, we exceeded the high end of our margin expectations through continued focus on inventory management, while expenses were consistent with our expectations as we continue to make investments to ensure our long-term success. All of this enabled us to achieve adjusted earnings per share of $0.64 for the quarter, an increase of 65% over last year.”

Dividend

On May 16, 2018, Kohl's Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend on the Company's common stock of $0.61 per share. The dividend is payable June 27, 2018 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 13, 2018.

Revenue Recognition

During the quarter, Kohl’s adopted the new revenue recognition standard. Prior periods have been restated to reflect the new standard which had no impact on the Company’s previously reported net income. Additional details regarding the new standard, including the impact on the Company’s income statement, are available on Kohl’s corporate website at http://corporate.kohls.com/investors/events-and-presentations.

Loss on Extinguishment of Debt

As previously reported, the Company completed a cash tender offer for $500 million of debt in the first quarter. In conjunction with the tender, the Company reported a $42 million loss on extinguishment of debt.

Guidance Update

The Company now expects its adjusted fiscal 2018 diluted earnings per share to be $5.05 to $5.50, compared to its prior guidance of $4.95 to $5.45. Including the loss on extinguishment of debt, fiscal 2018 diluted earnings per share is expected to be $4.86 to $5.31.

First Quarter 2018 Earnings Conference Call

Kohl's will host its quarterly earnings conference call at 9:00 am ET on May 22, 2018. The phone number for the conference call is (800) 230-1085. Replays of the call will be available for 30 days by dialing (800) 475-6701.  The conference ID is 433484. The conference call and replays are also accessible via the Company's website at http://corporate.kohls.com/investors/events-and-presentations.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including 2018 earnings guidance. Kohl's intends forward-looking terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “anticipates,” “plans,” or similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause Kohl's actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in Item 1A in Kohl's Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference, and other factors as may periodically be described in Kohl's filings with the SEC.

About Kohl's

Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a leading omnichannel retailer with more than 1,100 stores in 49 states. With a commitment to inspiring and empowering families to lead fulfilled lives, Kohl’s offers amazing national and exclusive brands, incredible savings and an easy shopping experience in our stores, online at Kohls.com and on Kohl's mobile app. Throughout its history, Kohl's has given nearly $650 million to support communities nationwide. For a list of store locations or to shop online, visit Kohls.com. For more information about Kohl’s impact in the community or how to join our winning team, visit Corporate.Kohls.com or follow @KohlsNews on Twitter.

Contacts

Investor Relations:

Jill Timm, (262) 703-2203, jill.timm@kohls.com

Media:

Jen Johnson, (262) 703-5241, jen.johnson@kohls.com