We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Kohl's Up 34% in 6 Months: Can Comps Growth Drive It Further?
Read MoreHide Full Article
Kohl’s Corporation (KSS - Free Report) has been moving up the charts, courtesy of improved store sales and strong e-commerce initiatives. While many retailers have been struggling with soft traffic owing to consumers’ changing shopping preferences, Kohl’s performance continues to impress owing to its well chalked merchandise policies and improving sales across stores and online platforms. Well, these factors were enough to make investors go bullish on the stock. Shares of this retail giant have surged 34% in the last six months, compared with the industry’s rally of 25.8%.
Let’s take a closer look at the company’s growth initiatives and see if its ongoing endeavors can add more laurels to its growth story.
Impressive Comps
Kohl’s strategic initiative — Greatness Agenda — designed to drive transactions per store and sales seems to be yielding favorably. Additionally, the company’s store sales are gaining from effective merchandise policies and enhanced focus on prominent brands such as Nike (NKE - Free Report) and Addidas (ADDYY - Free Report) . Kohl’s is regularly introducing brands to keep the inventory assortment fresh and drive customer traffic to stores and website. Evidently, comps rose 6.3% and 0.1% during the fourth and third quarters of fiscal 2017, respectively. Moreover, management is encouraged with solid sales trends and better-than-expected results in fiscal 2017. For fiscal 2018, the company projects comps growth in the range of flat to a rise of 2%.
Kohl’s has been strengthening ties with retail giant Amazon (AMZN - Free Report) to drive traffic. Incidentally, the company has started accepting returns for Amazon customers on select products and also provide free packing and shipping services for the merchandise to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. This move followed Kohl's decision to sell Amazon devices, accessories and smart home devices in 10 selected stores in Los Angeles and Chicago. Kohl’s believes that this store-within-store concept will boost traffic. In the long run, the company is expected to receive significant boost in its business through this partnership. Further, Kohl’s recent partnership with Aldi, which is currently in the testing phase, is expected to result in better utilization of store space across select Kohl’s stores.
To top these, Kohl’s innovations have helped the company keep the inventory assortment fresh and drive customer traffic to stores and website. Popular launches include Fit Bed under its active and wellness business and the Jumping Beans collection featuring Disney characters, amongst many others.
Expanding E-commerce Business
The company experienced significant growth in its e-commerce business since the last few years. In order to improve its online service offerings, Kohl’s has been expanding e-commerce fulfillment centers and opened its fifth facility in August 2017. The company’s sustained focus on technology improvements and the omni-channel expansion have been propelling online sales. Markedly, online sales have surged 26% during the fourth quarter backed by improved traffic and higher conversion.
Focus on Reducing Inventory
Kohl’s has undertaken several initiatives to reduce inventory to boost profits. During fiscal 2017, the company made significant progress on its initiatives. As a result, inventory per store declined 7% (in terms of units and dollars). Effective merchandising initiatives bore a positive impact upon the company’s fourth-quarter gross margin performance, which expanded 43 basis points bps. In fact, the company’s speed and localization initiatives have been particularly gaining traction in benefiting inventory management and margin performance. For fiscal 2018, the company expects a mid-single digit decline in inventory levels.
More Growth in Store?
While Kohl’s performance may take hits from the rising selling, general and administrative expenses, the Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company is expected to adequately cushion these through consistent growth in store and online sales, backed by its effective brand and merchandise strategies. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
5 Medical Stocks to Buy Now
Zacks names 5 companies poised to ride a medical breakthrough that is targeting cures for leukemia, AIDS, muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, and other conditions.
New products in this field are already generating substantial revenue and even more wondrous treatments are in the pipeline. Early investors could realize exceptional profits.
Image: Bigstock
Kohl's Up 34% in 6 Months: Can Comps Growth Drive It Further?
Kohl’s Corporation (KSS - Free Report) has been moving up the charts, courtesy of improved store sales and strong e-commerce initiatives. While many retailers have been struggling with soft traffic owing to consumers’ changing shopping preferences, Kohl’s performance continues to impress owing to its well chalked merchandise policies and improving sales across stores and online platforms. Well, these factors were enough to make investors go bullish on the stock. Shares of this retail giant have surged 34% in the last six months, compared with the industry’s rally of 25.8%.
Let’s take a closer look at the company’s growth initiatives and see if its ongoing endeavors can add more laurels to its growth story.
Impressive Comps
Kohl’s strategic initiative — Greatness Agenda — designed to drive transactions per store and sales seems to be yielding favorably. Additionally, the company’s store sales are gaining from effective merchandise policies and enhanced focus on prominent brands such as Nike (NKE - Free Report) and Addidas (ADDYY - Free Report) . Kohl’s is regularly introducing brands to keep the inventory assortment fresh and drive customer traffic to stores and website. Evidently, comps rose 6.3% and 0.1% during the fourth and third quarters of fiscal 2017, respectively. Moreover, management is encouraged with solid sales trends and better-than-expected results in fiscal 2017. For fiscal 2018, the company projects comps growth in the range of flat to a rise of 2%.
Kohl’s has been strengthening ties with retail giant Amazon (AMZN - Free Report) to drive traffic. Incidentally, the company has started accepting returns for Amazon customers on select products and also provide free packing and shipping services for the merchandise to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. This move followed Kohl's decision to sell Amazon devices, accessories and smart home devices in 10 selected stores in Los Angeles and Chicago. Kohl’s believes that this store-within-store concept will boost traffic. In the long run, the company is expected to receive significant boost in its business through this partnership. Further, Kohl’s recent partnership with Aldi, which is currently in the testing phase, is expected to result in better utilization of store space across select Kohl’s stores.
To top these, Kohl’s innovations have helped the company keep the inventory assortment fresh and drive customer traffic to stores and website. Popular launches include Fit Bed under its active and wellness business and the Jumping Beans collection featuring Disney characters, amongst many others.
Expanding E-commerce Business
The company experienced significant growth in its e-commerce business since the last few years. In order to improve its online service offerings, Kohl’s has been expanding e-commerce fulfillment centers and opened its fifth facility in August 2017. The company’s sustained focus on technology improvements and the omni-channel expansion have been propelling online sales. Markedly, online sales have surged 26% during the fourth quarter backed by improved traffic and higher conversion.
Focus on Reducing Inventory
Kohl’s has undertaken several initiatives to reduce inventory to boost profits. During fiscal 2017, the company made significant progress on its initiatives. As a result, inventory per store declined 7% (in terms of units and dollars). Effective merchandising initiatives bore a positive impact upon the company’s fourth-quarter gross margin performance, which expanded 43 basis points bps. In fact, the company’s speed and localization initiatives have been particularly gaining traction in benefiting inventory management and margin performance. For fiscal 2018, the company expects a mid-single digit decline in inventory levels.
More Growth in Store?
While Kohl’s performance may take hits from the rising selling, general and administrative expenses, the Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company is expected to adequately cushion these through consistent growth in store and online sales, backed by its effective brand and merchandise strategies. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
5 Medical Stocks to Buy Now
Zacks names 5 companies poised to ride a medical breakthrough that is targeting cures for leukemia, AIDS, muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, and other conditions.
New products in this field are already generating substantial revenue and even more wondrous treatments are in the pipeline. Early investors could realize exceptional profits.
Click here to see the 5 stocks >>