Omnichannel Retailers & Supermarket Chains · Retailer & Marketplace
Kohl's
US omnichannel retailer with marketplace, loyalty and retail media operations.
Available information varies by company and source.
Profile record updated:
Company facts
- Official name
- Kohl's Corporation
- Entity type
- COMPANY
- Founded
- 1962
- Headquarters
- United States
- Company size
- >5,000
- Market cluster / sector
- Omnichannel Retailers & Supermarket Chains
- Market role
- Retailer & Marketplace
- Ticker
- KSS
- Official website
- kohls.com
What Kohl's does
Kohl's buys, merchandises and sells branded and private-label consumer goods through stores and proprietary digital commerce channels. Its marketplace model adds third-party merchant assortment without Kohl's holding all inventory, while maintaining loyalty and in-store return integration. Kohl's Media Network converts proprietary shopper audiences, owned media inventory and transaction data into advertising and measurement services for commercial partners.
Category differentiation
Kohl's is a US department-store retailer and corporate parent, not solely Kohl's Media Network or a standalone retail-media technology vendor. Kohl's Media Network is an in-house business operated by Kohl's Corporation.
Strategic context
AI-supported assessment from the existing company research; distinguish interpretation from sourced facts.
Kohl's Corporation is a US omnichannel department-store retailer selling moderately priced proprietary and national-brand apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty and home merchandise through 1,153 physical stores, Kohls.com and its mobile app. Its principal revenue stream is merchandise sales. The company also operates an online third-party marketplace that broadens assortment while merchants ship selected orders directly to customers. Kohl's monetises its first-party shopper relationships beyond retail sales through Kohl's Media Network, its in-house retail-media business. The network sells sponsored listings and omnichannel advertising inventory to brands, vendors, agencies and marketplace sellers, using Kohl's shopper data, loyalty programme and closed-loop sales reporting. Kohl's Rewards, Kohl's Cash and Kohl's Card incentives support repeat purchasing and customer retention.
Company news briefing
Briefing updated:
Kohl's reported Q2 fiscal 2026 net sales of $3.3 billion, down slightly year-over-year as consecutive quarterly declines in Sephora shop-in-shops pressured topline performance. CEO Michael Bender highlighted early positive engagement from the retailer's Google Cloud-powered AI shopping assistant, alongside expanded home assortments featuring Martha Stewart and Bobby Flay collections. Additionally, the company adapted its executive structure to integrate marketing with broader customer experience metrics.
Business model & monetisation
Merchandise sales across stores, Kohls.com and the mobile app are Kohl's primary monetisation mechanism. Marketplace activity generates commercial value through third-party seller participation and expanded digital assortment, although public materials do not disclose commission or subscription rates. Kohl's Media Network sells sponsored product placements, brand pages, email, app, off-site display, video, paid social, streaming audio and in-store media. Other revenue includes Kohl's Card-related income, while loyalty incentives drive retention and basket frequency rather than direct membership fees.
- Merchandise sales through stores and owned digital commerce
- Retail Margin
- Kohl's Media Network advertising inventory and measurement
- Media Arbitrage
- Marketplace merchant participation
- Percentage Take-Rate
- Kohl's Card-related revenue and other revenue
- Service Fee
Products & capabilities
No products with linked sources are available in this view.
Unlock Full Intelligence Profile for Kohl's
Get unlimited access to corporate ownership, historical M&A transactions, verified tech stack telemetry, and live market signals in the interactive Knowledge Graph.
Verified Ownership & Corporate Hierarchy
Complete corporate hierarchy traversal, shareholder cap table history, and parent holding links sourced from regulatory filings.
360° Tech Stack & Vendor Telemetry
Technical header bidding configurations, sellers.json registry nodes, CMP disclosures, and direct programmatic supply chains.
Live Market Signals & Executive Briefings
Continuous 24/7 monitoring of material M&A deals, executive shifts, product rollouts, and hiring trends across peer entities.
Competitors & alternatives
Track competitor shifts
Receive automated telemetry on strategic moves, acquisitions, and market share shifts across Kohl's's competitive landscape.
US department-store retailer with marketplace and retail media network.
Omnichannel fashion retailer with marketplace and retail media revenues.
Omnichannel retailer with marketplace, membership, B2B procurement and retail media.
Global commerce, cloud, advertising and subscription platform company.
US retailer combining omnichannel commerce, loyalty, marketplace and retail media.
Side-by-side comparisons
Recent recorded signals
Dates refer to the source publication. Older entries are historical context, not evidence of a new event.
8-K Financial Filing Analysis for Kohl's (2026-10-29)
financials · Recorded impact score: 2.4/5
On October 29, 2026, Kohl's Corporation expanded its Board of Directors from eight to nine members and appointed Stacy Taffet as an independent director, effective immediately. Ms. Taffet has been designated to serve on the Board's Audit Committee. Under the Company's Non-Employee Director Compensation Program, she will receive a restricted stock grant on November 13, 2026, with an estimated grant date fair value of $145,000, vesting on the first anniversary of the grant date. The appointment contributes to Kohl's ongoing board refreshment initiatives without introducing any related-party transaction conflicts.
- Kohl's Board of Directors increased its total membership from eight to nine directors effective October 29, 2026.
- Stacy Taffet was appointed as an independent director and assigned to the Audit Committee.
Gen Z, Gen Alpha Drive AI-First Holiday Retail Trends
Retail Media & Consumer Trends · Recorded impact score: 2/5
Retailers must adapt to Gen Z and Gen Alpha's AI-driven shopping behaviors this holiday season. These generations are price-sensitive, digitally savvy, and influenced by physical experiences. AI chatbots are becoming the 'new front door' for discovery and purchasing, with 80% of Gen Z using AI for purchases. Retailers like Target and Kohl's have launched AI gift finders. However, physical stores remain crucial for experiential shopping, offering a break from over-personalization. Experts emphasize balancing AI with emotional connection and authentic experiences, as young shoppers seek tactile and sensory retail environments.
- 80% of Gen Z shoppers used AI for purchases within the last three months.
- Target and Kohl's launched AI gift finder tools for holiday shopping.
Sephora Expands UK Presence via Marks & Spencer Shops
Retail Media · Recorded impact score: 2/5
Sephora is partnering with Marks & Spencer to launch 'Sephora at M&S' shops in 100 UK stores and on the retailer's website, starting next spring. The move is part of Sephora's broader UK expansion strategy, following its successful launch earlier this year. For M&S, the partnership aims to boost traffic and strengthen its beauty offering, which currently holds just over 1% of the UK beauty market. Analysts note that M&S is in a stronger position than Kohl's was when it partnered with Sephora in the US, due to its existing food traffic and younger consumer traction. The UK beauty market is worth roughly $7 billion, growing 1.2% annually.
- Sephora and Marks & Spencer partner to open 'Sephora at M&S' shops in 100 UK stores and on M&S website, starting spring 2027.
- M&S holds just over 1% of the UK beauty market in the 12 months ending mid-July 2026.
Macy's Rolls Out AI Inventory Replenishment Tool
Retail Supply Chain Technology · Recorded impact score: 2/5
Macy's Inc. is expanding an artificial intelligence forecast overlay to its inventory replenishment operations, moving from pilot to broader implementation, according to its September 10 earnings call. The initiative aims to improve in-stock levels and drive inventory efficiencies by ensuring the right product is in the right place at the right time. COO and CFO Tom Edwards highlighted that supply chain efficiencies are expected in the second half of 2026, benefiting gross margin. This rollout is part of Macy's 'Bold New Chapter' transformation plan launched in 2024, expected to generate $235 million in savings by 2026. The company enters the fall season in a good inventory position, with inventory up 2.5% in Q2, aligned with sales growth. Other retailers like Target, Lowe's, and Kohl's are also optimizing inventory management with AI and other technologies.
- Macy's is rolling out an AI forecast overlay for inventory replenishment, moving from pilot to broader implementation.
- The AI capability aims to improve in-stock levels and inventory efficiencies.
Kohl's expands Babies R Us shops as Sephora sales dip
Retail Media · Recorded impact score: 1/5
Kohl's is expanding its partnership with Babies R Us, adding shop-in-shops to 56 more stores and introducing an exclusive collection of baby essentials. The move comes as Sephora at Kohl's, previously a key traffic driver, experiences declining sales, down 4% in Q2 after a low-single-digit drop in Q1. The expansion includes new categories like gifting options under $25, Millie Moon diapers, and Hallmark gift sets. This strategic shift highlights Kohl's efforts to diversify its offerings and boost in-store traffic, which has been challenged but is showing signs of recovery.
- Kohl's is expanding Babies R Us shop-in-shops to 56 additional stores.
- Kohl's is launching an exclusive collection of bibs, blankets, and crib sheets under the Babies R Us brand.
Explore company relationships
Questions about Kohl's
What is Kohl's?
Kohl's is a US public omnichannel department-store retailer operating stores, Kohls.com, a mobile app, marketplace, loyalty programme and retail-media business.
Who uses Kohl's?
Consumers use Kohl's to buy apparel, beauty, home and related merchandise; brands, vendors, agencies and sellers use its media network and marketplace services.
How does Kohl's make money?
Kohl's primarily earns retail margin from merchandise sales, supplemented by credit-related income, marketplace participation and retail-media advertising.
Sources & coverage
This profile uses public, official and technically observable information. Missing information does not prove that a product or relationship does not exist. The list below does not imply that every profile statement has been verified.
21 publicly documented primary sources and citations linked across the market graph.
Continue your research on Kohl's
Open additional company details, personal Watchlists and your Strategic Intelligence Agent in Polaris7. It monitors your market daily and delivers tailored briefings with clear strategic context whenever relevant news occurs.
Daily intelligent monitoring · Verified primary sources.
Unlock full intelligence profile, ownership & live market signals