Kohl’s (KSS) is in a tough spot right now, dealing with falling sales, weak profits, and a 75% cut to its dividend for 2025. The company’s troubles reflect wider issues in retail, like sticky inflation, changing consumer habits, and tough competition. Kohl’s saw its net sales drop by 7.2% in 2024, and its profits fell sharply by 65%.
This decline matches what’s happening across the retail sector. Even though U.S. retail sales grew 3.6% in 2024 to hit a record $5.28 trillion, most of that growth came from online shopping and holiday spending rather than traditional department stores like Kohl’s.
