An entry written while the outcome is still unknown. It will be scored by what the market does next, and it will never be edited to look cleverer than it was.
VERDICT
The label
Accumulation
read at $20.10
Kohl's Corporation holds its Accumulation at $20.10.
PHPhase · the trend structure carries the Accumulation label
INInsiders · no filings inside 60 days, left as found
POPositioning · no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
OPOptions · no verdict drawn today, left as found
SCScreen · does not pass the values gate
edge confirmed
edge broken
edge forming
Each arm is one independent read. Conviction is not a single call, it is how many edges converge.
INVESTOR
The investor read · the season, not the day
As held on the ledger · 2026-08-04
Phase
Accumulation
Quantitative state
The statistical read favours the buyers, held for 1 days
Price
$20.10
Valuation
8.45 trailing · 13.56 forward price to earnings
Values screen
FAIL
Beta
1.42
OPPORTUNITY
The opportunity · what the numbers say it is worth
Read at
$20.10
8.45 P/E · 13.56 fwd
Our fair value
$14.67
27% premium
Analyst target (avg)
$16.00
-20% to current
Target low $9.00Analyst target rangeTarget high $41.00
▲ current $20.10 · | average target
Price history & projections · where it has been, where the models see it going
The valuation journey · where the price sits against fair value and the Street
Current
$20.10
you are here
Conservative
$11.85
-41%
Analyst avg
$16.00
-20%
Our fair value
$14.67
-27%
Analyst high
$41.00
+104%
Green marks levels above today's price, red below; the shaded band is the gap between the price and our fair value.
Reading the gap · Both our model and the Street see limited upside at this price.
Revenue growth
-2.00%
Profit margin
1.77%
Debt to equity
162.35
Analyst consensus
None · 13 covering
Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; target range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.
SCREEN
The values screen, explained · five checks, plain English
This company is excluded by both standards. There are two widely recognised ways to check whether a company is suitable for a Muslim investor. It fails on both:
The common standard· AAOIFI Used by most halal investing apps✗ DOES NOT PASS
Our stricter standard· asset-based The one Titan applies✗ DOES NOT PASS
Why it fails. The problem is its debt ratio. Because both standards agree on this, it is a clear exclusion, not a borderline case.
Business activityIts core business isn't built on prohibited lines — no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending.Pass
Debt loadInterest-bearing debt is 456.8% of its assets, above the one-third ceiling the screen allows.Fail
Interest-bearing cashInterest-bearing cash and securities are 46.4% of assets, above the one-third limit.Fail
ReceivablesMoney owed to the company is 0.0% of assets, under the 49% limit.Pass
Revenue purityOnly 0.0% of revenue comes from non-compliant sources — under the 5% line.Pass
Every security is read against two recognised standards: our stricter asset-based screen (ratios measured against total assets) and the more widely used market-value standard (measured against market capitalisation). Where they agree we say so plainly; where they part ways — almost always on the debt check — we show both readings and mark it, because that disagreement is the finding, not a fault. We report the score; you and your scholar make the call.
PLAIN
The business, in plain words · what the numbers mean
A retailer losing shoppers and drowning in debt
Walk past any high street these days and the empty storefronts tell their own story. Revenue here is already sliding 2 percent, profit margins sit at just 2 percent, and returns on equity are a thin 7 percent with no meaningful edge to protect the business.
We pass on this one for clear reasons. The balance sheet fails our ethical screen on debt, the moat is weak, and the shares trade at a 27 percent premium to our fair value of 14.67 despite a forward multiple of 13.6 times and analyst targets clustered around 16.
The real danger is that low multiples on a declining cyclical business often signal peak earnings rather than a bargain, leaving holders exposed if consumer spending keeps softening. Analysis, not advice.
The risks · The things to watch: it already moves more than the market on an average day; it carries a real debt load, which raises the stakes if revenue slips.
Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.
PEERS
Related securities · others in KSS's space worth a look
Screened names in the same industry · explore each on its own page.
TRADE
Where & how to trade · wherever in the world you are
KSS trades on the NYSE. As a US-listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering US markets. New to this, or investing from outside the US? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.
TRADER
The trader read · the latest dated commentary
The framework has shifted from markdown to markup since the last review. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved up 11.9% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 74%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 28%. The street (12 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $17. Entered 2026-08-04 · Markup
JOURNAL
The dated journal · newest first, never edited
2026-08-04Markup · changed$17.30+11.9%Entry 4
The framework has shifted from markdown to markup since the last review. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved up 11.9% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 74%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 28%. The street (12 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $17.
2026-07-18Markdown$15.46+0.0%Entry 3
The framework reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 74%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 28%. The street (12 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $17.
2026-07-03Markdown$15.46+0.0%Entry 2
The framework reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns.
2026-07-02Markdown$15.46Entry 1
The framework reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns.
Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.
RETURNS
What holding actually paid · price plus dividends
If $1,000 had been placed · historical, not a promise
Period
Price then
Price return
Divs per share
$1,000 became
Total return
1 month
$13.09
+20.6%
·
$1,206
+20.6%
2 months
$13.28
+18.9%
·
$1,189
+18.9%
3 months
$13.14
+20.2%
$0.13
$1,211
+21.1%
6 months
$23.66
-33.3%
$0.13
$672
-32.8%
1 year
$9.07
+74.2%
$0.50
$1,797
+79.7%
2 years
$20.15
-21.6%
$2.13
$889
-11.1%
3 years
$18.22
-13.4%
$3.63
$1,065
+6.5%
5 years
$40.52
-61.0%
$7.13
$566
-43.4%
Historical returns from market close data. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
SEALED
This entry now belongs to the ledger. Whatever KSS does next, these words stay.
Kohl's Corporation · KSS · Accumulation · $20.10
Recorded 2026-08-04 · before the outcome · scored mechanically