Aug 23 (Reuters) - Kohl's Corp (KSS.N) beat estimates for quarterly profit on Wednesday, as leaner inventories, lower costs and fewer discounts helped the department store chain counter a broader retail slowdown.
Inventory declined 14% during the quarter as Kohl's undertook stock clearance, leading to a 61 basis points drop in gross margin.
"It managed to sell more excess inventory and reduced its expenses, which helped it beat expectations," Insider Intelligence analyst Zak Stambor said.
"While Kohl's is still in the early innings of its turnaround plan, it appears to be moving in the right direction," Stambor said.
The company earned 52 cents per share in the second quarter ended July 29, above analysts' estimates of 22 cents.
Persons:
Tom Kingsbury, Kohl's, Zak Stambor, Stambor, Savyata Mishra, Anil D'Silva
Organizations:
Kohl's, Insider, Retailers, Thomson
Locations:
Kingsbury, Bengaluru