Jesalyn Wong

Jesalyn Wong, on behalf of Michael Binetti, asked about the status of the Sephora at Kohl's rollout and requested more detail on the partnership's performance in Q1, given its 1% comparable sales growth.

Answer

CFO Jill Timm confirmed the Sephora rollout is now complete across the entire store fleet. She explained that the modest 1% comp growth was anticipated as the program matures and new store openings cease. Timm highlighted that Kohl's continues to gain market share in beauty, with strong performance in fragrance and makeup, and noted upcoming newness from brands like Glossier is expected to drive future growth.

Jesalyn Wong of Evercore ISI asked if any specific product categories, such as kids' footwear, are exclusively made in China and cannot be easily moved. She also questioned the rationale for maintaining the full-year store opening target of 150-170 stores given the current market volatility and asked for the size of the U.S. kids' business.

Answer

Executive John Vandemore identified kids' footwear as a category where manufacturing capabilities are heavily concentrated in China, presenting a unique challenge. Regarding store openings, he explained that decisions are made on a microeconomic basis, and with the DTC business (ex-China) growing double-digits, many opportunities remain attractive. He noted that the kids' business is the smallest of the three gender segments but is an important complementary category.