Still worth it? Feels like a gamble

Kohl’s (KSS) stock has seen wild swings recently, surging nearly 100% intraday on July 22 in a meme-stock-style rally before sharply retracing back to around $10.73.

Despite the hype, fundamentals remain shaky: Q1 showed continued sales declines, CEO Ashley Buchanan was ousted over ethics violations, and the company just refinanced $360M in debt at a steep 10% rate.

For value investors, the current price may offer margin of safety given Kohl’s real estate assets and 4.6% dividend yield, but leadership instability and ongoing retail headwinds warrant caution.