Here’s How Kohl’s New CEO Wants to Turn the Retailer Around

Kohl’s (KSS) has a new chief executive. He’s got work to do.

Ashley Buchanan, CEO of the department-store chain, on Tuesday outlined his plan to turn things around following the release of mixed quarterly financial results and a downbeat outlook. The latest news has the stock down some 25% in recent trading.

“We have fallen short of fully delivering what our customers want and expect from Kohl’s,” Buchanan said on the call, a transcript of which was made available by AlphaSense. “Most of what we need to do is in our control and can be achieved by setting a clear vision and holding ourselves accountable to executing at a higher standard.”

Buchanan, who was CEO of Michaels Cos., joined Kohl’s in January. Here’s a summary of the plan he shared during the call.

• Prioritize categories that resonate with customers. “Recently, our focus has been heavily weighted on new products to attract new customers, and we are de-emphasizing products and categories that our core customers love,” said Buchanan.
• Re-establish Kohl’s as a leader in value and quality. Buchanan in the call said he plans to strengthen proprietary brands. He also said they plan to simplify promotions so as not to frustrate loyal customers.
• Deliver a frictionless shopping experience. Buchanan said that includes optimizing store layouts and providing a consistent shopping experience across stores and online.

“We will work to create a more efficient organization that will focus on reducing cost, [and] allow us to invest in our future growth,” Buchanan said.

The company has work to do to win back investors, too. Its shares are down more than 35% in 2025 alone and trading around their lowest levels since the 1990s.