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DDS or KSS or M
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Dillard's (DDS) vs. Kohl's (KSS) vs. Macy's (M) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- DDS delivered a strong first-quarter earnings beat with net income rising 53% year-over-year, supported by cost controls and share buybacks.
- KSS reported narrower-than-expected losses and its best comparable sales performance in four years, triggering an 18-20% stock surge post-earnings.
- M has yet to report first-quarter results, scheduled for June 3, amid ongoing sector pressures on store traffic and margins.
- All three companies operate in the challenged department store segment, where declining mall traffic and discounting remain common headwinds.
- Relative performance in recent weeks shows DDS leading peers in earnings momentum, while KSS experienced the sharpest short-term price reaction.
- Valuation and balance-sheet metrics vary, with DDS maintaining higher profitability margins compared to the other two.
Introduction
Department store operators DDS, KSS, and M provide a focused lens for comparing retail sector dynamics in a period of uneven consumer spending. These stocks appeal to investors and traders seeking exposure to value-oriented apparel and home goods retailers navigating digital shifts, margin pressures, and macroeconomic influences. The comparison highlights differences in earnings execution, recent price responses, and positioning within the broader multiline retail industry.
Dillard's Overview and Recent Performance
Dillard's Inc. operates a chain of department stores primarily in the southern and central United States, emphasizing apparel, cosmetics, and home furnishings. In recent market activity, the stock benefited from a robust first-quarter earnings report that exceeded expectations on both revenue and earnings per share, driven by effective expense management and real estate holdings. Positive sentiment in recent weeks stemmed from consistent quarterly dividends and a history of share repurchases, which supported relative outperformance versus broader retail peers despite sector-wide softness in foot traffic.
Kohl's Overview and Recent Performance
Kohl's Corporation runs an omnichannel retail network focused on apparel, accessories, and home products, with a growing emphasis on proprietary brands and digital channels. Recent performance featured first-quarter results showing a narrower loss than anticipated alongside revenue above forecasts, highlighted by the strongest comparable sales growth in four years. The announcement prompted a sharp price increase in late May, reflecting improved investor sentiment around sales stabilization and reaffirmed full-year guidance amid ongoing store traffic challenges.
M Overview and Recent Performance
Macy's Inc. manages a portfolio of department stores and specialty formats offering a wide range of merchandise including apparel, cosmetics, and housewares. In recent weeks the stock traded in a narrower range ahead of its first-quarter earnings release scheduled for early June. Market activity reflected typical sector pressures, with daily moves sometimes lagging broader indices amid concerns over consumer discretionary spending and planned store optimizations.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron maintains a curated Trending AI Robots section that showcases hundreds of AI trading bots capable of executing strategies across thousands of tickers. Only those demonstrating the strongest alignment with prevailing market conditions earn placement in this section. Available bots span diverse trading styles, strategies, timeframes, and performance statistics, allowing users to review detailed metrics before selection. The platform provides transparent data on historical results and ticker coverage to support informed evaluation.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Business models overlap significantly as multiline retailers, yet scale and geographic focus differ: DDS maintains a more concentrated regional presence with stronger operating margins, while KSS and M operate larger national footprints with greater exposure to promotional activity. Recent momentum favored DDS on earnings delivery and KSS on post-report price reaction, whereas M awaits its update. Risk factors include shared sensitivity to consumer spending cycles and inventory management, with valuation multiples reflecting varying profitability levels. Sector exposure remains uniform, though balance-sheet strength and digital penetration create distinct trade-offs in relative positioning.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as earnings consistency and relative positioning in recent market activity, Tickeron’s AI would currently assign the highest probability of favorable near-term alignment to DDS, citing its demonstrated margin resilience and outperformance versus peers. Probabilistic assessment incorporates trend stability and catalyst visibility while acknowledging that all three names operate within a competitive retail environment subject to broader economic variables.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
DDS’s FA Score shows that 3 FA rating(s) are green whileKSS’s FA Score has 0 green FA rating(s), and M’s FA Score reflects 1 green FA rating(s).
- DDS’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
- KSS’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
- M’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
DDS’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while KSS’s TA Score has 6 bullish TA indicator(s), and M’s TA Score reflects 6 bullish TA indicator(s).
- DDS’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- KSS’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
- M’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 3 bearish.
Price Growth
DDS (@Department Stores) experienced а +4.16% price change this week, while KSS (@Department Stores) price change was +11.65% , and M (@Department Stores) price fluctuated +7.54% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Department Stores industry was +5.32%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +15.78%, and the average quarterly price growth was -5.75%.
Reported Earning Dates
DDS is expected to report earnings on Aug 06, 2026.
KSS is expected to report earnings on Aug 13, 2026.
M is expected to report earnings on Aug 25, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Department Stores (+5.32% weekly)A department store sells a wide variety of consumer goods under different “departments,” including (but not necessarily limited to) apparel, household appliances, home furnishings, personal care products, cosmetics, consumer electronics. During healthy macroeconomic conditions, consumers typically won’t shy away from big-ticket purchases; but during a downturn, consumer spending might get limited to the most necessary/daily essentials. Several department stores purchase items on bulk from manufacturers for resale to consumers at a profit. Some of the largest department stores companies in the U.S. include Kohl’s Corporation, Macy’s Inc., and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings Inc.
| DDS | KSS | M | |
| Capitalization | 9.03B | 2.18B | 6.83B |
| EBITDA | 924M | 1.31B | 1.85B |
| Gain YTD | -4.091 | -3.948 | 19.966 |
| P/E Ratio | 13.53 | 7.39 | 10.19 |
| Revenue | 6.61B | 15.5B | 22.7B |
| Total Cash | 1.42B | 543M | N/A |
| Total Debt | 555M | 6.63B | 5.2B |
DDS | KSS | M | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 79 | 31 | 35 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 38 Fair valued | 56 Fair valued | 86 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 19 | 100 | 72 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 30 | 80 | 60 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 48 | 37 | 37 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 33 | 52 | 11 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 85 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
DDS's Valuation (38) in the Department Stores industry is in the same range as KSS (56) and is somewhat better than the same rating for M (86). This means that DDS's stock grew similarly to KSS’s and somewhat faster than M’s over the last 12 months.
DDS's Profit vs Risk Rating (19) in the Department Stores industry is somewhat better than the same rating for M (72) and is significantly better than the same rating for KSS (100). This means that DDS's stock grew somewhat faster than M’s and significantly faster than KSS’s over the last 12 months.
DDS's SMR Rating (30) in the Department Stores industry is in the same range as M (60) and is somewhat better than the same rating for KSS (80). This means that DDS's stock grew similarly to M’s and somewhat faster than KSS’s over the last 12 months.
M's Price Growth Rating (37) in the Department Stores industry is in the same range as KSS (37) and is in the same range as DDS (48). This means that M's stock grew similarly to KSS’s and similarly to DDS’s over the last 12 months.
M's P/E Growth Rating (11) in the Department Stores industry is in the same range as DDS (33) and is somewhat better than the same rating for KSS (52). This means that M's stock grew similarly to DDS’s and somewhat faster than KSS’s over the last 12 months.
| DDS | KSS | M | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 79% | 2 days ago 75% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 89% | 2 days ago 78% | 2 days ago 86% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 71% | 2 days ago 77% | 4 days ago 82% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 67% | 2 days ago 80% | 4 days ago 70% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 79% | 2 days ago 74% | 2 days ago 79% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 80% | 2 days ago 73% | 2 days ago 77% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 23 days ago 78% | 2 days ago 73% | 2 days ago 77% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 11 days ago 65% | 11 days ago 82% | N/A |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 85% | 2 days ago 81% | 2 days ago 79% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 72% | 2 days ago 77% | 2 days ago 74% |
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DDS and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, DDS has been loosely correlated with M. These tickers have moved in lockstep 50% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if DDS jumps, then M could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To DDS | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DDS | 100% | -0.05% | ||
| M - DDS | 50% Loosely correlated | +1.42% | ||
| KSS - DDS | 50% Loosely correlated | +0.95% | ||
| DDT - DDS | 16% Poorly correlated | +0.19% | ||
| PLBL - DDS | -3% Poorly correlated | +3.34% |