American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (AEO) vs Kohl's Corporation (KSS)
A side-by-side comparison of American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. and Kohl's Corporation across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 31, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
AEO
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.
$17.31Consumer CyclicalAt close: Jul 30, 2026, 4:00 PM ET
KSS
Kohl's Corporation
$19.50Consumer CyclicalAt close: Jul 30, 2026, 4:00 PM ET
Total return — AEO vs KSS
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 30yAEO +3367.8%KSS +389.1%AEO compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
AEO KSS
AEO vs KSS: by the numbers
- •AEO is the larger company ($2.90B vs $2.21B market cap).
- •KSS trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (8.16 vs 10.69 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •AEO converts more revenue to profit (5.01% vs 1.76% net margin).
- •AEO grew revenue faster over the past five years (5.72% vs -2.35% CAGR).
- •AEO pays the higher dividend yield (2.89% vs 2.56%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | AEO | KSS |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 10.69 | 8.16 |
| Forward P/E | 12.55 | 13.94 |
| P/S ratio | 0.53 | 0.15 |
| P/B ratio | 1.81 | 0.56 |
| PEG ratio | N/A | 0.05 |
| EV / EBITDA | 7.43 | 6.98 |
| FCF yield | 0.50% | 53.76% |
Profitability
| Metric | AEO | KSS |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 34.76% | 39.40% |
| Operating margin | 7.57% | 3.21% |
| Net margin | 5.01% | 1.76% |
| ROE | 17.05% | 6.76% |
| ROIC | 6.98% | 3.75% |
Dividends
| Metric | AEO | KSS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.89% | 2.56% |
| Payout ratio | 44.64% | 20.58% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | AEO | KSS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 5.72% | -2.35% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -0.15% | -9.42% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 29.29% | -1.97% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | -10.34% | -12.13% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, AEO or KSS?
- KSS has the lower trailing P/E: AEO trades at 10.69 and KSS at 8.16. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, AEO or KSS?
- Over the past five years, AEO grew revenue faster — AEO at a 5.72% CAGR versus KSS at -2.35%.
- Does AEO or KSS pay a bigger dividend?
- AEO yields 2.89% and KSS yields 2.56% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is AEO or KSS more profitable?
- AEO runs the higher net margin — AEO at 5.01% versus KSS at 1.76%.
- How have AEO and KSS total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, AEO delivered 2.39% and KSS delivered -2.36% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
American Eagle Outfitters P/E ratioKohl's P/E ratioAmerican Eagle Outfitters dividend yieldKohl's dividend yieldAmerican Eagle Outfitters ROEKohl's ROEAmerican Eagle Outfitters operating marginKohl's operating marginAmerican Eagle Outfitters revenue growthKohl's revenue growthAmerican Eagle Outfitters free cash flowKohl's free cash flow
American Eagle Outfitters & Kohl's appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified July 31, 2026.