• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers

2

The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady

3

Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar

1

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers

2

The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady

3

Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
RetailMichael Kors

Michael Kors shows the naysayers, reporting surging sales

Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 4, 2014, 8:27 AM ET
Michael Kors Celebrates The Opening Of New Robertson Boutique
Photograph by Charley Gallay —Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

So much for Michael Kors (KORS) being a has-been.

Concerns that the fashion company’s days of torrid growth could be soon coming to an end evaporated after Kors on Monday reported stronger-than-expected comparable sales in North America and Europe and raised its sales and profit forecast for the fiscal year.

Since going public in late 2011, Kors has been a Wall Street favorite, reporting quarter after quarter of double-digit sales gains and snatching away many of Coach’s (COH) customers with its handbags, eyewear and shoes. But shares, which rose in premarket trading, came under intense pressure last month when several Wall Street firms put out notes saying they were seeing much more Kors merchandise on discount and that the retailer was slower to refresh its assortment. As of the close of trading on Friday, Kors shares were about 20% below a 52-week high.

They needn’t have worried: Kors reported total revenue rose 43.4% to $919.2 million in the first fiscal quarter ended June 28. That includes an 18.7% increase in comparable sales in North America, by far its biggest market, and above the 17.6% Wall Street analysts were expecting, according to Consensus Metrix. (In contrast, Coach, which is in the middle of radical reset to win big its customers, is expected to report a 21% drop in North America when it reports its results on Tuesday.)

What’s more, Kors’ gross profit margin rose slightly, increased 0.2 percentage points to 62.2% of sales, likely meaning Kors did not have to resort to as much price cutting as feared. Kors’ European comparable sales rose 54.2%, an encouraging sign for what is a nearly untapped market so far for the company and one in which Coach has only a tiny presence.

Kors now expects revenues of $4.25 billion to $4.35 billion for the fiscal year that will end in late March, $250 million more than in its initial forecast. It also raised its profit forecast.

A few weeks ago, veteran retail analyst Robin Lewis predicted the Kors brand would at some point crash because of its aggressive expansion: “Michael Kors, the brand, is becoming ubiquitous, and that’s the kiss of death for trendy fashion brands, particularly those positioned in the up-market younger consumer sectors,” Lewis wrote in a blog post.

And while it looks like the Kors party will continue for at least a little while longer, several analysts on Twitter pointed out a detail in the retailer’s results that could portend trouble later on: Sales inventories rose 65% compared to a year earlier, far outstripping sales growth, and therefore setting the company up for potentially having to discount, discount, discount if its locomotive starts running out of steam. And on the call, executives warned investors that its gross margin at its own stores would fall in the coming quarters because of more discounting”

About the Author
Phil Wahba
By Phil WahbaSenior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Phil Wahba is a senior writer at Fortune primarily focused on leadership coverage, with a prior focus on retail.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Retail

Hudson Leogrande, the founder and CEO of popular hoodie brand Comfrt
SuccessEntrepreneurs
He was homeless at 16. Now, he sits on the board of David Beckham’s wellness company and his business is about to hit $1 billion in revenue
By Emma BurleighAugust 2, 2026
20 minutes ago
Mamdani’s city-owned supermarkets will fight the one force no city has ever beaten: the market
RetailEconomics
Mamdani’s city-owned supermarkets will fight the one force no city has ever beaten: the market
By Shawn TullyAugust 2, 2026
4 hours ago
A loneliness epidemic is creating a new type of third space: the one built around curiosity
SuccessSocial Media
A loneliness epidemic is creating a new type of third space: the one built around curiosity
By Tatiana SatauaAugust 1, 2026
22 hours ago
A creator sells shoes on a livestream auction.
RetailGen Z
‘People can go from zero to 100’: How Gen Z is raking in $260,000 per month on a livestream auction app
By Joshua HongAugust 1, 2026
1 day ago
Amazon may owe you money: It just got $600 million in tariff refunds after a lawsuit accused it of favoring Trump
RetailAmazon
Amazon may owe you money: It just got $600 million in tariff refunds after a lawsuit accused it of favoring Trump
By Catherina GioinoJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power, July 18–31, 2026
C-SuiteFortune 500 Power Moves
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power, July 18–31, 2026
By Fortune EditorsJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers
Success
Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers
By Preston ForeAugust 1, 2026
22 hours ago
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
Economy
The labor market could become so backward that the economy will have to shed jobs to keep unemployment steady
By Jason MaAugust 1, 2026
12 hours ago
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
Personal Finance
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
Jensen Huang says this is the greatest time in history to start a business—and his advice is to stop overthinking it: 'How hard can it be?’
Success
Jensen Huang says this is the greatest time in history to start a business—and his advice is to stop overthinking it: 'How hard can it be?’
By Preston ForeJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
Retail
The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
By Tatiana SatauaJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago
'Retiring backwards': How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers' golden years
Success
'Retiring backwards': How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers' golden years
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 31, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.