5. Income Taxes

Deferred income taxes consist of the following:

 

(Dollars in Millions)

January 31, 2026

February 1, 2025

Deferred tax liabilities:

    Property and equipment

$476

$431

    Lease assets

981

1,024

    Merchandise inventories

28

31

    Total deferred tax liabilities

1,485

1,486

Deferred tax assets:

    Lease obligations

1,298

1,336

    Accrued and other liabilities, including stock-based compensation

156

188

    Federal benefit on state tax reserves

15

16

    Valuation allowance

(43)

(44)

    Total deferred tax assets

1,426

1,496

Net deferred tax liability (asset)

$59

$(10)

 

Deferred tax assets included in other long-term assets totaled $32 million as of January 31, 2026 and $38 million as of February 1, 2025. As of January 31, 2026 and February 1, 2025, the Company had state net operating loss carryforwards, net of valuation allowances, of $16 million and $16 million, respectively, and state credit carryforwards, net of valuation allowances, of $2 million and $2 million, respectively, which will expire between 2026 and 2046.

The components of the Provision (benefit) for income taxes were as follows:

 

(Dollars in Millions)

2025

2024

2023

Current federal

$(4)

$87

$78

Current state

(1)

3

(14)

Deferred federal

60

(79)

(18)

Deferred state

9

(6)

10

Provision for income taxes

$64

$5

$56

The effective tax rate differs from the amount that would be provided by applying the statutory U.S. corporate tax rate due to the following items:

 

 

2025

   (Dollars in Millions)

Amount

Percentage

US federal statutory rate

$70

21.0%

State and local income taxes, net of federal income tax effect (a)

11

3.3%

Tax credits

(10)

(3.0%)

Nontaxable or nondeductible items

9

2.7%

Changes in unrecognized tax benefits

(7)

(2.1%)

Other adjustments

(9)

(2.9%)

Effective Tax Rate

$64

19.0%

 

(a)
State taxes in Texas, New York, Illinois, California, and Michigan for 2025 made up the majority (greater than 50 percent) of the tax effect in this category.

 

(Dollars in Millions)

2024

2023

Taxes computed at federal statutory rate

$24

$78

State income taxes, net of federal tax benefit

6

16

Uncertain tax positions

(13)

(28)

Federal tax credits

(9)

(9)

Other

(3)

(1)

Total

$5

$56

Effective tax rate

3.9%

15.1%

 

In fiscal years 2025, 2024 and 2023, we recorded a net tax benefit for the impact of favorable results from uncertain tax positions.

 

On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (the "Act") was enacted and signed into law. The Act restores and makes permanent a number of corporate tax provisions, such as full expensing for US-based research and development expenditures and capital investments, as well as the calculation of the business interest expense limitation. The Company has evaluated the provisions of the Act and determined that while the legislation impacts the timing of certain tax deductions, it does not result in a material change to Kohl's effective tax rate.

 

We have analyzed filing positions in all of the federal and state jurisdictions where we are required to file income tax returns, as well as all open tax years in these jurisdictions. The significant federal and state returns subject to examination are the 2015 through 2025 tax years. Certain tax agencies have proposed adjustments, which we are currently appealing. If we do not prevail on our appeals, we do not anticipate that the adjustments would result in a material change in our financial position.

 

We assess our income tax positions and record tax liabilities for all years subject to examination based upon management’s evaluation of the facts and circumstances and information available at the reporting dates. For those income tax positions where it is more-likely-than-not, based on technical merits, that a tax benefit will be sustained upon the conclusion of an examination, we have recorded the largest amount of tax benefit having a cumulatively greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the applicable taxing authority, assuming that it has full knowledge of all relevant information. For those tax positions which do not meet the more-likely-than-not threshold regarding the ultimate realization of the related tax benefit, no tax benefit has been recorded in the financial statements. In addition, we provide for interest and penalties, as applicable, and record such amounts as a component of the overall income tax provision. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:

 

(Dollars in Millions)

2025

2024

Balance at beginning of year

$184

$200

Increases due to tax positions taken in prior years

3

2

Increases due to tax positions taken in current year

6

7

Decreases due to:

 

 

Tax positions taken in prior years

(17)

Settlements with taxing authorities

(5)

Lapse of applicable statute of limitations

(15)

(3)

Balance at end of year

$178

$184

 

The total gross amount of interest and penalties accrued was $20 million at January 31, 2026 and $21 million at February 1, 2025. Interest and penalties recognized during the years were a tax benefit of $1 million in 2025, $3 million in 2024, and $8 million in 2023.

 

Our net unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect our effective tax rate were $168 million as of January 31, 2026 and $173 million as of February 1, 2025.

 

We have both payables and receivables for income taxes recorded on our balance sheet. Receivables included in other current assets totaled $4 million as of January 31, 2026 and $4 million as of February 1, 2025. Receivables included in other long term assets totaled $258 million as of January 31, 2026 and $283 million as of February 1, 2025. The majority of the receivable balance relates to the cash benefit of the 2020 net operating loss that has not yet been received. Payables included in current liabilities totaled $84 million as of January 31, 2026 and $158 million as of February 1, 2025.

 

Income taxes paid, net of refunds received, were as follows:

 

(Dollars in Millions)

2025

Federal

$41

State (a)

10

Total

$51

 

(a)
State tax payments in California for 2025 equal or exceed 5% of the total income taxes paid (net of refunds received).

Income taxes paid, excluding refunds received, for 2024 and 2023 were $78 million and $69 million, respectively.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2026Mar 19, 2026Showing above
2025Mar 20, 2025
2024Mar 21, 2024
2023Mar 16, 2023
2022Mar 17, 2022
2021Mar 18, 2021
2020Mar 18, 2020
2019Mar 22, 2019
2018Mar 23, 2018
2017Mar 17, 2017
2016Mar 18, 2016

About Income Taxes Disclosures

The income tax disclosure reveals how much a company actually pays in taxes versus what the statutory rate would predict. Analysts focus on the effective tax rate (ETR) reconciliation, which breaks down every item driving the gap between the 21% federal rate and the company's reported ETR — including R&D credits, foreign rate differentials, and state taxes. Deferred tax assets (DTAs) and their valuation allowances signal management's confidence in future profitability: a rising allowance suggests the company doubts it can use accumulated tax benefits. Uncertain tax benefit (UTB) reserves quantify exposure to IRS challenges on aggressive positions.

Key signals to watch: sudden ETR drops without clear operational reasons, large increases in valuation allowances, growing UTB balances, and significant unremitted foreign earnings. Post-TCJA, pay attention to GILTI and BEAT provisions that affect multinational tax structures. Compare the cash taxes paid (from the cash flow statement) against the income tax provision to gauge earnings quality.