Kohl's vs Target: Founders, CEOs and History
Kohl's was founded in 1962 by Maxwell Kohl and is led by Michael Bender. Target was founded in 1902 by George Dayton and is led by Michael Fiddelke.
Company facts
Founders
Kohl's
Maxwell Kohl
Kohl's possesses a pragmatic, Midwestern founding story, rooted in the economic expansion of post-war suburbia and the ambitious vision of a Polish immigrant family heavily focused on the grocery business before ever selling a single piece of clothing.
Target
George Dayton
George Draper Dayton became a partner in Goodfellow's Dry Goods Company, one of the largest department stores in Minneapolis, in 1902, and became sole owner and president within a year, renaming it the Dayton Dry Goods Company.
CEOs and their tenures
Kohl's
- William Kellogg1986–1999
CEO
Under his leadership, Kohl's expanded from 40 stores in the Midwest into a national retail powerhouse, fundamentally establishing its highly successful off-mall real estate strategy.
Source - Michelle Gass2018–2022
CEO
Sephora became Kohl's strongest category driver, though her shift away from private brands was later reversed. She left in late 2022 to join Levi Strauss & Co., where she later became CEO.
Source - Tom Kingsbury2023–2025
CEO
Inventory and expenses improved, but net sales kept falling, and Kohl's cut its dividend before he handed over in January 2025.
Source - Michael Bender2025–present
CEO
On his watch, comparable-sales declines narrowed to 0.9% in Q2 2026, gross margin rose 305 basis points to 43.0%, and FY2026 guidance went up. He previously led Eyemart Express and held senior roles at Walmart and PepsiCo.
Source - Ashley Buchanan2025–2025
CEO
He was fired for cause on May 1, 2025, after an investigation found he steered business to a vendor tied to a personal relationship without disclosure. His tenure lasted under four months.
Source
Target
- Robert J. Ulrich1994–2008
Chairman and CEO
Under Ulrich Target grew into the second-largest US discount retailer, built its design-partnership model with designers such as Michael Graves, and added the Super Target format. He retired as chief executive in 2008 and was succeeded by Gregg Steinhafel.
Source - Gregg Steinhafel2008–2014
Chairman, President and CEO
Steinhafel resigned in May 2014 after the data breach and the poor results of Target Canada, which the company closed in 2015 after losses. Brian Cornell succeeded him later in 2014.
Source - Brian Cornell2014–2026
Former Chairman and CEO
Cornell's tenure ended amid a stock and sales slump, with revenue declining for three consecutive fiscal years (from $107.412 billion in FY2023 to $104.780 billion in FY2025) even as the omnichannel infrastructure he built began paying off in the following qua…
Source - Michael Fiddelke2026–present
Chief Executive Officer
Fiddelke inherited a company coming off three straight years of revenue decline. His first two quarters as CEO delivered growth: Q1 FY2026 net sales rose 6.7% and Q2 FY2026 net sales rose 5.3% to $26.5 billion, with comparable traffic up 3.6%.
Source
Timeline: Kohl's and Target side by side
1902Target
Dayton Company is founded
George Dayton becomes a partner in Goodfellow's Dry Goods Company in Minneapolis in 1902, then sole owner in 1903, renaming it Dayton Dry Goods Company -- the business that eventually becomes Target Corporation.
1927Kohl's
Maxwell Kohl Opens First Grocery Store
Maxwell Kohl, a Polish immigrant working in Milwaukee factories, opened a corner grocery store at Lincoln Avenue and Kinnickinnic Avenue using his savings. This was the beginning of a retail empire that would eventually include 48 supermarkets.
1946Kohl's
First Supermarket with Bakery and Deli
Kohl opened the first supermarket in Milwaukee's Sherman Park neighborhood to feature then-novel services like an in-store bakery and deli, innovations that would later influence his department store concept.
1962Kohl's
First Kohl's Department Store Opens in Brookfield, Wisconsin
Based on his dissatisfying experience buying a shirt, Maxwell Kohl opened the first Kohl's department store in conjunction with a supermarket in Brookfield, Wisconsin.
1962Target
First Target store opens
The first Target discount store opens in Roseville, Minnesota.
1972Kohl's
British American Tobacco Acquires Controlling Interest
The Kohl family sold a controlling interest in their retail enterprise to a subsidiary of British American Tobacco Company. By this point, the enterprise included 56 supermarkets, 6 department stores, 3 drug stores, and 3 liquor stores.
1979Kohl's
BATUS Inc. Acquires Full Ownership
British American Tobacco's subsidiary BATUS Inc. acquired full ownership of Kohl's Department Stores. Herb Kohl, Maxwell's son, resigned as president. He would later become an U.S. Senator from Wisconsin and owner of the Milwaukee Bucks.
1986Kohl's
Management Buyout from British American Tobacco
A group of management executives and investors led by William Kellogg purchased the 40-store Kohl's retail chain from British American Tobacco for approximately $300 million, setting the stage for national expansion.
1988Kohl's
Acquisition of Federated's Main Street Stores
Kohl's acquired Federated Department Stores' Main Street chain, entering the Chicago, Detroit, and Minneapolis-St. Paul markets and expanding beyond its Midwest base for the first time.
1992Kohl's
Initial Public Offering on NYSE
Kohl's went public on the New York Stock Exchange, pricing shares and raising capital for expansion. At the time, the company operated 76 stores in the Midwest. The IPO valued the company at approximately $600 million.
1998Kohl's
Addition to S&P 500 Index
Kohl's was added to the S&P 500 index, recognizing its growth and market capitalization. The company had become a significant player in U.S. retail.
2000Target
Company becomes Target Corporation
Dayton Hudson changes its name to Target Corporation as the discount chain becomes the center of the company.
2001Kohl's
Launch of Kohls.com E-Commerce Platform
Kohl's launched its e-commerce website, Kohls.com, giving the company an online presence that has grown to represent 29% of net sales. The platform initially offered merchandise available in stores plus online-exclusive items.
2003Kohl's
Coast-to-Coast Expansion with California Stores
Kohl's opened 28 stores in California, achieving a coast-to-coast presence for the first time in the company's history. This marked the completion of a national expansion strategy that began with the 1988 Main Street acquisition.
2012Kohl's
Surpasses JCPenney as Largest Department Store Chain
In May 2012, Kohl's surpassed JCPenney to become the largest department store chain in the United States by store count. The company operated approximately 1,100 stores at the time.
2013Target
Target Data Breach
Target discloses a data breach affecting more than 40 million customer payment cards during the holiday shopping season, becoming one of the most-cited cybersecurity failures in US retail history.
2014Target
Dermstore Acquired
Target acquires online beauty retailer Dermstore to expand its e-commerce beauty business; it sells the unit to THG for $350 million in 2021.
2015Target
Target Exits Canada
Target announced in January 2015 that it would close all of its Canadian stores, ending an expansion that began in 2013.
2017Target
Target acquires Shipt and Grand Junction
Target acquires same-day delivery platform Shipt for about $550 million and transportation-technology startup Grand Junction, accelerating omnichannel fulfillment.
2019Kohl's
Amazon Returns Partnership Launches Nationwide
Kohl's expanded its Amazon returns partnership to all 1,100+ stores nationwide, allowing customers to return Amazon packages unpackaged and free of charge.
2020Kohl's
Sephora Partnership Announced
Kohl's announced a long-term strategic partnership with Sephora to open shop-in-shop beauty destinations in Kohl's stores. The first 200 locations opened in Fall 2021, with plans to expand to at least 850 stores by 2023.
2020Target
Stores become fulfillment hubs
Target's store-based fulfillment model becomes central to digital growth during the pandemic period.
2022Kohl's
Activist Investor Pressure and CEO Transition
Activist investors including Macellum Capital Management pressured Kohl's board, nominating 10 directors and pushing for real estate monetization. The company adopted a poison pill defense.
2023Kohl's
Tom Kingsbury Becomes Permanent CEO; Sephora Reaches 850 Stores
In February 2023, Tom Kingsbury was named permanent CEO. The Sephora rollout continued, reaching 850 stores by year-end. The company also laid off approximately 60 marketing and merchandising employees at corporate headquarters to 'drive greater efficiency.'
2024Kohl's
Sephora Sales Exceed $1.4 Billion; Babies 'R' Us Partnership Announced
Sephora at Kohl's sales exceeded $1.4 billion in 2023, up over 90% year-over-year. The company announced a partnership with WHP Global's Babies 'R' Us to open shop-in-shop baby gear sections in approximately 200 stores.
2025Kohl's
Ashley Buchanan Fired for Cause; Michael Bender Takes Over
In May 2025, then-CEO Ashley Buchanan was fired for cause after an investigation found he directed the company to engage in vendor transactions involving undisclosed conflicts of interest with a former romantic partner.
2025Kohl's
FY2025 Financial Results and Debt Refinancing
Kohl's reported FY2025 net sales of $14.78 billion (down 4.0%), total revenue of $15.527 billion, net income of $272 million (including a $129 million lawsuit gain), and adjusted net income of $186 million.
2025Kohl's
FY2025 Total Revenue Reaches $15.527 Billion
Kohl's reported $15.527 billion in FY2025 total revenue, $14.775 billion in net sales, $624 million in operating income, $272 million in net income, 1,153 stores, and an average of about 84,000 associates.
2025Target
Michael Fiddelke named next CEO
Target announces that Michael Fiddelke will succeed Brian Cornell as CEO effective February 1, 2026, after 22 years rising through the company including as CFO and COO.
2026Kohl's
Q2 2026 Results and Raised Outlook
Comparable sales fell 0.9%, gross margin reached 43.0%, and FY2026 adjusted EPS guidance was raised to $1.80-$2.40.
2026Target
FY2025 revenue is reported
Target reports FY2025 revenue of $104.780B and net income of $3.705B, the third consecutive year of revenue decline.
2026Target
Q1 FY2026 sales rebound
Target reports Q1 FY2026 net sales growth of 6.7% and comparable sales growth of 5.6% under new CEO Michael Fiddelke.
2026Target
Q2 FY2026 growth and raised outlook
Target reports Q2 FY2026 net sales of $26.5B (+5.3%), comparable sales growth of 3.8% and raises full-year guidance to about 5% sales growth.
Acquisitions
Questions about Kohl's vs Target
Who is the CEO of Kohl's Corporation and Target Corporation?
Kohl's Corporation is led by Michael Bender and Target Corporation is led by Michael Fiddelke. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Kohl's Corporation founded vs Target Corporation?
Target Corporation was founded in 1902 — 60 years before Kohl's Corporation, which was founded in 1962. Target Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Kohl's Corporation.
How many employees does Kohl's Corporation have compared to Target Corporation?
Kohl's Corporation employs approximately 84,000 people, while Target Corporation employs approximately 415,000. Target Corporation has the larger workforce at 415,000 employees, compared to Kohl's Corporation's 84,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Kohl's Corporation and Target Corporation headquartered?
Both Kohl's Corporation and Target Corporation are headquartered in United States. Their local rules and tax obligations may still differ.
Who founded Kohl's Corporation and Target Corporation?
Kohl's Corporation was founded by Maxwell Kohl. Target Corporation was founded by George Dayton.
Which company has a longer operating history — Kohl's Corporation or Target Corporation?
Target Corporation has been operating for approximately 124 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Kohl's Corporation has been in operation for around 64 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Kohl's vs Target overview