The Kohl’s stock surge reached a massive 37.7% on Tuesday, and actually, it was quite something to witness. The retailer became the latest target of meme stock traders, along with some pretty dramatic movements that sent shares from $10.70 all the way up to $21.39 before trading got halted by the NYSE. This particular Kohl’s stock surge is mirroring what WallStreet bets community has been doing with their coordinated buying of heavily shorted stocks like Opendoor stock, right now.
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How WallStreet Bets Fuel Kohl’s Stock Surge and Opendoor Meme Stocks
Retail traders who were targeting what is meme stock behavior at its finest actually drove the recent Kohl’s stock surge, not corporate news. WallStreet bets traders seeking to create a short squeeze found Kohl’s an attractive target, with about 50% of shares being sold short. The Kohl’s stock surge followed some patterns that other meme stocks like Opendoor stock have shown.
Short Interest Creates Perfect Storm
Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, had this to say:
“There’s a lot of irrational exuberance around the stock. It’s a very similar thing to what we saw with Bed Bath and Beyond back in the day. There’s nothing really that Kohl’s has done to fundamentally earn this level of increase. The business fundamentals remain quite weak.”
Even though there were no apparent corporate announcements to send shares soaring, Kohl’s actually has all the markings of what is meme stock trading. The retailer carries significant brand recognition among retail investors, and many people grew up shopping at its more than 1,100 store locations across the nation.
Opendoor’s Parallel Journey
Opendoor stock has been climbing an impressive 860% in July, which demonstrates what is meme stock trading looks like in 2025. The Opendoor stock surge attracted WallStreet bets attention after Eric Jackson set an ambitious $82 price target. Both the Kohl’s stock surge and Opendoor stock gains are showing that meme stocks are definitely making a comeback.
Business Fundamentals Paint Different Picture
Despite the impressive Kohl’s stock surge, the company is actually expecting same-store sales to drop between 4% and 6% in fiscal 2025. The retailer’s current struggles make the Kohl’s stock surge appear somewhat disconnected from business fundamentals. Trading volume during the Kohl’s stock surge was nearly 17 times higher than the 30-day average, showing intense WallStreet bets interest in both the retailer and Opendoor stock.
Margaret Hughes-Morgan, Marquette Associate Professor of Management, stated:
“Since I’ve bought Kohl’s stocks a month ago, I’ve seen it shoot up in value 91%. I think it has about another day or two. Will it trade like this for another month? I highly doubt it.”
Market Impact and Trading Halts
The Kohl’s stock surge triggered NYSE volatility halts, which is similar to what is meme stock behavior that was seen back in 2021. Both the Kohl’s stock surge and Opendoor stock rallies demonstrate how WallStreet bets communities can still move markets in a significant way. The coordinated nature of these meme stocks suggests that retail traders remain quite influential, even now.
David Krause, Marquette Associate Professor of Finance, had this to say:
“I don’t think of Kohl’s as a ‘meme stock’. A ‘meme stock’ usually is a stock that has really been beaten down and doesn’t have earnings and has some hair on it.”
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The Kohl’s stock surge represents a revival of coordinated retail trading, with WallStreet bets targeting heavily shorted companies once again. While Opendoor stock and other meme stocks are showing some dramatic gains, underlying business fundamentals suggest these surges may actually be temporary. The Kohl’s stock surge demonstrates that social media-driven trading remains a powerful market force, right now and probably for the foreseeable future.