Shares of Kohl's (KSS) got a boost in morning trading after the retailer said its sales for the holiday period were up almost 7% year-over-year. The company also raised its earnings guidance for fiscal 2017.

Holiday sales results 

Kohl's on Monday said that its total and comparable sales for the November and December combined period were up 6.9% over last year. Kohl's Chief Executive Officer Kevin Mansell noted that "All lines of business and all regions reported positive comp sales" for the critical holiday period. He also noted that "As expected, growth in digital demand accelerated significantly in the Holiday period from the year-to-date trend. In addition, we experienced positive sales in our stores driven by stronger traffic."

Raised guidance

Based on stronger than expected results for the November-December period, Kohl's raised its FY17 adjusted earnings per share view to $3.98-$4.08, compared with a prior range of $3.60-$3.80. The adjusted guidance excludes a previously disclosed fourth quarter tax settlement of $30M. Kohl's said it continues to expect its gross margin rate for the year to be higher than the prior year. The company said its guidance does not include the impact of recent changes to U.S. tax legislation, which is expected to have a "positive impact" on its effective tax rate and generate other noncash tax benefits.

Recent initiatives 

In order to combat weakness stemming from the increasing popularity of fast-fashion retailers and an increase in online shopping on sites like Amazon (AMZN), Kohl's is currently offering free Amazon returns in 82 stores. The retailer previously announced plans to roll out a "smart home experience" in 10 stores across the Los Angeles and Chicago areas. Shoppers at these stories are able to purchase Amazon devices, accessories and smart home devices and services directly from Amazon. Kohl's said 1,000-square-foot "zones" within its stores will be dedicated to Amazon products, including the Echo, Echo Dot, Fire TV and Fire tablets.

Kohl's has also partnered with Under Armour (UA, UAA), Nike (NKE) and adidas (ADDYY) to sell the companies' shoes and apparel in Kohl's stores.

Peers

Last week, Kohl's peers J.C. Penney (JCP) and Macy's (M) posted holiday season comparable store sales results that were higher than the year ago period. J.C. Penney, which reaffirmed all components of its fiscal 2017 guidance, which had been lowered earlier due to more discounting and liquidating excess inventory in women's apparel, said it was "confident" that its strategic initiatives are taking hold.

Macy's said it will close 11 stores as part of a previously announced plan to shutter 100 locations. According to media reports, about 5,000 jobs will be cut as a result of the closures. As a result, Macy's said it expects $300M in annual expense savings from the actions beginning in FY18, and will book a 33c per share charge in Q4 for restructuring activities and store closings.

Price action

In morning trading, shares of Kohl's are up 3.3% to $56.12.