BBBY vs M vs KSS vs TJX

For growth investors, The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) is the stronger pick with 7. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -25. 1% for Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY). Kohl's Corporation (KSS) offers the better valuation at 6. 1x trailing P/E (10. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX) a "Buy" — based on 53 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Kohl's Corporation (KSS) is the cheapest at 6.

1x versus The TJX Companies, Inc. at 31. 7x. On forward P/E, Macy's, Inc. is actually cheaper at 8. 8x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) delivered a total return of +118. 5%, compared to -93. 3% for Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: TJX returned +322. 5% versus BBBY's -48. 2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 39β versus Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. 's 3. 12β — meaning BBBY is approximately 693% more volatile than TJX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 10% versus 2% for The TJX Companies, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) is pulling ahead at 7. 1% versus -25. 1% for Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Kohl's Corporation grew EPS 144. 3% year-over-year, compared to 12. 1% for Macy's, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, TJX leads at 6. 5% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) is the more profitable company, earning 9. 1% net margin versus -8. 1% for Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. — meaning it keeps 9. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TJX leads at 11. 9% versus -5. 9% for BBBY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — M leads at 36. 5%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Macy's, Inc.

(M) trades at 8. 8x forward P/E versus 33. 0x for The TJX Companies, Inc. — 24. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BBBY: 44. 6% to $7. 75.

In this comparison, M (3.

7% yield), KSS (3. 4% yield), TJX (1. 1% yield) pay a dividend. BBBY does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, The TJX Companies, Inc.

(TJX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 39), 1. 1% yield, +322. 5% 10Y return). Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) carries a higher beta of 3. 12 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (TJX: +322. 5%, BBBY: -48. 2%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: BBBY is a small-cap quality compounder stock; M is a small-cap deep-value stock; KSS is a small-cap deep-value stock; TJX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. M, KSS, TJX pay a dividend while BBBY does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.