Target is upgrading its supply chain to support new CEO Michael Fiddelke’s turnaround plan, but better logistics performance already led to more stable inventory levels and revenue growth in the first quarter. The retailer on Wednesday posted its strongest quarterly sales gain in more than three years during the first three months of 2026, with net sales up 6.7% to $25.4 billion and comparable store sales growing 5.6% year over year. Quarterly profits of adjusted earnings per share of $1.71 came in above expectations, but a 25% decline in net income suggests that higher investment in merchandise assortments, store modernization and marketing is costly at a time of uncertain consumer momentum. Management stressed that inventory reliability is a top priority after recent periods in which popular merchandise sold out, leaving money on the table and frustrating customers. Target’s (NYSE: TGT) New Chief Operating Officer Lisa Roath told analysts on a conference call that supply chain improvements will help boost sales and the bottom line, noting that out-of-stock products were down compared to the prior year. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot(‘/21776187881/FW-Responsive-Main_Content-Slot1’, [[300, 100], [320, 50], [728, 90], [468, 60]], ‘div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0’).defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0’); }); “Our go-forward strategy is focused on . . . product availability, ship-to-home speed, and improved leverage on supply chain expenses. In Q1, we saw higher inventory productivity with turns up more than 10% year-over-year. We also maintained consistent top item availability and improved key reliability metrics, even amid higher…
