Target Corporation

What does Target Corporation own?
Target Corporation owns approximately 45 owned and exclusive brands including Good & Gather, Up & Up, Cat & Jack, Threshold, A New Day, All in Motion, and Goodfellow & Co. The company also operates digital platforms including Target Circle, Target Circle 360, Target Plus, and Roundel. All brands are internally developed.

Is Target Corporation publicly traded?
Yes. Target Corporation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker TGT. The company was originally part of Dayton Hudson Corporation and became Target Corporation in 2000 when it was renamed to reflect the dominance of the Target brand.

Who founded Target Corporation?
George Dayton founded the company in 1902 as Dayton Dry Goods Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The first Target discount store opened in 1962 in Roseville, Minnesota. The company was renamed Target Corporation in 2000.

Where is Target Corporation headquartered?
Target Corporation is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. The company has been based in Minneapolis since its founding in 1902.

How many brands does Target Corporation own?
Target owns approximately 45 owned and exclusive brands across food and beverage, household essentials, apparel, home goods, and beauty categories. Key brands include Good & Gather, Up & Up, Cat & Jack, and Threshold.

Who owns Target Corporation?
Target Corporation is owned by institutional investors, mutual funds, and individual shareholders. Major institutional holders include Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Corporation. No single shareholder holds a controlling stake, and all shares carry equal voting rights.

What is Target Corporation's revenue?
Target reported net sales of $104.8 billion in fiscal year 2025 (ended January 31, 2026), a 1.7% decrease from $106.6 billion in the prior year. Full-year GAAP diluted EPS was $8.13, and adjusted EPS was $7.57.

Who is Target's CEO?
Michael Fiddelke is Chief Executive Officer of Target Corporation, effective February 1, 2026. He succeeded Brian Cornell, who served as CEO since 2014. Fiddelke previously served as Chief Operating Officer and started his Target career as an intern more than 20 years ago.

Target Corporation traces its origins to 1902, when George Dayton opened the Dayton Dry Goods Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dayton, a banker and real estate investor, purchased a plot of land on Nicollet Avenue and established a department store. The store was an immediate success and became known for quality merchandise and attentive customer service.

In 1962, the company opened its first Target discount store in Roseville, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The Target concept was developed by John Geisse, who proposed a new format combining quality merchandise with discount pricing in a clean, organized environment. The name "Target" was chosen by Stewart Widdess, the company's director of publicity, who said, "As a marksman's goal is the bull's-eye, we wanted to hit the bull's-eye with the right merchandise at the right price."

The Target format was an immediate success. The company expanded rapidly throughout the 1960s and 1970s, opening stores across the Midwest. In 1969, Dayton Dry Goods merged with the J.L. Hudson Company of Detroit to form Dayton Hudson Corporation. The merger created a retail powerhouse with both department store and discount store operations.

In 1978, Dayton Hudson acquired Mervyn's, a California-based mid-range department store chain. In 1990, the company acquired Marshall Field's, a prestigious Chicago department store. These acquisitions made Dayton Hudson one of the largest retailers in the United States.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Target refined its discount store concept. The company introduced the "Expect More. Pay Less." tagline and began investing in design and exclusive brands. In 1995, Target opened its first SuperTarget store, adding a full grocery department. The company also launched Target.com in 1996, establishing its early e-commerce presence.

In 2000, Dayton Hudson Corporation was renamed Target Corporation to reflect the dominance of the Target brand. The company divested its department store chains, selling Marshall Field's to Macy's in 2004 and Mervyn's to a private equity group in 2004. These divestitures allowed Target to focus entirely on its discount store format.

The 2000s and 2010s saw Target expand its owned brand portfolio significantly. The company launched private labels including Up & Up (2009), Good & Gather (2019), and Cat & Jack (2016). Target also introduced small-format stores in 2012, targeting urban areas and college campuses where traditional large-format stores were not feasible.

In 2013, Target experienced a major data breach in which hackers stole credit and debit card information from approximately 40 million customers. The breach occurred during the holiday shopping season and resulted in significant financial losses, executive resignations, and a multi-year overhaul of Target's cybersecurity infrastructure. CEO Gregg Steinhafel resigned in 2014 and was replaced by Brian Cornell, who became the first non-Dayton-family CEO in the company's history.

Under Cornell, Target invested heavily in digital transformation. The company acquired Shipt, a same-day delivery platform, for $550 million in 2017. Target launched Target Circle, its loyalty program, in 2019. Drive-up and order pickup services became major competitive advantages, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, when digital sales surged.

In 2024, Target announced that Brian Cornell would step down as CEO, with Chief Operating Officer Michael Fiddelke named as his successor. Fiddelke officially became CEO on February 1, 2026. Fiddelke started his career at Target as an intern more than 20 years earlier and previously served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

In fiscal year 2025 (ended January 31, 2026), Target reported net sales of $104.8 billion, a 1.7% decrease from $106.6 billion in the prior year. Comparable sales decreased 2.6%, driven by a 2.2% decrease in traffic. Operating income was $5.1 billion, down 8.1% from the prior year. The company incurred $250 million in business transformation costs and recognized $593 million in net gains from credit card interchange fee litigation settlements. Full-year GAAP EPS was $8.13, and adjusted EPS was $7.57.

For fiscal year 2026, Target guided to net sales growth of approximately 2%, with GAAP and adjusted EPS in the range of $7.50 to $8.50. The company plans capital expenditures of approximately $5 billion and expects to open about 30 new stores.

Target publishes an annual corporate responsibility report covering environmental and social commitments. The company has set science-based targets for greenhouse gas emissions reduction and has committed to net-zero emissions across its operations and supply chain by 2040.

Target's sustainability initiatives include investing in renewable energy for its stores and distribution centers. The company has implemented energy-efficient lighting, refrigeration, and HVAC systems across its store network. Target has committed to reducing virgin plastic in packaging and increasing the use of recycled materials in its owned brand products.

The company's Good & Gather brand includes organic and sustainably sourced food products. Target has committed to sustainable seafood sourcing through a partnership with the Marine Stewardship Council. The company maintains supplier responsibility programs that address labor conditions, environmental practices, and product safety in its supply chain.

Target is not a Certified B Corporation. The company's sustainability reporting is self-published and should be evaluated as a first-party source. Target has not faced significant regulatory action for greenwashing, though environmental groups have criticized the company's progress on plastic waste reduction.

Target has been recognized on the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list in 2024 and 2025. The company has also been named to the Forbes Best Employers list and has received Great Place to Work certification. Fast Company has recognized Target on its Most Innovative Companies list for retail innovation and digital transformation.

These rankings reflect Target's workplace culture and innovation efforts. The company has not received significant independent sustainability awards, though its corporate responsibility programs have been acknowledged by industry publications.

In 2013, Target experienced one of the largest retail data breaches in U.S. history. Hackers stole credit and debit card information from approximately 40 million customers and personal information from 70 million additional customers. The breach occurred during the holiday shopping season. Target paid $18.5 million in a multi-state settlement in 2017 and $10 million in a class-action settlement in 2015. The company invested hundreds of millions of dollars in cybersecurity upgrades following the breach. CEO Gregg Steinhafel resigned in 2014 as a result of the breach and other issues.

In 2023, Target faced public controversy over its Pride Month merchandise collection. The company received criticism from both sides of the political spectrum, with some customers objecting to the merchandise and others criticizing Target's decision to remove certain items. Target reported that the controversy contributed to a decline in sales and an increase in threats against store employees. The company adjusted its merchandise strategy for subsequent seasonal campaigns.

Target has experienced multiple product recalls in 2025. In April 2025, the company recalled 26,500 units of Good & Gather baby Pea, Zucchini, Kale & Thyme Vegetable Puree due to elevated lead levels. In September 2025, Target recalled over 57,000 bags of Good & Gather Southwest-Style Burrito Bowl Blend due to undeclared shrimp allergen contamination. The FDA classified the burrito bowl recall as Class II. Target removed the affected products from shelves and issued full refunds.

In fiscal year 2025, Target recognized $593 million in net gains from settlements of credit card interchange fee litigation matters. The company also incurred $250 million in costs related to business transformation initiatives under new CEO Michael Fiddelke.