Why Target Is Still a Buy After the Earnings Disaster

Target's (NYSE: TGT) first-quarter earnings report was a rough one. It posted adjusted earnings per share of $2.16, down from $3.69 in the quarter a year ago, a result that was propelled by stimulus spending and the pandemic driving increased spending on discretionary goods, and it also missed estimates at $3.06. Target's results were plagued by a wide range of factors, including inflation and supply chain pressures, weak results in discretionary categories as consumers shifted their spending from goods to services, and the company's own misreading of consumer trends.