Target Caps Tough Year, Names New CEO
Target capped a challenging 2025 with holiday quarter sales falling 2.5%, as soft traffic and discretionary spending continue to be a drag. Amid the slump, the company announced that Michael Fiddelke has taken over as CEO, with a renewed focus on operational efficiency.
The sales decline extended beyond the holiday season, with full-year 2025 net sales decreasing 1.7% to $104.8 billion. This was driven by a 2.6% drop in comparable sales for the year, reflecting a persistent pullback in consumer spending on non-essential goods. Despite the overall slump, Target's beauty category was a bright spot, delivering net sales growth in the fourth quarter alongside Food & Beverage and Toys. This resilience in beauty and essentials contrasts with weaker performance in discretionary categories like home goods, a trend impacting the broader retail landscape. New CEO Michael Fiddelke is a company veteran of over 20 years, having started as an intern in 2003 and holding leadership roles across merchandising, finance, and operations, including most recently Chief Operating Officer. His appointment signals a focus on leveraging deep company knowledge to navigate the current challenges. Fiddelke has unveiled a plan for a "new chapter of growth," backed by an incremental $2 billion investment in 2026. The strategy centers on four priorities: enhancing merchandising, elevating the guest experience, accelerating technology, and investing in employees and communities. A key part of this investment includes the largest store transformation in a decade, with refreshed floor plans and displays. For health and wellness, this means building on a 30% assortment expansion and increasing vitamin and nutrition offerings by 20% chain-wide. The company is also enhancing its in-store beauty departments with a new pilot service model and investing in AI tools to improve personalization and the customer experience. On the supply chain front, Target is expanding its next-day delivery capabilities to 20 new metro areas to improve fulfillment speed. Looking ahead, Target is forecasting a return to growth, projecting a net sales increase of around 2% for 2026. The company anticipates a small increase in comparable sales and expects to see top-line growth in every quarter of the year.
