ACQUIRING TARGET CORPORATION
INTRODUCTION
The current economic recession has taken a toll on corporations. Those who survive stay within their financial means, are innovative in retaining and attracting customers, and use technology to distinguish themselves from their competitors. Target Corporation is a company that possesses all of these characteristics. While some companies have cut payroll or ceased to exist, Target Corporation has survived in the economic recession and is positioned to gain further market share as economic conditions continue to improve.
The purpose of this report is to analyze Target Corporation’s financial statements, determine the future growth potential of the company, and make a recommendation for or against the acquisition of the company.
POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH
Although many competing companies are projecting insignificant profit growth over the next few years, Target
Corporation is projecting profit growth in the near future. Target expects 2012 annual sales to increase by four to five percent (Target Corporation, 2011). When combined with their continued emphasis on technology, customer rewards, and customer relations, the future of Target Corporation looks bright.
Making Use of Technology
Target Corporation recognizes the importance of technology in reaching its customers. In 2011 the company launched a completely redesigned website that focuses on ease of use. Target also has an industry leading mobile application that allows the company to reach its customers regardless of where they are located. In fact, Mobile Commerce Daily named Target the “2010 Mobile Retailer of the Year” (Target Corporation, 2011). It is in this sector that Target’s potential for growth is the highe...
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...ved March 11, 2012, from http://sites.target.com/site/en/company/page.jsp?contentId=WCMP04-031794
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Target Acquisition. (2011, January 13). Target Pressroom. Retrieved March 13, 2012, from http://pressroom.target.com/pr/news/target-corporation-to-acquire-real-estate.aspx
Target Corporation. (2011, March 11). Target 2010 Annual Report. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from http://investors.target.com
Target Corporation. (2012, February 23). Target Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2011 Earnings. Retrieved March 5, 2012, from http://investors.target.com
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As I have outlined in the charts below, there are various similarities and differences between Wal-Mart and Target. Wal-Mart is Target’s primary competitor, and vice versa. Wal-Mart has a strong market presence in its global markets and has a diverse range of products and services that are affordable and available in stock. Target, on the other hand, does not have a strong market presence or efficient product supply; however, Target’s physical environment and innovative products further the brand’s image and value. Unfortunately, Target and Wal-Mart are both e-commerce laggards with major competitors such as Amazon. Target faces complications with their pricing strategies and their product availability, which hinders their strength when competing
Target has many competitors in the market, and the level of competition is highly intense. Some of its main rivals are Wal-Mart stores, Home Depot and Costco Wholesale Corp. All of them produce similar products as well as offer almost the same services to their consumers. Naturally, the organization would need a strategy that helps it to stand out and to distinguish it from its competitors, thus, Target 's positioning was based on more than just pricing; it combined quality and style. This was the differentiation strategy that have always been applied since the launch of the organization.
For example in the economic forces they work to provide higher end discounted items to keep the profits up by allowing shoppers to have quality and cost savings. In the technological forces, Target has used the increase use of mobile platforms to allow their customers to shop online and pick up in the store by saving time. With the political-legal forces Target works to provide a safe and non-discriminating environment for all customers. Environmental forces are taken in to effect by looking at better waste recycling management to decrease their carbon footprint. Target works hard to represent the values and mores of their customer base, by being actively involved within the community and addressing current social
Year over year, Target Corp. has been able to grow revenues from $51.3B to $57.9B. Most impressively, the company has been able to reduce the percentage of sales devoted to cost of goods sold from 69.64% to 69.29%. This was a driver that led to a bottom line growth from $2.4B to $2.8B. Target outperformed (corporate governance quotient) 85.5 % of S&P 500 companies and 97.7 % of discount retail stores. The corporate governance quotient incorporates the values of transparency, accountability, integrity, and responsibility towards maximizing shareholder value. Yahoo analysts opinions mean recommendation is currently a 2.2, indicating moderate buy to hold (a 1.0 is a strong buy and a 5.0 is a strong sell).
Target Corporation: Report on Long-term Financing Policy and Capital Structure with an Acquisition Analysis Introduction This report will be based on the Target Corporation, and will consist of two sections: 1) long-term financing policy and capital structure, and 2) an acquisition analysis. The first section will include: Target's most recent long-term financing decision; an analysis of the economic, business, and competitive background in which the financing occurred; Target's book value and market value; possible changes that would occur to Target's finance policy and capital structure if it was forced to consider re-organization and bankruptcy strategies; and finally discuss Target's international investment and financing opportunities, as well as foreign exchange risks. The second section will be a report to the board of directors that identifies a synergistic acquisition candidate for Target.
"Nordstrom, Inc. SWOT Analysis." Nordstrom, Inc. SWOT Analysis (2012): 1-10. Business Source Premier. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
1. The Discount Department Store. Target prefers to be called as the latter instead of just department store. Expect more, pay less. With this tagline, the customers expect to purchase more items and pay the least amount possible. Not like other retail industries like its competitor Kmart and Wal-Mart, Target maintains retail value in terms of product offerings. They are known in their designer’s items in clothes, exclusive beauty products, categorized and functional goods, and seasonal offerings. It also sells the greatest number of gift cards among its rival business.
Drew, Kathryn. “Stock Highlight: priceline.com.” Value Line. Value Line, 29 May 2013. Web. 25 March 2014.
Target Corporation has indicated a significant increase in the number of years it has been operational. The company experienced important changes in growth when it transformed from a regional store to a national retailer.
Target bank is called the Target National Bank. It is owned by the Target Corporations itself and all the receivables go into Target has approximately 1,600 million dollars worth of lines of credits from twenty five different banks, approximately half the worth of the line is used and is due back for payment June 2005, with an extension all the way up to June 2006. The other half of the payment is due June 2008. The expected long term rate of securities rate for October 31 2004 was 8.5 %.
Target is one of the America’s top retailers, but still has a few things that can be improved upon before it can overtake its top competitor. Although Target may not be the top ranked retailer at the moment, it’s not hard to see why this company has stood the tests of time and continues to thrive today.
Kohl’s Corporation (2013, March 22nd). Form 10-K 2013. Retrieved February, 7th, 2014 from SEC EDGAR website http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtm
Target Corporation being a retail industry, the structure by product grouped to a functional level practices works the best. This is necessary for the other functional levels to collaborate as a single team to produce a positive customer shopping experience. Target Corporation further divided the functional level into a geographic area to exercise management tasks effectively with the given authority. Each structure of the management at the geographic level has a strategy discussion, a line of communication, growth, and progress reporting according to the corporate reporting plan. Jana Potts who manages Target Corporation store has closer to 300, 000 employees working for her and the effective can be improved if the role is broken within domestic into channels, stores into broader segments and a separate global position. The rapidly growing online channel and global expansion are necessary to support Target Corporation's strategy of internal growth and sustain it for long term sustainability. These structural changes will allow Target Corporation to connect with its employee at a functional level and bring changes faster, track and monitor the
Koba, M. (2011, November 3). Gross Domestic Product: CNBC Explains. Retrieved from CNBC: EXPLAINS: http://www.cnbc.com/id/44505017