Company Profile and History
Target Corporation is an upscale discounter providing high quality, on-trend merchandise at attractive prices in a clean, spacious and guest friendly store. Target Corporation also operates their online business at Target.com . According to the company' history report Target began as Marshall Field & Co in 1881 then in 1902 George Dayton opened a Goodfellows in downtown Minneapolis. One year later they founded their first Dry Goods Store and in 1911 they became known as the Dayton Company. In 1962 they opened their first Target store selling discounted merchandise. In 1967, the Dayton Company had their first public offering of common stock, and then in 1969 they merged with J.L Hudson Company to become the Dayton Hudson Corporation. The seventies brought bigger and better things for the company; in 1975 Target became the number one revenue producer for the Dayton Hudson Corporation. Dayton Hudson Corporation became the seventh largest U.S. retailer in 1978 when they acquired Mervyn's.
In the eighties Target was able to introduce electronic scanning with the checkout to become more efficient in all of their stores by expediting distribution center delivery processes. The nineties brought big successes for Target as they acquired Marshall Field's and opened their first Target Greatland in 1990. In 1995 with the introduction of their new credit card they also opened their first SuperTarget in Omaha, Nebraska. The new millennium brought about major change for the company as they changed their name in 2000 from the Dayton Hudson Corporation to Target Corporation. In 2004 they sold Marshall Field's and Mervyn's to solely concentrate on Target . ...
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...FO and Executive Vice-President. Each department such as: financial services, HR, stores, property development and technology, all have their own selected Executive Vice-Presidents that oversee those operations .
Analysis and Evaluation
In our opinion we find that the annual report is represented in an investor friendly manor. Target presents much of the information the way they sell their product, in a fun, entertaining, and modern setting. The annual report was mainly aimed at smaller investors then to larger firms. There were more explanations in the financial statements then you usually see. The amount of detail given in an entertaining way shows their commitment to the customer and investor, as they continue to try and knock down the 600 pound gorilla, Wal-Mart.
There are thirteen departments in total: finance and accounting, human resource management, marketing, men’s clothes, women’s clothes, shoes, hardware and automotive, music including audio and video equipment, toys, home and garden, small and large appliances, sports equipment, and furniture..
For the most part, Target Corporation’s performance is positive and has been consistently growing in sales. The company has increased its stock value through additional sales resulting from a deliberate
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
Target has 1,799 stores, and its annual revenue was more than $71 billion in 2014. Considering that Target operates only in the United States, the company’s total income does not seem too low. Like Walmart, Target is open to all customers without membership, and its products are similar to Walmart’s products. For example, both companies sell household essentials, pharmaceuticals, personal care items, cleaning and paper products, apparel, accessories, sporting goods, electronics, and food items, along with furniture and other products. Instead of offering membership discounts, Target offers REDcard debit and credit cards, which provide consumers with a 5% discount on purchases. Since Target utilizes e-commerce for sales of its goods, delivering products worldwide can be highly beneficial for the company’s
Target, the nation's #2 discount chain, now operates more than 1,500 Target and Super Target stores in 47 states, as well as an online business called Target.com. Target and its larger grocery-carrying stores, Super Target, have carved out a niche by offering more upscale, fashion-forward merchandise than rivals Wal-Mart and Kmart. After years of struggling to turn around its Marshall Fields and Mervyns departments stores divisions, the discounter sold them both in 2004. Target also owns apparel supplier The Associated Merchandising Corp. and issues Target Visa and its proprietary Target Card (www.Answers.com/topic/target-corporation).
Target has seen consistent growth since its inception, and has confidence that future growth will continue (see attached financial statements). In 2004, Target sold two of there business units, Mervyn's and Marshall Field's for approximately $4.9 billion. This allowed for extensive aggregate pretax cash that will be used for future store sites (as well as upper management bonuses). Target's Board also approved a $3 billion share repurchase program which they expect to complete in two to three years.
The first Target store had been opened in the year 1962 in the suburb of Roseville, Minneapolis with a tough focus on the easy shopping at a competitive amount of discount prices. In the year 2013 in which the Target remains very committed for providing an easy shopping experience for the guests by delivering the distinctive merchandise and the outstanding value. The Target currently has been the second largest retailer in America with Target.com and it is ranked as the mostly visited retail web sites (Target Co, 2013).
Founded in 1962 by George Dayton of the Dayton Corporation, the first store was opened in Roseville, Minnesota, and served as the prototype for all Target stores opened since then and changed how consumers thought about discount shopping.1 Each store was designed with the customer in mind; the founders of Target realized that the appeal of clean, organized, and well-designed stores would set them apart from all others in the industry. In every store, related departments are conveniently placed next to each other. In 2000 the company was renamed the Target Corporation and now has over 1300 stores in 47 states, including more than 140 SuperTarget stores, as well as a consumer-friendly website. Many stores now have a pharmacy and Club Wedd and Target Baby gift registries. SuperTarget stores even have a separate side devoted to groceries. The corporation also offers the Target Visa Credit Card and the Target REDcard, which is a credit card that can only be used in Target stores or through the website.
According to Schafer (2013), Target Corporation desire is to improve Target Brand and be a better version of Target with an incremental products and services. Target Corporation acquisitions counter any threat from other rival online retailers and allow Target Corporation to cross promote between Target and the new entity strengthening its
The Target Corporation formerly known as “The Dayton Dry Goods Company” is a major retailing company that was founded in 1902 in Minneapolis, Minnesota by George Draper Dayton. It is ranked the second largest discount retailer in the United States and ranked thirty- sixth on the Fortune 500 as of 2013. The Target Corporation has been serving this nation with the best price possible goods since their expansion from “Dayton” and is continuously winning the hearts of consumers with their dedication and service. A phenomenal merchandising strategy and cross channeling has enabled this upscale discounter to serve their purpose of customer loyalty and fulfill their promise of “Expect more and Pay less”.
Target offers products like household goods and sporting equipment. Target and Wal-Mart are similar in the items that are sold. Target offers products for families for kids of all ages, plus has shopping for adult clothing. Target offers movies, CD's, and DVD's. Target also offers vacuum cleaners, bed and bath supplies, and kitchen supplies. Target is another example of a one stop shop.
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
Professor David Soberman describes his disappointing experience, “I have gone into Target stores looking for things, and the product line is not where it needs to be. You want certain things, but you can’t find them. You can find them at Wal-Mart. I just took my child down to school at Queen’s, and I was trying to buy things. I got 95 per cent of what I wanted at Wal-Mart. The other five per cent I got at Canadian Tire. I did go into Target, but I couldn’t find what I needed”
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.
On the Target website, it is stated that their mission is to, ”…fulfill the needs and fuel the potential of our guests. That means making Target your preferred shopping destination in all channels by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and exceptional experiences—consistently fulfilling our Expect More. Pay Less.® brand promise” (Target Corp). It has 1,799 stores in the United States alone and has locations in India. In 2014, they made $72.6 Billion. Similar to Wal-Mart, Target sells household essentials, apparel, groceries, pet supplies. health, beauty items, home furnishing, entertainment, and electronics. Both also have their own branded items to sell at a lower price than the commercial brands, and each corporation also has a