Discounts and sales events have remained a significant sales driver, as consumers emerge from a more than two-year stretch of high inflation. It’s unclear how much those deals will cut into Target’s and other retailers’ profit margins, and whether sales will keep improving if promotions fade away.

Sales for the 2024 holiday shopping season turned out to be robust and better than expected, as easing inflation on merchandise drove shoppers to buy, according to the nation’s largest retail trade group.

While Target reported strong holiday sales on Thursday, it wasn’t enough to give the stock a boost.The retail chain said sales increased 2% on a comparable basis in the last two months of 2024 from a year earlier,

Target raised guidance for a key metric in an update on its holiday sales after achieving records for both Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotional events.

Analysts surveyed by LSEG had expected fourth-quarter comparable sales to rise 0.2%. However, the retailer maintained its forecast for fourth-quarter and full-year adjusted earnings per share to be in the range of $1.85 to $2.45 and $8.30 to $8.90, respectively.

Target (TGT) is raising its fourth quarter sales forecast as the retailer reports record-high sales figures from its Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions. The stock is under pressure on Thursday morning,

Consumers powered through concerns about high inflation and the U.S. job market for a 4% lift in holiday retail sales.

Target reported strong holiday sales on Thursday, giving its stock a boost. The retail chain said sales increased 2% on a comparable basis in the last two months of 2024 from a year earlier, and overall sales rose 2.