Quick look here. Looks like a clean $0.09 beat, coming in at $0.69 vs. Street at $0.60. Remember TGT raised expectations with April sales from $0.52. Core retail performance key here, with gross margins flat (despite sizeable mix shift from consumables) and slight sg&a leverage on a negative 3.7% comp. It may have taken TGT a bit longer to exhibit controls and discipline vs. WMT and others but the results are bearing fruit here. Overall EBIT % was flat y/y in core retail.
Credit looked to be in line with expectations, but a huge drag y/y and the key reason why EPS are still down y/y. Things don't appear to be getting worse which is key.
Call at 10:30 here. This is a big beat for a big company. Makes me wonder (again) why the board needs to be shaken up...
Eric Levine
Research Edge