Target's Holiday Shopping Warning: What's Going On?

Target's holiday shopping forecast is a bit of a bummer. They think sales will stay the same, and profits might go down. This isn't great news for Target, which saw sales go up by just 0. 3% last quarter. Their shares dropped by as much as 20% in early trading on Wednesday. Target is like a canary in a coal mine for retail. If things are tough for them, it might mean trouble for others too. The holiday season is super important for retailers. While Target can handle a weak holiday season, many smaller companies can't. So, why is Target struggling? Their middle-class customers are feeling the heat from higher prices. They're buying more groceries and essentials, and less stuff like home decor and fancy clothes. Plus, Target has more non-essential items than competitors like Walmart and Costco, making it more sensitive to changes in what people want to buy. Target has been trying to add more food and everyday items to their stores, but they're still behind Walmart, which gets about half of its sales from groceries. Target has even cut prices on thousands of items, but it hasn't really helped sales much. Meanwhile, Walmart is doing pretty well. Their US sales at stores open for at least a year went up by 5. 3% last quarter, and profits grew by 8. 2%. They even raised their financial outlook, which is a good sign for the holiday season. Walmart said they're getting more customers from wealthy households, which is helping their sales.