Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) fell sharply in premarket trading after the company reported disappointing third-quarter earnings and lowered its full-year outlook. Despite trying to lure shoppers through price cuts and early holiday sales, the company missed Wall Street’s profit and sales expectations, leading to a steep decline in its stock price.

At the time of writing, the stock price is down 18.38%.

Target’s adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter ending November 2, 2024 was $1.85, significantly below analyst expectations of $2.30. Sales also came in at US$25.67 billion, lower than the expected US$25.9 billion. The company’s net profit was US$854 million, down 12% year-on-year, as cost pressures and challenges in driving discretionary spending weighed on results.

Target also lowered its full-year EPS forecast to a range of $8.30 to $8.90, up from the previous range of $9.00 to $9.70. The revision comes just three months after the retailer raised its expectations. The company also expects comparable sales to be flat in the fourth quarter, suggesting cautious consumer spending heading into the holiday season.

CEO Brian Cornell blamed the company’s poor performance on “remaining weakness in discretionary areas” and supply chain issues such as high costs due to rush shipments and preparations for short-term port strikes. I mentioned it. He expressed confidence in Target’s long-term prospects, but acknowledged that the short-term environment remains challenging.

To appeal to price-conscious consumers, Target has previously slashed prices on thousands of popular products, including essentials like diapers, bread and cold medicine. However, despite these efforts, the company posted comparable sales growth of only 0.3%, falling short of the 1.5% growth expected by analysts.

The company’s struggles are in stark contrast to rival Walmart, which reported a strong quarter that beat Wall Street expectations and raised its outlook for the rest of the year.

Target’s digital sales certainly showed a positive trend, increasing 10.8% year-over-year as more shoppers turned to online shopping. However, in-store sales fell 1.9%, highlighting continued changes in consumer behavior.