Target Stock Surges as Earnings Grew by 36% to Overshadow Sales Decline

People are skipping their Target runs, but the company is finding ways to boost profits.

Target sales fell in the period just before the holiday shopping season as it grappled with choosy shoppers cutting spending on some products and visiting stores less often. Comparable sales, those from stores and digital channels operating at least 12 months, fell 4.9% in the three months ended Oct. 28 from the prior year.