Why Wal-Mart (WMT) Bested Target (TGT) In The First Quarter

Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s share price climbed almost 9 percent Thursday after the company reported surprisingly solid traffic and a sunny outlook for this year. Meanwhile, rival Target Corp. slumped a day after disappointing Wall Street with diminished projections and flattening traffic.

Wal-Mart’s expectations show a company rebounding from a less-than-stellar 18 months. In contrast, Target appears to be headed in the other direction, posting its lowest growth since 2014 and projecting flat or declining sales for the coming year.