Supply Chain Research

Target saw its inventories rise 17.1% year over year in the three months to Oct. 31 versus sales that climbed just 5.5% over the same period, leading to lower-than-expected profitability and a slump in the retailer’s stock price. The increase in inventories was driven in part by a 13.1% increase in imports in the three months to Sept. 30 with a further 10.5% rise in October. The fastest growth has been in toys at 30.3% in the calendar third quarter and 24.6% in October as it attempts to claim the market share previously held by Toys’R’Us. Imports of furniture also surged, potentially as ...