NEW YORK — Target’s second-quarter sales were hit by inflation and a negative reaction by some customers, widely publicized on social media, to its Pride merchandise.

Target Corp. stood by its annual outlook after posting higher-than-expected profit in the first quarter, even as “softening sales trends” threaten to crimp short-term results.

Target Corp. turned in a strong fourth-quarter performance but offered a cautious financial forecast for this year as the retailer contends with shaky demand for discretionary goods.

MINNEAPOLIS — The next Target online order that ends up at your door might come from a new type of shipping facility aimed at making deliveries cheaper and faster.

NEW YORK — Walmart and Target plan to begin offering deals and price matching offers earlier this year to keep up with Americans pressed by soaring inflation and looking for ways to ease the potential sting of holiday shopping.

NEW YORK — Target reported solid sales for the fiscal second quarter but its profit plunged nearly 90% after it was forced to slash prices to clear unwanted inventories of clothing, home goods and electronics.

Target Corp. will open three new package-sorting centers during the next year — two in greater Chicago and one in the Denver area — to further its strategy of using stores to handle online orders.

Target Corp. plunged the most since 1987’s Black Monday crash after becoming the second big retailer in two days to trim its profit forecast.

Not to be outdone, Walmart and Target have announced they will hold big sales that will compete with Amazon Prime Day.

During its first-quarter earnings call May 20, Target Corp. said its stores helped fulfill an unexpected surge in online orders.