Don't Let "Good" Earnings Fool You: The Retail Ice Age Is Alive and Well

In the "Retail Ice Age," not-so-bad news qualifies as good news.

Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) reported Tuesday that same-store sales fell 1.3% in the first quarter, and earnings fell 6% from a year ago.

That's not much to celebrate – and Target CEO Brian Cornell said he's "not doing any high fives" over it. But it beats expectations. Analysts forecast a 3.7% decline in sales and a 33% decline in earnings.

The better than expected numbers have given investors hope that Target's $7 billion investment to "adapt to… rapidly changing preferences" may be working.

Money Morning Chief Investment Strategist Keith Fitz-Gerald isn't buying the hype. Find out why he compares Target and other brick-and-mortar retailers to a flock of seagulls.

Up Next: Snap Inc. is the most dangerous IPO Keith has ever seen – the company lost a staggering $2.2 billion in its first 90 days as a public company. In truth, all IPOs are rigged against retail investors, but Keith has three tips to help you sidestep risk and even profit from new issues…

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