Can Target Surpass Walmart?

TARGET STORES, the crown jewel of the Target Corporation, would appear to have everything: zippy ads, fast-growing sales and exclusive merchandise that people rave about. But inside the headquarters tower here, where Target's decisions are made, no one is about to relax. With Kmart hobbled by bankruptcy, it is Target that now gets the attention of Wal-Mart Stores, the biggest retailer in the land and the biggest company, too. Every successful step that Target takes …

…Somehow, Wall Street believed that Target would end up just as Sears, Roebuck did a few years earlier, with a cumbersome credit card division that was a drain, not a boon. But Target executives said their plan would not miss. ''We know what our objectives are,'' Mr. Francis said. ''Making sure we never become complacent, ensuring that we are always able to paint a picture of what we want Target to look like.''