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James Lee

Executive VP & CFO, Target

Search every verified James Lee interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. James Lee, Executive VP and CFO of Target, participated in the company's Q2 FY26 earnings call on August 19, 2026. During the call, he reported that Target's earnings per share (EPS) came in at $2.46, surpassing the estimated $2.25, while revenue reached $26.54 billion, exceeding the projected $25.70 billion. Lee noted that net sales grew 5.3% year-over-year, driven by a 3.6% increase in comparable sales, which was attributed to higher traffic with average ticket remaining flat. He also mentioned that the company raised its full-year EPS guidance range from $7.50–$8.50 to $9.90–$10.90, a change that includes a $165 million benefit from tariff refunds recognized in the second quarter, but excludes any potential additional refunds later in the year. Lee discussed ongoing strategic initiatives, highlighting investments in categories such as baby, health and wellness, and beauty, which he said have shown durable guest response. He acknowledged that home and apparel remain areas requiring more work, but noted improvements in kids' apparel and the "tween" art class brand, which saw sales up 50%. He expressed confidence in the company's direction, citing progress in merchandising authority and in-store experiences, while indicating that further efforts are planned for the remainder of the year and into 2027.

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