Target November sales below Wall Street's expectations

Despite overall robust Thanksgiving holiday shopping across the country, Target's holiday season didn't get off to a very good start. The retailer's November sales were below expectations.

For the four weeks ending Nov. 26, sales at Target stores open for at least one year rose about 2 percent. But Wall Street was expecting a 3 percent rise for that key industry benchmark.

Target CEO Greg Steinhafel said the retailer's November sales were near the low end of expectations. He said sales were strongest on Black Friday, when Target stores opened at 12 a.m. For the month, food and beauty products were strong sellers but clothing sales were flat and toy sales declined.

Target expects December revenue in stores open at least one year to rise, as the company put it, in the "low- to mid-single" digits. Last year, Target had very strong sales in November but disappointing sales in December.

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