Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters, on average, expected the company's same-store sales to fall 8.9 percent. Target had predicted a 6 percent to 9 percent decline in same-store sales, which are sales in stores open at least one year.
Total sales for the four weeks ended Nov. 29 fell 6 percent to $5.61 billion.
The company's chief executive, Gregg Steinhafel, said shoppers are still very cautious about what they are buying.
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