Target fumbles during holiday playoff run

MINNEAPOLIS — Joe Namath he’s not. Target chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel assured investors last month that December comps would exceed November’s 1.8% increase, but then Thursday morning reported a disappointing 1.6% increase and a reduced profit forecast. Namath, the former New York Jet’s quarterback, famously guaranteed victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III and then delivered on his guidance with a stunning 16-to-7 victory. Conversely, Target’s failure to live up to Steinhafel’s guarantee that fourth-quarter comps would be in a low-to-mid single-digit range, but above November’s 1.8% gain, caused the company to significantly