Target is using swimwear to sell more than swimsuits. The retailer is positioning the category as part of a full summer wardrobe that includes bikinis, one-pieces and cover-ups, as well as Havaianas sandals, accessories and sun-care products.Target has held the No. 1 market share in swim for the past decade, according to the Circana data, as retailers, specialty brands, DTC labels and fashion-driven resortwear players vie for the swim customer. But this year, Target’s swim push is part of a bigger business initiative: The company is trying to reassert its merchandising authority after a period of uneven performance in discretionary categories.
Target’s first-quarter earnings, reported on Thursday, showed net sales of $25.4 billion, an increase of 6.7%, with comparable sales up 5.6%, driven by foot traffic. But CEO Michael Fiddelke noted on the earnings call that home and apparel sales remained below 2024 levels. Meanwhile, categories including beauty, food and beverage, and Fun101, referring to toys and entertainment, showed growth.
For Target, swimwear is a place where its broader merchandising strategy is showing up in practice. The category combines owned brands, timely collaborations and adjacent products, from cover-ups to sandals and sun care, allowing the company to treat swim as a full summer outfitting business rather than a seasonal basics category.
