ToplineFacing a decline in customer goodwill and the measurable effects of a DEI-inspired boycott, Target CEO Brian Cornell broke his silence in an all-employee memo, which may have done more harm than good in quelling anxiety among Target staff, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.DALY CITY, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 14: Customers wait in line to make purchases at a Target store on. More December 14, 2023 in Daly City, California. According to a report by the Commerce Department, consumer retial sales increased by 0.3% percent in November compared to the prior month. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Getty ImagesKey FactsAcknowledging that Target has suffered a “tough few months” and that he and his leadership team have been noticeably absent in their silence, Cornell committed to share more with employees to reinforce the company’s values going forward. He reiterated the company’s commitment to “inclusivity, connection, drive” as core values, even as Black faith leaders called for a customer boycott after Target rolled back its DEI initiatives earlier this year. Since the end of January, immediately after Target announced its revised DEI policies, Target experienced 11 consecutive weeks of decreased foot traffic, with a slight uptick during April Holy Week, though April foot traffic ended off 3.3%, according to Placer.ai

(Reuters) -Yum Brands (YUM) beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter comparable sales on Wednesday, helped by robust demand at its Taco Bell locations in the U.S. and KFC outlets in international markets.The company's worldwide comparable sales for the first quarter ended March 31 increased 3%, ahead of the average analyst estimate of a 2.76% rise, according to data compiled by LSEG.The results come at a time when consumer spending on dining out slowed in February and March due to sticky inflation and worries about the Trump administration's tariff policies.However, visits to Tex-Mex food chain Taco Bell rose 3.7% in the first quarter in the United States, compared with a 1.6% drop in the overall quick-service restaurants category, according to research firm Placer.ai.NYSE - Delayed Quote • USD (YUM) View Quote Details 147.69 - (-0.04%) At close: April 29 at 4:00:02 PM EDT Advanced ChartTaco Bell also spruced up its value meal offerings at the start of the year, adding a $9 price point for five menu items.U.S. consumers have been on the lookout to keep their dine-out spending in check. Taco Bell's value-meal offer starts at $5 for a 5-layer burrito, a taco, cinnamon twists and a medium fountain drink.Yum Brands' KFC international division, which together with Taco Bell makes up more than 80% of the company's core operating profit, also reported comparable-sales growth of 3%, handily beating estimates of 1.6%.Total sales in China, its biggest market, grew 3% in the quarter, following a 5% rise in the preceding three-month period.The Pizza Hut-parent reiterated its long-term annual core operating profit growth target of 8% at a time when companies are tempering their full-year forecasts with consumer sentiment weakening in the United States.(Reporting by Juveria Tabassum in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)