Thanks, John.
I've I personally. impact I strategy, want and I thank you've to the fortunate you years you Before me learn our and with this you team arrived formal on made for since on been begin work company, our XX from to remarks, my positive ago. Target first at
third and the decline X.X% X.X% down reflecting decline other X.X%, a in total quarter, total was in In revenue sales a revenue.
credit card ticket. revenue. in revenue combined and Among decrease Within our X.X%, sales, in offset third items the few nearly traffic of ad by revenue were down line, in smaller average declines drivers the other X.X% Roundel quarter a comparable with was growth a
we're trends this we're both QX bit on While the little comp result, trend X.X and into traffic compared positive our that recovered satisfied not encouraged moving all territory. with with traffic sales trend and and we're point improved laser-focused faster, a at back QX
to mentioned, seasonal Christina continue shop guests As our around moments.
QX comp seasons. Back-to-School performance Back-to-College surprisingly, around and strongest not was So the
strength saw promotions. we For variability the the remainder quarter, of of by periods around week relative week with
margin of X.X XX.X% freight costs gross points meaningfully quarter merchandising, better rate by clearance lower third than last within multiple favorable and driven was Our including benefits markdowns. year, than more
In favorability perhaps, saw supply in higher-margin year we from electronics. merchandise like and to as benefit continue performance the in like rate benefit And categories surprisingly, in chain drove fulfillment compared small growth last from mix we benefited addition, a Beauty softest low-margin very categories, we with digital year-over-year costs. and
offsetting tailwinds, the point inventory our shrink these third basis gross headwind rate. Partially margin rising of to quarter a cost represented XX
continue headwind, the that the than was we better faced significant in growth year, making shrink impact a in expected than we're determined years ahead. and While and smaller in to this we're progress financial encouraged earlier remains
the both compelling margin anticipated the which gross rate, team guidance agility margin performance fronts. in of our several gross is progress on greater-than-expected top managing list delivered and QX At benefits our actual significant that well While as inventory, expectations SG&A lines. was expense above continued in our our their the delivered improvement on
better-than-expected team's In opportunities long-term our to contributing performance. efforts efficiency already is to ongoing identify this quarter's addition,
inventory and Beyond macro couple drivers, than in those freight better expected costs factors of the including came a shrink. impact of
than continued SG&A point XX.X% team, our increases deleveraging organization. including was This just rate the business, reflected our along year. management X percentage On cost sales, last growth investments offset higher quarter with over in cost of impact throughout disciplined the third by throughout our lower line, of the partially
X%. depreciation than about of X.X% reflecting QX growth Our XX amortization basis dollar ago, about a and year rate expense higher points of was
point prior delivered than year's of despite was than our pandemic this X.X% Altogether, the last our then. from higher was the XXX operating quarter points basis third we third quarter a XX X.X% to of margin And than basis cumulative year. faced point the shrink notably, lower in XXXX rate since rate drag only business the about more percentage
X-year that XX% higher given revenue in dollars more this in important, were that period, operating delivered our Also than has over year's the QX XXXX. margin than team growth
to the on note, more we earnings adjusted were XX% both and $X.XX remains more tough, than share backdrop bottom last investments throughout XXXX.
Important business, delivering and to because GAAP opportunities our line ahead team make lot XX% both more the opportunity our year's efficiency the profit ahead. well. already profitability of a today and versus while performance, in identify in is efforts than and the result, to year ago of per long-term year years a team of have this top As line, a to our increase And the history our third longer-term both strong to we higher continue our quarter than of in grow our compared and as
remained support limits have reiterate first deployment record our our within that to and years. to repurchase of our And the decades. consistent for Then look on deploy than annual strategic any the financial increases, our more which build ratings middle projects cash look of criteria. capital over A through I'll invest credit we've and dividend for which maintained excess time. fully share finally, we turn XX in meet and priorities, we Now to We
capital the $X high end the full first the out first we Regarding through and X billion year. CapEx was range will expect of near the quarters for billion, the $X year priority, laid year of the just we billion be under to investment $X
While billion year the be will over lower than early of is to in $X capital planning plan, optimal range, of somewhat several next key current reflecting CapEx current developing next this timing still the stages years. expectation we're year's for in billion that the year's $X our investments our next view we're the
dividends our a share of capital of higher X.X%. over per priority, billion QX, last in second Regarding dividend $X.X than just million $XX we increase year, paid reflecting
quarters debt combined progress any the repurchase focus third we our as A continue as benefits our restoring levels make the to shares didn't the And have quarter balance we have lower the we in operations that a through meaningful cash middle support on of credit sheet priority, quarters journey higher meaningful last flow. metrics generated More XXXX. operating from up that X improvement our about $XXX led dramatically the to than strengthening million continue specifically, and of on X to capital in our first $X.X ratings. through working of and profits year, cash more billion in first to the Regarding
in with from quarter, the I'll which was year our always, XX.X% XX-month a my ROIC, the ago. trailing conclude As third down XX.X% quarter after-tax of review
healthy we teens the return lower While low over terms, the in time. after-tax it's returns deliver quite an in than to absolute expect meaningfully is
that sequential years over this the we've continuing Importantly, ahead. and couple momentum in quarters, metric improvement last we're seen focused of on in the
Now for I'll turn guidance quarter. fourth the our to
top sales. line, mid-single-digit our leading expectations reflect our caution, guidance the near-term prior decline QX us for continued comparable to our maintain a On in
maintaining fourth bottom typically quarter season. the particularly line, cautious a the is promotional On very posture, we're a also because
quarter range flat the for on of which to end.
I represents XX% to that about want high year. last As also a year note the of low EPS end $X.XX, such, XXXX our we're planning fourth wide a on approximately XX-week $X.XX and growth is to growth
our XX fourth an billion about profits. results, of include will as the will operating calculation on extra week through already the leverage in of week that top not team equal $X.X has that that result quarter. very $X.XX provided Note periods an the add delivered sales estimate margin our We length.
On extra base points comparable will and against a and backdrop year, through center original full team That's range nimble top unpredictable of close less testament than range a and the quarter tireless line, it's the tougher-than-expected original the of our successfully a at volatile a midpoint period. the guidance we and outcome of efforts range. from amazing the navigate to EPS stay beginning the to that's year and quarter in about with QX, sales rate of to basis of the we it fourth affect guidance on of sales So a our implies
and fact, strong rate, been focused and head we've pause to on. getting only we're performance has that increasing profit far address questions some year, question I how been so our whether our about want on In rate given profit this
between mentioned a profit alignment deliver team rate this into by year, sales. we would As our coming were our our achieving earlier, in our better John and inventory significant confident increase
a year to addition, talked that we're grown given we revenue $XXX per pursuing, we've efficiency more ago, In first than about the long-term significant year. billion our opportunities
to is current of growth. so to work if a is on dollars more we bottom to that. opportunity but top sustainable do gladly would Even of saw make top the early not wouldn't it lead efficiency line clear, line as way this has which a year, the deliver our long-term to well.
At we dollars, only rate portion fundamentally, of in that top first team sustainably the delivered is growth boost delivering by growing short we still might millions our any savings significantly line we're growth term, focused an gain can profitability. of because hundreds deliver its interested growth any line in far same priority making time, growth retailer our in And want investments the the are profit sustainable long-term in already profit that dollars. benefiting I stages, While to But invest
In kinds decisions are harmful of fact, our many over experience has short-term actually time. those times, shown that
last deliver previously services in way brands, stores store brands the growth work app, in with been provide. fulfillment and a reliable remain assortment decade, our to over all owned long-term stores investments our to our new beginning our fresh today, assets and of half shopping we experience, website the both markets on Target and national existing So to driving focused we through team in in not top our successful experience, the line to keep the strategies investments have including enhance the them our and we've so served and enhancing digital differentiated and and that
those believe long-term have improvement don't But incompatible grow successfully in and to top over As opportunity rate more directly, our can further we pursue we and other. growth those both with on we line time. we operating ahead, initiatives, where believe the each we rate are years based are we today, also margin deliver efforts
my relationships delivered while maintaining unprecedented And confidence as for focusing long-term ends they've growth in the level, the amazing always, progress our with years. all guests. the over several and year, our optimal this moving on with basis back building team. profitability And They starts last made have toward the Target and
team is truly in team Our the best retail.
over to back Now I'll Brian. turn call the