Target named former Walmart executive Jeff England as its new chief global supply-chain and logistics officer, replacing longtime Target executive Gretchen McCarthy as the retailer tries to reverse years of sluggish sales caused in part by unreliably stocked shelves. England, most recently head of supply chain at building-products distributor QXO and previously a nearly two-decade Walmart veteran, will start at the end of this month and will report to new CEO Michael Fiddelke, who took over earlier this year and has made improving in-stock levels one of his early priorities. The retailer has reported 13 consecutive quarters of weak or falling sales, with chief merchandising officer Cara Sylvester acknowledging at a March investor meeting that “too often, we're cluttered, out of stock, or even transactional,” with Target scheduled to report Q1 earnings Wednesday morning amid expectations of a sales and profit lift.
