The Real Victims of Target Boycotts Revealed

Alright, folks, it’s Professor Alex here with another episode of “Morning Coffee.” And I’m here to address something that’s been bugging me—this whole boycott Target situation. So, here’s a summary of my podcast.

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Why You Shouldn’t Boycott Target

Look, I get it. People are upset about DEI initiatives, and they’re directing that anger at Target. But let’s be real: this whole thing is misdirected. We’ve gone from a one-day boycott to a 40-day blackout, and it’s just not making sense.

You boycott a store that could be forced to lay off staff, which, of course, will be middle-class employees, not the top of the corporate ladder. In the meantime, states are setting aside funds to file these lawsuits. Whose money do you think the states are using? Your money! Your tax dollars.

Here’s the thing: corporations, especially publicly traded ones, have to protect their bottom line. That is their legal, moral, and ethical obligation. Target is facing billions of dollars in lawsuits from state attorneys general from at least one state, my home state of Florida.

• Preparing for a President Trump Economy

Remember when Mark Zuckerberg and Apple essentially “bent the knee” to President Trump to avoid financial repercussions? That’s how it works. When billions are on the line, companies will comply. Otherwise, the Board of Directors is forced to push out the owner/CEO.

And let’s be clear, this whole anti-DEI push? It’s coming from the top. We’re talking Supreme Court rulings and Trump-era policies aimed at “whitewashing” everything. Companies like Target, Ford, and Chase are trying to comply with these changes. But why single out Target? It’s easy to jump online and say, “I’m boycotting Target!” But you’re attacking the wrong target.

Think about who you’re hurting. The board members and CEOs? They’re not going to lose their mansions. They’ll just downsize their yachts. It’s the employees—the cashiers, stockers, and deli workers—who will suffer.

If Target goes bankrupt, they’re the ones who lose their jobs, their livelihoods. CEO’s with multiple streams of income and investments won’t be affected. When was the last time you heard of a major corporation going bankrupt, and the CEOs did as well? I’ll make it simple for you: never.

History shows us how bankruptcies work, and as I always say, the law was created to protect them, not you. The executives get paid first, often with huge bonuses, while the employees are left with scraps, if anything at all. Look at what happened with the TARP funds (Troubled Assets Relief Program) during the Obama presidency.

Go a step further; you think that last paycheck for the employees is going to save them? Sure, if it were a $20 million payout,t just like the CEOs would get.

Instead of targeting these companies, why not focus on the source? Why not protest the policies that are driving these changes? That requires effort, I know. It’s easier to just post online. But all you’re doing is creating a distraction. You’re getting played.

Trump and his allies are pushing these policies, and they’re loving that everyone’s focusing on Target. Meanwhile, they’re canceling DEI initiatives and filing lawsuits.

So, you want to boycott Target? Fine. It’s your right. But understand who you’re really hurting. You’re not sticking it to the man; you’re sticking it to the working class. You’re contributing to the erosion of the middle class.

And let’s be real, many of you will eventually need something from Target. Even if you stick to your guns, all you’ve done is hurt the checkout person and the stocker. We complain about the disappearing middle class, but actions like this contribute to it. We need to be smarter, more strategic. We need to focus on the real source of these problems.

Remember, chaos creates political instability, and that leads to financial instability. So, think twice before you jump on the boycott bandwagon. Think about whom you’re really hurting.

Update: Since the backlash facing Target, the CEO Brian Cornell has received a substantial pay cut. It seems his compensation package varies depending on Target’s success. However, it seems his salary has been reduced every year since 2020, which was during the COVID-19 pandemic. That year, Cornell’s income peaked at $77.5 million, while in 2024 it was $9.9 million.

So while there’s no doubt the DEI backlash and economic blackout have taken their toll on Target, I also wonder to what extent Target is feeling the effects of COVID? Consumer shopping habits have changed substantially over the last four years.

I know that Target was supposed to give its employees a substantial wage increase, but now, with continuous losses, who knows? But it goes back to my belief that CEO salaries just don’t add up mathematically.

For me, I always compared the world of business with the world of sports. If a professional athletic team brings in a superstar that costs $20 million more per year, the team expects to bring in more revenue, which of course exceeds that amount. I fail to see how paying a CEO $77 million brings in $78 million. Even if it did, it only brought in $1 million more. Seems like a lot of work for an extra million.

For example, back in the day, I had a colleague spending more than $100,000 per year on Yellow Page Ads. I told him to add up how much that brought in new revenue. I told him that even if you bring in $150,000, the first $100,000 goes to pay off the advertising costs. So I consider the first $100,000 pro bono work since it’s not a profit. This, besides the point, $100,000 in legal work is, for lack of a better term, a lot of work.

My view was that he was doing $150,000 worth of work to earn $50,000, and the $50,000 is further reduced because that also goes towards staff, etc. The next year, he stopped advertising with the Yellow Pages.

In Target’s case, Cornell was still paid $9.9 million. He’ll be fine financially, but I still can’t say the same about the employees.

Brian Cornell is Going Nowhere!

Updated on August 28, 2025

After more than a decade at the helm of Target Corporation, Brian Cornell will officially step down as CEO on February 1, 2026, and will be replaced by Chief Operating Officer Michael Fiddelke. So what happens to Cornell? Nothing! That’s why I have been critical of the boycott from day one.

Cornell will become executive chair of the board of directors. Does it sound like he was fired or demoted? Meanwhile, hundreds have been laid off because of the boycotts. So, for all of you who boycotted to prove a point, remind me again what point was proved? That the average Target employee is now unemployed and that also affects the local economy, while Cornell got a promotion? Great job!

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Updated on May 30, 2025.