UNITED STATES |
|||
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION |
|||
Washington, D.C. 20549 |
|||
|
|||
SCHEDULE 14A |
|||
|
|||
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of |
|||
|
|||
Filed by the Registrant x |
|||
|
|||
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o |
|||
|
|||
Check the appropriate box: |
|||
o |
Preliminary Proxy Statement |
||
o |
Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
||
o |
Definitive Proxy Statement |
||
x |
Definitive Additional Materials |
||
o |
Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12 |
||
|
|||
Target Corporation |
|||
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) |
|||
|
|||
|
|||
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) |
|||
|
|||
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): |
|||
x |
No fee required. |
||
o |
Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. |
||
|
(1) |
Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3) |
Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4) |
Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(5) |
Total fee paid: |
|
|
|
|
|
o |
Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
||
o |
Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. |
||
|
(1) |
Amount Previously Paid: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3) |
Filing Party: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4) |
Date Filed: |
|
|
|
|
|
On May 6, 2009, Target Corporation issued the following news release:
TARGET CORPORATION MAILS LETTER TO SHAREHOLDERS
MINNEAPOLIS, May 06, 2009 Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) announced today that it is mailing a letter to shareholders in connection with the Companys 2009 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 28, 2009.
Following is the text of the letter from Gregg Steinhafel, Targets Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, speaking on behalf of Targets Board:
May 6, 2009
Dear Fellow Shareholder:
Targets Annual Meeting on May 28, 2009, is fast approaching. You have the opportunity to vote now for Targets independent nominees using the WHITE proxy card by telephone or Internet, or by signing, dating, and returning the WHITE proxy card in the postage paid envelope provided. Please discard any gold proxy cards you receive from Pershing Square and vote the WHITE proxy card today.
Targets Board has the strength, diversity, experience and qualifications to provide effective and independent oversight and direction to the company. Each member of your Board is committed to delivering superior results and serving the best interests of ALL Target shareholders.
Your Board of Directors unanimously believes Targets nominees Mary N. Dillon, Richard M. Kovacevich, George W. Tamke, and Solomon D. Trujillo are the right nominees for your company.
TARGET HAS A CLEAR AND INNOVATIVE STRATEGY TO DELIVER STRONG
PERFORMANCE OVER TIME
Your Board and management team are fully engaged in driving Targets overall strategy. Target continues to deliver an exceptional guest experience which we believe will create substantial shareholder value. Our Board and management are recognized as among the best in retail because of our focus on continuous innovation and differentiation. We have created one of the most recognized brands in the United States through our distinctive marketing campaigns. By remaining relevant to our guests and delivering on our Expect More. Pay Less. brand promise, we believe we will continue to generate substantial shareholder value over time.
In contrast, we believe Pershing Square has presented no plan for Target other than the risky real estate proposals that our Board rejected after careful consideration. In fact, we believe that Pershing Square has changed its position and launched an attack on Targets strategy and our Board of Directors in an effort to divert attention from Pershing Squares risky real estate agenda.
TARGET HAS BEEN CONSISTENT AND TRANSPARENT SINCE THE BEGINNING
OF ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH PERSHING SQUARE
Target first met with Pershing Square in the summer of 2007, shortly after Pershing Square had announced an ownership stake in Target. At that meeting, Bill Ackman of Pershing Square initially proposed that Target should undertake a form of hybrid partnership and sale arrangement involving our credit card receivables and use the proceeds, together with $7 to $8 billion of new debt, to expand and accelerate our existing share repurchase program.
We listened carefully to Pershing Squares proposals and Targets Board promptly began a review of potential ownership alternatives for Targets credit card receivables and an analysis of its capital structure, including a review of the use of debt and the pace of share repurchase activity.
In November of 2007, the Target Board authorized a new $10 billion share repurchase program that preserved an appropriate capital structure and the companys strong investment grade credit ratings. In May of 2008, Target executed a sale of an undivided interest in 47 percent of its credit card receivables to JP Morgan Chase for $3.6 billion. At the announcement of the JP Morgan Chase transaction, Pershing Square contacted Target and expressed approval and enthusiasm for the transaction. However, in its proxy materials, Pershing Square criticizes Targets credit card transaction.
We believe that Pershing Square has now changed its position on Targets credit card transaction to divert attention from the real reason for its proxy contest.
TARGET WAS CONSISTENT AND TRANSPARENT IN ITS REVIEW AND
REJECTION OF PERSHING SQUARES REAL ESTATE PROPOSALS
Beginning in May 2008, Pershing Square advocated a series of real estate ideas, the latest of which we believe is essentially a leveraged recapitalization that would expose Target to $1.4 billion in annual lease payments for 75 years, which would increase each year for inflation. We believe such a transaction would undermine our competitive position, damage our credit ratings and access to the capital markets, jeopardize our long-term strategy and create little, if any, value. In November 2008, Target announced that after a comprehensive evaluation of various real estate structuring proposals outlined by Pershing Square, our Board had decided not to pursue Pershing Squares real estate proposals further.
As part of Targets full and complete review of Pershing Squares proposals, we consulted with all three major debt ratings agencies, canvassed potential investors to assess market demand and the assumed valuation for the real estate security and listened to the perspective of Targets shareholders.
We met numerous times with Pershing Square to discuss its real estate proposals, including a meeting between Bill Ackman of Pershing Square and several members of Targets Board. At those meetings, Target expressed its concerns to Pershing Square about the adverse effects of implementing Pershing Squares proposals. Pershing Square claims to have abandoned its risky real estate proposals.
We believe that Pershing Square has now changed its position on Targets real estate to divert attention from the real reason for its proxy contest.
PERSHING SQUARE COMPLIMENTED TARGETS CONSISTENT AND
TRANSPARENT SHAREHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, STRATEGY AND LEADERSHIP
UNTIL PERSHING SQUARES REAL ESTATE PROPOSAL WAS REJECTED
From the time of Pershing Squares disclosure of its first investment in Target until it launched its proxy contest, Pershing Square regularly praised Targets leadership, alignment with shareholders and strategy for creating value. Now, as part of its proxy contest, we believe Pershing Square has changed its position and is attacking Targets Board and management to divert attention from the real reason for its proxy contest.
After Targets Board rejected Pershing Squares real estate proposals, Pershing Square expressed the desire for representation on Targets Board of Directors and then started a proxy contest when Targets independent Nominating Committee and Board determined not to nominate Pershing Squares representatives. As recently as February 2009, at a meeting with Target, Bill Ackman pressed Target to implement his real estate proposal, and stated that he believed he needed to join Targets Board to be able to effectively express his point of view. Pershing Square now claims that the proxy fight is not about its risky real estate proposals.
We believe that Pershing Squares sizable short-term derivatives positions, which expire in less than two years, create an incentive to favor risk taking to affect short-term share price performance such as Pershing Squares heavily promoted REIT proposal which we view as unsound and not in the best interests of Target and its shareholders.
We believe Pershing Square has launched its proxy contest because of Targets rejection of its risky real estate proposals and that, if it is successful in its proxy contest, Pershing Square will continue to push those risky proposals. As a result, we believe Pershing Squares interest in Target is not aligned with our other shareholders.
VOTE FOR YOUR BOARDS NOMINEES ON THE WHITE
PROXY CARD TODAY
TO DEFEAT PERSHING SQUARES PROXY CONTEST
We urge you to vote FOR Targets nominees using the WHITE proxy card today. Your Board of Directors unanimously believes Targets nominees Mary N. Dillon, Richard M. Kovacevich, George W. Tamke, and Solomon D. Trujillo are the right nominees for your company.
Your Board and management team have a strong track record of success and a clear strategy for sustaining Targets competitive advantage, driving continued profitable growth and creating substantial shareholder value over time.
We urge you to support your Board and management by voting FOR the proposal that sets the size of your Board at 12 directors and FOR the four nominees proposed by the Board, using the enclosed WHITE proxy card, and not to return any gold proxy cards sent to you by Pershing Square.
If you vote using a proxy card sent to you by Pershing Square, you can subsequently revoke it by using the WHITE proxy card to vote by telephone or Internet, or by signing, dating and returning the WHITE proxy card in the postage paid envelope provided. Remember, only your last dated proxy will count any proxy may be revoked at any time prior to its exercise at the Annual Meeting as described in the Proxy Statement.
If you have any questions, please contact MacKenzie Partners, Inc. or Georgeson, which are assisting us in connection with this years Annual Meeting, at 800-322-2885 or at 866-295-8105.
On behalf of Targets Board of Directors, thank you for your continued support and interest in Target.
Sincerely, |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Gregg Steinhafel |
|
|
|
|
|
Gregg Steinhafel |
|
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer |
|
Important Information
Target, its directors, and certain of its officers and other employees are participants in the solicitation of proxies from Targets shareholders in connection with Targets 2009 Annual Meeting. Important information concerning the identity and interests of these persons is available in the proxy statement that Target filed with the SEC on April 21, 2009 and the Schedule 14A that Target filed with the SEC on April 23, 2009.
Target has filed a definitive proxy statement in connection with its 2009 Annual Meeting. The definitive proxy statement, any other relevant documents, and other materials filed with the SEC concerning Target are available free of charge at http://www.sec.gov and http://investors.target.com. Shareholders should read carefully the definitive proxy statement and the accompanying WHITE proxy card before making any voting decision.
This letter contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding shareholder value. Such statements speak only as of the date they are made and are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause the companys actual results to differ materially. The most important risks and uncertainties are described in Item 1A of Targets Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2009.
About Target
Target Corporations retail segment includes large general merchandise and food discount stores and Target.com, a fully integrated on-line business. In addition, the company operates a credit card segment that offers branded proprietary and Visa credit card products. The company currently operates 1,698 Target stores in 49 states. Target Corporation news releases are available at www.target.com.
Contacts: |
John Hulbert |
Susan Kahn |
|
(612) 761-6627 |
(612) 761-6735 |
|
|
|
|
Joele Frank / Tim Lynch |
|
|
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher |
|
|
(212) 355 4449 |