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Jio IPO, AI Push, Google & Meta Tie-Ups: Full Text Of Mukesh Ambani’s Speech At 48th RIL AGM

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Jio IPO, AI Push, Google & Meta Tie-Ups: Full Text Of Mukesh Ambani’s Speech At 48th RIL AGM


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Here’s Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani’s Full Address To Shareholders During 48th RIL AGM.

Mukesh Ambani speaks at 48th RIL AGM.

Mukesh Ambani speaks at 48th RIL AGM.

Mukesh Ambani’s Full Speech At RIL AGM 2025: Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Friday announced key growth initiatives at the company’s 48th AGM, including a timeline for Jio’s IPO, the launch of a new AI-focused subsidiary ‘Reliance Intelligence’, and partnerships with Google and Meta to accelerate India’s artificial intelligence ecosystem.

Here’s Mukesh Ambani’s Full Address To Shareholders During 48th RIL AGM.

“My Dear Shareowners,

Namaste, and a very warm welcome to the 48th Annual General Meeting of Reliance Industries Limited.

We meet today on the most auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. Lord Ganesh has arrived in our homes and in pandals on our streets. Let us begin this meeting by seeking the blessings of Bhagwan Ganesh – for you, your families, the entire Reliance Parivar, and for all the people of India and the world.

Friends,

The global economy today is navigating through an era of great uncertainty. Geopolitical tensions are rising, volatility is persistent, and predictability is scarce.

The world is realising that conflict produces no winners, whereas co-operation ensures shared prosperity. When nations co-operate, trade flows freely, investments flourish and everyone wins.

In today’s inter-dependent world, the prosperity of each country is inseparably linked to the prosperity of all. Paradoxically, while uncertainty surrounds us, humanity also stands at the threshold of a golden age in the 21 century – an age defined no longer by scarcity, but by super-abundance and super-affordability for all eight billion people on this planet.

This has become possible because of the convergence of three powerful technological transformations:

· Breakthroughs in Clean Energy are unlocking a future of abundance, sustainability, and security, raising hopes for overcoming the climate crisis.

· Breakthroughs in Genomics promise dramatic improvements in cure of diseases, longevity, and overall health.

· Breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence and allied Deep Technologies have already begun to boost productivity, efficiency and human potential to unimaginable levels.

Owing to its miraculous power, AI can now be called the new Kamdhenu – the divine wish-fulfilling cow of our age.

At Reliance, we see these three convergent transformations not as distant possibilities, but as immediate opportunities for India. Therefore, we are building the world’s most advanced Clean Energy ecosystems. We are expanding into the frontiers of Digital Health, Life Sciences and Genomics. And we are developing AI as a new growth engine, besides embedding AI across all our businesses – from retail to telecom, from energy to entertainment.

India, with its scale, talent, and entrepreneurial spirit, is uniquely positioned to lead in this new era of AI, Clean Energy, and Genomics. And Reliance has positioned itself confidently to lead our nation’s mission to ensure that abundance and affordability become the birthright of every Indian.

This is our solemn promise.

Friends,

The possibilities created by these new technologies are staggering. The global GDP, at $110 trillion today, has the potential to reach $500 trillion within the next 25-30 years.

Imagine, in our own lifetime, we can end poverty globally and ensure that every human being has access to all basic needs. For this vision to be realised, it is our hope that the world leaders choose co-operation over conflict, dialogue over discord, and win-win agreements over zero-sum rivalries.

Despite geopolitical uncertainty, one truth is crystal clear. India is on the rise, and India’s rise is unstoppable. Today, India already ranks among the world’s top four global economies.

Under the determined leadership of our visionary Prime Minister, Shri Narendrabhai Modiji, India’s GDP is growing faster than all major economies. With the right set of reforms, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and a national priority on Deep Tech, our economy can grow at 10% annually.

This will mean that the per capita income of Indians could rise 4-5 times within the next two decades, making India not just a prosperous nation but also a more equal nation.

More importantly, India need not copy any foreign model. We have the ability, and the responsibility, to create an India-first model of development.

This model will use Deep Tech to bring prosperity and security to India, improve the quality of life of each and every Indian, and protect the environment. This model will also harmonise technology with democracy, economy with culture, spirituality with science, and national aspirations with friendship across all nations.

This is the collective dream of nearly 1.5 billion Indians – to build a nation that leads with both prosperity and compassion. This, my dear shareholders, is the Indian Dream.

Dear Shareholders,

As Reliance approaches the close of its Golden Decade, we rededicate ourselves to the rapid realisation of this Indian Dream. We are resolutely transforming our operating model to become a Deep-Tech company with advanced manufacturing capabilities. We are making every one of our businesses AI-native, positioning them for hyper-growth.

Our corporate philosophy of “We Care” compels us to continuously improve the quality of our products and services in ways that promote the wellbeing of both People and Planet. Our operating model is now led more by innovation than capital intensity. That is why we are attracting and empowering super-talented young leaders who will drive the next wave of value creation with bold innovations.

Reliance has never rested on its past laurels. Our Founder and Forever Guide, Shri Dhirubhai Ambani, instilled in us a DNA of relentless reinvention and reimagination. Again and again, we will reimagine and re-engineer ourselves to create greater wealth for our nation and higher value for society.

This is my solemn commitment to you.

Business & Financial Performance

Dear Shareholders,

I am happy to share with you the details of yet another stellar year of business and financial performance, achieved in spite of multiple challenges.

In FY-25, Reliance delivered record consolidated revenue of Rs 10,71,174 crore ($125.3 billion), becoming India’s first-ever company to cross $125 billion in annual revenues.

Reliance’s EBITDA stood at Rs 1,83,422 crore ($21.5 billion) and net profit grew to ₹81,309 crore ($9.5 billion).

Reliance’s exports were ₹2,83,719 crore ($33.2 billion), contributing 7.6% of India’s total merchandise exports.

Your company invested cumulatively ₹5.6 lakh crore ($65.5 billion) over the last three years.

And it remains the single largest contributor to the national exchequer, contributing Rs 2,10,269 crore ($24.6 billion) in FY-25. In the last six years, Reliance’s contribution to national exchequer has crossed Rs 10 lakh crore ($117.0 billion).

I am also proud to report that Reliance’s CSR spending in FY-25 rose to ₹2,156 crore ($252 million). Our cumulative CSR expenditure over the last three years has crossed ₹5,000 crore ($585 million).

This is a clear reflection of our unwavering commitment towards creating a societal impact.

Friends,

Employment generation for India’s talented youth is a national priority. It is also a priority for Reliance.

Globally, the dynamics of employment are undergoing a shift towards flexibility, driven mainly by AI and automation. Reliance has also adopted modern engagement formats that combine opportunities for upskilling, entrepreneurial drive, job satisfaction, and higher earning potential.

Today, our conventional and non-conventional workforce has grown to nearly 6.8 lakh people. I see this growing to more than 10 lakh people over the next few years. It gives me immense satisfaction to say that we rank among the most admired employers and largest job creators in India.

Reliance continues to lead across every key growth parameter – revenues, profitability, exports, market value, investments, contribution to the exchequer, and societal impact. I am confident that Reliance will keep breaking its own records in business performance next year and beyond.

Digital Services

Dear Friends,

Let me begin by sharing with you the impressive performance of our digital business. Just a week from now, Jio will enter its 10th year of service to the nation. Looking back, these years have been the most glorious in India’s digital history.

Today, I am proud to share with you that the Jio family has crossed 500 million customers. The 500-million milestone is a symbol of your unwavering trust and support. I offer my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you.

I have heard people say: “Jio changed my life”, and “I love Jio”. But I say from my heart: “Actually, each and every Indian built Jio by simply making it a part of their lives.”

Let me present a short video of our Jio journey – how 500 million Indians made Jio.

Friends,

Jio was conceived at a time when India’s road to digital transformation was blocked. Prohibitive data prices, poor connectivity, and poorer speeds had stifled the digital aspirations of Indians. That is when we said, “This must end.” And Jio ended India’s digital poverty within a few years.

Jio’s bold Deep-Tech initiatives sparked India’s technological revolution and became the backbone of our Prime Minister’s Digital India Mission. Let me mention only five major achievements of Jio, which were previously unimaginable:

· First, Jio made voice calls free from anywhere to everywhere in India.

· Second, Jio made it a habit for common Indians to watch videos on their mobile and do digital payments, also through mobiles.

· Third, Jio laid the foundation for India’s Digital Public Infrastructure such as Aadhaar, UPI, Jan Dhan, Direct Bank Transfer, and empowered a confident new generation.

· Fourth, Jio enabled creation of the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem in India comprising over 100 unicorns.

· Fifth, Jio’s nationwide 5G rollout, the fastest in the world, has laid the foundation for the AI revolution in India.

Dear Shareholders,

As a result of these achievements, the financial performance of Jio is scaling new heights with every passing year.

Jio’s revenue was Rs 1,28,218 crore ($15.0 billion), a growth of 17% YoY in FY-25; and EBITDA was Rs 64,170 crore ($7.5 billion). These figures are a testimony to the enormous value Jio has already created, and even greater value it is destined to create.

Today, it is my proud privilege to announce that Jio is making all arrangements to file for its IPO. We are aiming to list Jio by the first-half of 2026, subject to all necessary approvals.

I assure you that this will demonstrate that Jio is capable of creating the same quantum of value like our global counterparts. I am sure that it will be a very attractive opportunity for all investors.

Friends,

Jio’s plans for the future are even more ambitious. They rest on five assurances:

· One: Jio will connect every Indian on mobile and home broadband.

· Two: Jio will equip every Indian home with digital services such as Jio Smart Home, JioTV+, Jio TV OS, and seamless automation.

· Three: Jio will digitise every Indian business and enterprise with simple, scalable, and secure platforms.

· Four: Jio will herald the AI revolution in India. Our motto is AI Everywhere for Everyone.

· Five: Jio will expand its operations outside India, taking our home-grown technology to people around the world.

I am extremely confident that the path ahead for Jio is even brighter than its journey so far…

We are proud of Akash and the entire Jio leadership team for their achievements. I am sure that you will surpass your successes in the future.

Dear Friends,

Disney, which is amongst the largest entertainment companies globally, has partnered with Reliance to form JioStar…

We look forward to a very strong partnership with Disney.

Dear Shareholders,

Let me update you on our news and current affairs business.

Network18 is pioneering disruptive models with a sharp focus on credible journalism, creative content, and innovation.

Moneycontrol has consolidated its leadership as India’s largest platform for business news, financial markets data, and investment analytics.

With over one million paid subscribers, Moneycontrol Pro ranks among the top 15 subscription platforms globally, alongside The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

Firstpost is growing rapidly as India’s digital-first global view of the world, with a strong presence across platforms. In May this year, it recorded over 400 million video views, becoming the most-viewed Indian English news channel on YouTube globally. It is now India’s first truly global news brand for geopolitics, strategic affairs, culture, and lifestyle. In the coming year, Firstpost will expand further with new bureaus in key world capitals.

Network18 continues to lead with CNN-News18, the No. 1 general news channel for three consecutive years.

CNBC-TV18 has retained its leadership in business news for more than two decades, with an overwhelming market share. With CNBC-TV18 Prime and CNBC-TV18 Access, it is delivering premium content to CXOs and decisionmakers nationwide. It is now looking beyond India for global mindshare, market share, and revenue share, delivering delight across screens and platforms.

I am counting on the leadership team at Network18 to carry the flag of Indian journalism around the world.

Reliance Intelligence

Dear Shareholders,

I am proud that Artificial Intelligence is already at the heart of Reliance’s transformation into a Deep-Tech enterprise. To bring even more focus and speed to this agenda, today, it is my great pleasure and privilege to announce the formation of a new wholly-owned subsidiary called Reliance Intelligence.

This new company is conceived with four clear missions:

· First, to house India’s next-generation AI infrastructure. Reliance Intelligence will build gigawatt-scale, AI-ready data centres, powered by green energy and engineered for training and inference at national scale. Work has already begun on the gigawatt-scale, AI-ready data centres in Jamnagar. These facilities will be delivered in phases aligned to India’s growing needs, powered by Reliance’s new-energy ecosystem, and custom-made for AI training and inference.

· Second, to house global partnerships. Reliance Intelligence will bring the world’s best tech-companies and open-source communities together with Reliance’s deep-domain expertise and execution strength, to deliver performance leadership, resilient supply, and India-first compliance for AI.

· Third, to build AI services for India. Reliance Intelligence will deliver trusted, easy-to-use AI services for consumers, small businesses, and enterprises, and solutions for sectors of national importance such as Education, Healthcare, and Agriculture. The services will be reliable at scale and affordable for every Indian.

· Fourth, to house talent for AI. Reliance Intelligence will create a home for world-class researchers, engineers, designers, and product builders, combining the speed of research with the rigour of engineering, so that ideas become innovations and applications, providing solutions to India and the world.

Friends,

Today, I am delighted to announce a deeper, holistic partnership for AI with our long-standing partner, Google. Through this partnership, we are marrying Reliance’s proven capability to build world-class assets and execute at India’s scale with Google’s leading cloud and AI technologies, so that developers, start-ups, and enterprises can innovate faster, operate more securely, and reach every corner of India…

Dear Shareholders,

Today, I am also pleased to unveil a new, India-focused AI joint venture with our close partner, Meta. Together, we want to pair the power of open-source AI with Reliance’s deep domain knowledge across industries.

That is why, we are forming a dedicated joint venture with Meta to combine open models and tools with our execution in Energy, Retail, Telecom, Media, and Manufacturing, and to deliver sovereign, enterprise-ready AI for India…

Our joint venture with Meta is a game-changer for Indian enterprises and for sectors of national importance. It will bring transparency, portability, and community-driven progress; enable sovereign hosting and governance within India; and lower inference costs while raising safety and trust, so that adoption accelerates from pilot to production across the economy.

Dear Friends,

Another exciting frontier for AI is Robotics, especially Humanoid Robotics. Astonishing advances are taking place in this field. Intelligent automation will transform factories into adaptive production systems, warehouses into autonomous supply chains, and hospitals into centres of precision care.

We are investing to make India a leader in human-centric robotics powered by AI, creating new types of industries and services, new types of agriculture, new types of jobs, and attractive new opportunities for our youth.

Dear Shareholders,

A decade ago, digital services became a new growth engine for Reliance. Now, the opportunity before us with AI is just as large, if not larger.

Jio promised and delivered digital everywhere and for every Indian. Similarly, Reliance Intelligence promises to deliver AI everywhere for every Indian.

With Reliance Intelligence and our strong partnerships, green infrastructure, and India-first governance, we are building for the next decade with confidence and ambition. I am excited about what we will achieve, and I look forward to keeping you updated on our progress in the coming years.

Retail Business

Dear Shareholders,

It fills me with immense pride to stand before you today and speak about one of the most impactful growth journeys in modern India – the journey of Reliance Retail.

We have today, India’s most advanced, scalable, and inclusive retail ecosystem, delivering the highest quality and widest choice at affordable prices across the country. And it is amongst the fastest growing retailers globally, with scale and depth that is unparalleled in the world. Reliance Retail is now ready to write the next chapter of super growth

Reliance Consumer Products Limited (RCPL) had an outstanding growth in just the first year of operations. It has achieved a turnover of Rs 11,500 crore ($1.4 billion), making it the fastest-growing FMCG company ever. It is bringing some of India’s most loved brands like Campa to the consumers in a new avatar, making everyone love them once again…

Dear Shareholders,

Let us applaud Isha and the entire Retail Team for their superlative achievements. Isha has presented a truly ambitious growth path for our Retail and Consumer Products businesses. We will achieve these ambitious goals by riding India’s growth wave, powered by technology, and driven by our passion to create products that inspire loyalty and love.

Dear Shareholders,

Now we turn to our energy business…

Let me congratulate the entire leadership team of Energy Business for their operational excellence in challenging times. I am sure that they will set global benchmarks in executing all their projects, making New Energy a large growth engine for Reliance…

Reliance Foundation

What Reliance Foundation has achieved in the past 15 years is, of course, highly impressive. But you have raised the bar higher by aiming to amplify its impact five-fold by 2035, when Reliance Foundation celebrates its Silver Jubilee. More power to you and your highly motivated team.

Value Creation Roadmap

Dear Shareowners,

I shall now share with you our Value Creation Roadmap for the coming year and beyond.

It is with immense pride – and even greater humility and gratitude – that I look back on our shared extraordinary journey of value creation over the past five decades. In just one generation, Reliance has transformed itself from a Fortune 1000 company to a Fortune 40 global powerhouse, creating over $200 billion in value – all within India.

We have achieved this by staying true to the First Principles I have often shared with you:

· One, what is good for India is good for Reliance.

· Two, build businesses of the future.

· Three, build them world-class, and at mega scale – the largest and most competitive globally, with the highest standards of governance.

· Four, invest in world-class talent and cutting-edge technologies.

Faithful adherence to these principles has been our value-creation dharma.

Dear Shareholders,

As I look to the future, I see our O2C business achieving substantial growth and delivering stable returns as geopolitical tensions subside. I also see rapid, innovation-driven growth in our materials business. We are well-positioned to produce high-value green fuels and chemicals which India and the world will need.

Our New and Clean Energy business is being built with a singular purpose: to make India self-sufficient in energy, and to resolve India’s energy trilemma of security, affordability, and sustainability through world-scale giga manufacturing, through round-the-clock renewable electricity, and through green fuels and chemicals at global scale.

This goal may look impossible to achieve now. But we are laying a robust foundation for our country’s energy transition so that freedom from imports can be achieved by the time India celebrates 100 years of independence in 2047.

I am sure that our New Energy business will be a major driver of growth for many decades, with the potential to become as big as our Oil-to-Chemicals business within the next 5-7 years. In scale, ambition, and impact, it will surpass everything Reliance has done so far. It will create unprecedented, perpetual value for both India and Reliance.

Dear Shareholders,

Jio today is the largest data company globally. Its multiple inherent strengths guarantee accelerated growth. All of Jio’s 500 million – and growing – subscribers will move to 5G and eventually 6G by 2030. Jio’s home and enterprise digital services businesses are growing at phenomenal speed.

Reliance Retail, now synonymous with the consumption basket of over 300 million Indians every month, is another testament to our ability to create hyper-value. In just five years, it has leap-frogged from the Top-100 to the Top-25 global retailers – powered by an unbeatable physical-digital-B2B network that reaches every corner of India.

Retail will continue to grow in both B2B and B2C spaces with our customer-centric, omni-channel strategy. I can clearly see its revenues grow multifold in the coming years.

This year, I announced the creation of two new large growth engines –RCPL and Reliance Intelligence. Each of them has the potential to grow larger than our existing business segments.

RCPL, as a subsidiary of RIL, is a strategic move to create India’s largest FMCG company. RCPL’s phenomenal growth is guaranteed by the consumption boom in India, our world-class supply chain, and advanced manufacturing capabilities.

Our new Intelligence business will drive the AI revolution in India. This will enable Indians to adopt AI at scale and make our country a global force in AI.

Recognising these strengths, Gartner, the globally reputed technology research and advisory firm, has ranked Reliance Industries alongside Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Meta, and Alibaba, stating that these entities are the new superpowers, and are “setting the terms for the next global economy”.

Dear Shareholders,

Our value creation philosophy is deeply rooted in our work culture. The work culture of Reliance is guided by a wise principle Mahatma Gandhi propagated nearly a century ago: “A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him.”

With this principle, we have fundamentally changed the operating model of all our consumer-facing businesses – we do not sell, we serve. Our engagement with customers, suppliers, and partners is not transaction-based – it is trust-based, and therefore enduring.

The national wealth, employment, and societal impact created by our businesses and philanthropic initiatives are already so huge that they make me both humble and proud.

But the best of Reliance is yet to come. In 2022, I made a promise that we will double Reliance by the end of our Golden Decade in 2028. At that time, our EBITDA was about Rs 1.25 lakh crore ($14.6 billion). I reiterate that Reliance will more than double its EBITDAby the end of its Golden Decade.

Thank you for your trust, your partnership, and your belief in our shared vision.

Institutional Strengthening

Dear Friends,

At Reliance, we believe that institutional longevity and perpetual growth are guaranteed only by constant self-renewal.

This demands four elements:

· A deep bench of capable leadership at all levels

· Unshakable core values

· A resilient work culture

· A never-changing commitment to the original purpose of the organisation

We are strengthening all four – deliberately and decisively.

A major milestone in this journey has been the evolution of our next-generation leaders – Isha, Akash, and Anant – who have now completed two transformative years on the Board of Reliance Industries.

Fully embedded in operations and decision-making, they are shaping our businesses with energy, conviction, and clarity of purpose. Under the mentorship of senior leaders and independent directors, they are becoming the kind of leaders this era demands – agile, accountable, ambitious, empathetic, and consultative. They are supported by hundreds of young leaders in their 30s and 40s, with domain expertise and the same passion and ambition that built Reliance.

Friends,

Leadership development at Reliance is not a programme, but a foundational strategy. We have institutionalised systems to identify high-potential talent across businesses, empowering them with responsibilities, global exposure, and AI tools to lead boldly in the complex world of today.

We are also constantly perfecting our HR practices to enrich our People Capital. I want everyone at Reliance to feel the pride of being part of the Reliance Parivar, united by a commitment to serve India and the larger humanity.

As Reliance, what sets us apart – and grounds us – are the virtues of Purpose, Philosophy, Passion, and Pioneering Spirit of our Founding Chairman, Shri Dhirubhai Ambani. His legacy continues to guide us as we innovate and grow, ensuring we stay rooted in our Indian identity and values.

As India accelerates into her next horizon, so must Reliance. Expectations are rising from all quarters – our people, partners, our country, as well as the international community. We are not just preparing for that future. We are shaping it.

Conclusion

Dear Shareholders,

It has been my privilege to serve your company since its inception and to attend every single AGM of Reliance for the past 48 years. This has given me the opportunity to watch, and participate in, every phase of Reliance’s evolution.

I have also witnessed India’s incredible journey in these five decades ─ from a “Third World” country to one now on the threshold of becoming a First World Power.

The most important lesson this journey has taught us is that there is no substitute for economic strength. This lesson is reinforced by recent geopolitical developments. India must gain greater economic strength ─ and do so with a sense of urgency.

Our Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji, rightly exhorted us in his Independence Day speech that the yardstick of aatma samman – self-respect is atma nirbharata – self-reliance. India must become self-reliant to the maximum extent in key technologies, critical industries, and other vital sectors of the global economy.

Throughout our history, Reliance has contributed to this mission of building a strong India, a Balwaan Bharat. I assure our respected Prime Minister that Reliance will follow his command with redoubled efforts.

However, the magnitude of the challenge is so large that all Indian businesses must work together with unity as a grand coalition – in the spirit of cooperation, mutual learning, and mutual support.

I had made this suggestion in last year’s AGM, and I repeat it today. There is strength in unity and collective endeavour. And this is what the nation today expects from its business community.

Acknowledgements

On behalf of all our shareholders, I extend my heartfelt thanks to our Board of Directors for their guidance and oversight.

My deepest appreciation goes to all our employees – our greatest asset – whose dedication and commitment have enabled the company to reach new heights.

I also thank our business partners for their unwavering support in delivering quality solutions.

Above all, I remain profoundly grateful to India and all Indians for their enduring faith in Brand Reliance.

Thank you, Jai Hind, and Jai Shri Krishna!”

authorimg

Mohammad Haris

Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h…Read More

Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h… Read More

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Business

Target is making big changes to win back customers. Here’s what shoppers can expect to see

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Target is making big changes to win back customers. Here’s what shoppers can expect to see


A Target store in Chicago, Feb. 10, 2026.

Scott Olson | Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS — Target customers will soon see changes on the retailer’s shelves, as the company tries to woo back shoppers during a turnaround effort that has started to catch Wall Street’s eye.

Among those shifts, Target will add more fresh and trendy groceries, a dedicated display for higher-end makeup and a larger array of merchandise for sports fans.

At the big-box retailer’s Minneapolis headquarters on Tuesday, Target’s merchandising leaders previewed the company’s ambitious plans to overhaul key categories, including home and apparel, which have posted year-over-year sales declines. The company held an investor meeting to share its holiday-quarter results and its turnaround strategy for this year, which hinges in part on regaining its reputation for stylish and unique items.

CEO Michael Fiddelke, a Target veteran who stepped into the top role on Feb. 1, told investors on Tuesday that the company is making changes that “don’t happen overnight.” But, he added, they include many tweaks that customers “will see and feel right away.”

“If I were to step back and draw a heat map of the entire store highlighting where we’re making changes this year, you’d see more change to what we sell and how we sell it than you’ve seen in a decade,” he said.

The success of Target’s merchandise makeover will help determine whether the company meets its sales and earnings outlook for the current year and whether it can reverse four consecutive quarters of declining customer traffic. The company’s revenue fell slightly in fiscal 2025 and has been stagnant for four years.

Target said Tuesday that it expects net sales for the current fiscal year to rise about 2% compared with the previous year and anticipates that sales will grow in every quarter of the year.

Wall Street had a positive early read on Target’s turnaround progress: The company’s stock climbed more than 6% on Tuesday, and was trading higher on Wednesday.

Here’s a closer look at Target’s merchandising changes:

Putting a fresher spin on grocery 

Target is expanding the fresh department and adding more prominent signage for its Good & Gather private brand as it tries to draw more customers to stores for grocery shopping. This rendering shows what the expanded fruit, vegetable and meat displays will look like.

Courtesy of Target

One of the top reasons for customers’ Target trips is a simple one — running in for a quick grocery item like a gallon of milk or box of pasta. The challenge is getting shoppers to buy more of their food there.

Food is the No. 1 traffic driver for Target, and over half of customers have food in their shopping basket, said John Conlin, senior vice president of merchandising, food and beverage. Target’s grocery category, which it labels food and beverage, drew higher sales than any of Target’s merchandising segments in the past fiscal year. It grew by about 1% year over year and totaled $24.14 billion — or roughly 23% of Target’s net sales for the fiscal year. 

Yet for many customers, Target is a destination for buying just a few grocery items rather than a fuller basket of food for the week. Plus, competition has grown fiercer — not only from the nation’s largest grocer by revenue, Walmart, but also from Amazon and fast-expanding discounter Aldi.

“We don’t want food to just be a business that guests are shopping while they’re at Target,” he said. “But increasingly, we want to be a business that is why guests are at Target.”

He said Target is “trying to carve our own lane with our assortment strategy” rather than copy the grocers down the street.

Going forward, Target will expand the square footage it devotes to grocery as it remodels stores and builds new ones, Conlin said. In over half of the stores that the company remodels, Target will double the square footage for fresh foods like fruits, vegetables and meats, he added.

The company also plans to add more brands that shoppers haven’t yet discovered and lean on seasonal items and private brands. To stand out from competitors, Target is going to ramp up the amount of new items by up to 50% in key categories like snacks and dry groceries, Conlin said.

But he acknowledged a challenge that has tripped up Target in recent years, which it’s tried to fix by owning its supply chain and opening a new facility in Colorado in the next year.

“None of this comes to light if we’re not in stock for our guests,” he said.

He declined to share a key detail about some items and brands that Target is adding: price points.

Giving beauty a glow up 

In many of Target’s stores, customers buy lip gloss and other items from Ulta Beauty. That will change in August, after the two brands announced the end of a deal that brought the mini beauty shops to nearly a third of Target’s big-box stores. 

On Tuesday, Target said it plans to give its own beauty assortment a glow up. This fall, it will open what it is dubbing its Beauty Studio in more than 600 stores and online, said Amanda Nusz, senior vice president of merchandising for essentials and beauty at Target.

Beauty Studio will replace Ulta Beauty at Target. It will be a dedicated shop within the store with prestige beauty brands, elevated lighting, enhanced service and a loyalty program tied to beauty, Nusz said. In renderings, the beauty shop looks similar to Ulta Beauty at Target, but without the beauty retailer’s branding. 

Starting this fall, Target will open Beauty Studio dedicated shops in more than 600 stores and online. The prestige beauty shop will replace Ulta Beauty at Target.

Courtesy of Target

Nusz declined to share the national brands that the Beauty Studio will carry and whether it will offer some of the same brands sold by Ulta Beauty and other competitors like Sephora.

Beauty “has been one of the strongest growth engines for Target,” Nusz said. She said it was also the top growth category for Target’s curbside pickup service, Drive Up, and in-store pickup of online orders in the fourth quarter. A bonus for Target: Beauty tends to draw in younger shoppers.

The segment’s sales were roughly flat year over year in the most recent fiscal year, but accounted for about 13% of Target’s overall net sales for the period.

Along with rolling out Beauty Studio, Nusz said, Target will add more well-recognized national brands like sunscreen brand Supergoop, lean into trends like Korean beauty and invest more in men’s beauty, such as grooming and fragrance items.

Adding fun and pop culture relevance

Target has overhauled its hardlines category, which includes items like consumer electronics, books and toys. The category, which it now calls Fun101, now carries more items related to sports and pop culture. For example, it has a line of merchandise for the 30th anniversary of the movie “Space Jam.”

Melissa Repko | CNBC

In the back of Target’s stores, the retailer is giving an overhaul to a department that’s typically known for selling consumer electronics, toys and books.

Instead of calling it the traditional name, hardlines, Target coined the category Fun101.

Cassandra Jones, senior vice president of merchandising for Fun101, said the goal went beyond the new name, however. Target wanted to turn around a category that was falling flat.

Starting in late 2024, Target has had a tighter focus on four key areas: play, which includes toys like plush stuffed animals and popular brands like Lego; pop, which includes culturally inspired items like a limited-edition collection tied to Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and another linked to the 30th anniversary of the movie “Space Jam”; sport, which includes items like water bottles and licensed sports apparel for professional teams; and gadget, which includes trendy takes on products like phone cases and headphones.

On the other hand, Jones said Target has cut back on items like TVs and laptops, where it’s harder to stand out from retail competitors or inject a sense of style.

Sales of Fun101 merchandise were roughly flat year over year in the most recent fiscal year, but drove $15.8 billion, or 15%, of Target’s net sales for the period.

Jones said shoppers will see the category go bigger in the second half of the year. Target plans to open a fan shop in stores and online with licensed sports gear, expand its position as a “trading card destination” and open a “collectibles zone” for other types of merchandise.

Target’s home category has been one of its weakest performers. The retailer is overhauling the category and redoing the display area in stores, too. It showed off some of its newer items at an investor event in Minneapolis.

Melissa Repko | CNBC

Rebuilding home goods

Target used to be known for its fashion-forward yet affordable throw pillows, lamps, bedding and other home decor. The category, however, is now one of the retailer’s weaknesses — particularly as it competes with digital players like Wayfair, big-box competitors like Walmart and Costco, off-price chains like TJX‘s HomeGoods and specialty players like Crate & Barrel or Pottery Barn.

Sales in the home furnishings and decor category totaled $15.61 billion in the most recent fiscal year, sinking by nearly 7% year over year. That’s a deeper sales drop than in any of Target’s other key merchandise categories.

The big-box retailer is working to become a destination for the category again, said Mara Sirhal, senior vice president of merchandising for home, who stepped into the role about three months ago.

“Our home business has not delivered to its potential, point-blank,” she said. “The industry grew. Target home underperformed. We lost meaningful share over the last two years, and our authority and style inspiration has weakened. That is on us.”

Among the problems, she said, Target “lost clarity in our point of view,” with a blander assortment rather than a stylish, eye-catching one.

Sales of home goods at Target have also been hurt by economic factors, including higher interest rates and pricier homes in the U.S., which have led to a much older first-time homebuyer, she said.

Starting in June, Target will rebuild the category as part of a multiyear turnaround effort, she said. One of its first moves this summer will be redoing about 75% of its assortment in decorative home, which includes items like candlesticks, throw pillows and greenery. By the fall, she said, three-quarters of its bedding assortment will be reinvented. And next year, she said, Target will overhaul its kitchen and dining merchandise.

It won’t just be the products changing, she said. Shoppers should expect to see new fixtures in stores, too, such as elevated wood displays. It will also use its third-party marketplace, Target Plus, to sell large items that are easier to carry online, such as rugs, mattresses and furniture, she said.

To try to turn around its apparel sales, Target is using an artificial intelligence tool, Trend Brain, to help the company spot the styles that customers want earlier and speed those looks to shelves. The tool helped the company develop a collection of Western-inspired clothing and accessories.

Melissa Repko | CNBC

Speeding up fashion and raising the bar on basics

Another well-known category in Target stores has become a weaker link, too. Apparel and accessories sales at the company fell to $15.74 billion in the most recent fiscal year, down about 5% from the prior year.

To drive sales growth again, the big-box retailer aims to spot trends earlier, speed up the time it takes for new looks to hit shelves and sharpen the selection of clothing that it carries — even for basics like tank tops, said Gena Fox, senior vice president of apparel and accessories at Target.

She said the company’s performance “has not been where we want it to be over the past year.”

Denim, T-shirts and tanks make up about 25% of Target’s total assortment, Fox said. Last year, it overhauled its denim to raise the quality and style, which led to a 10% year-over-year lift in sales for that category.

This year, she said, Target plans to take that same approach to fix T-shirts and tanks, which have had weaker sales. Some of those refreshed closet staples are starting to hit store shelves and Target’s website.

Target is also working to get ahead of trends, which it features in collections in stores and online, she said. To spot trends, it’s using a new artificial intelligence-powered tool called Target Trend Brain, which helps the company’s designers and merchants identify the styles, colors and materials that customers may want.

For example, insights from Trend Brain helped inspire a Western edit of clothing and accessories like purses with fringe and belts with embroidery, with all items under $40. That area will soon rotate to a collaboration with Roller Rabbit, a colorful and brightly patterned pajama brand, that will include swimwear, sundresses and pool accessories.

Target is known for its limited-time brand collaborations. For the spring, it has a new line of swimsuits, pool accessories and more developed with pajama brand Roller Rabbit.

Melissa Repko | CNBC

Fox said the apparel and accessories timeline is now about 40% faster as the company reacts more in the moment rather than planning six to 12 months in advance.

Along with those trend-driven items, Target will expand national brands and add new partnerships. Last week, the company announced it would bring Levi’s to more stores, which will mean the denim brand is in more than 1,000 — or roughly half — of its stores, Fox said. It also developed an exclusive clothing line with country music singer Megan Moroney, which will coincide with her upcoming tour.



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Disney launches its Adventure cruise ship — a new foothold in Southeast Asia

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Disney launches its Adventure cruise ship — a new foothold in Southeast Asia


Disney’s cruise line is going big in Asia.

This month, the company’s eighth and largest ship, the Disney Adventure, will embark on its maiden voyage, carrying passengers on three- and four-night journeys at sea from its berth in Singapore.

The vessel accommodates a whopping 6,700 passengers, around two-thirds more capacity than Disney’s Wish class ships, which are the Disney Wish, the Disney Treasure and the Disney Destiny. The Adventure can also carry around 2,500 crew members, about 1,000 more than on the Wish class ships.

“It takes a village to be able to support the type of service that we’re known for,” Joe Schott, president of Disney Signature Experiences, told CNBC.

The Disney Adventure sets sail at a time of rapid expansion for Disney’s cruise line. It is one of six vessels set to join the fleet by 2031. It’s also emblematic of the company’s global aspirations, which coincides with a sharp decline in international visitors venturing to the United States.

Mickey and Minnie Mouse pose in front of the Disney Adventure.

Disney

While tourism grew worldwide last year, the United States was the only major destination to see a drop in foreign visitors, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. Overall, international travel to the U.S. fell 6%, the organization found. That decline continued into 2026, as January’s numbers were down 4.8% compared with the same month a year prior.

Travel bans, visa fees and invasive searches at ports of entry are all contributing to international travelers leaving the United States off their travel itineraries, according to the WTTC. Trade frictions, geopolitical unease and safety concerns have also contributed to the drop in demand for travel stateside, travel experts told CNBC.

Still, Disney’s domestic theme parks drive around two-thirds of revenue in its experiences division, which includes parks, cruises, resorts and consumer products. International destinations account for around one-fifth of revenue.

Expanding its fleet to new ports allows Disney to entice guests that may not have otherwise been able to venture to its theme parks or get on board one of its cruise ships. And Asia is a rapidly growing market.

A whole new market

Disney is no stranger to the Asian market. It already has a strong footprint of theme parks and resorts in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

“We have a really strong presence already up in the the northern part of Asia,” Schott said. “But, I think as you think about the southeast part of Asia, we don’t really have a physical presence. So, this is a great way to really be able to connect a whole lot of people that haven’t had the opportunity to do a physical Disney experience before.”

The cruise industry, in particular, in Asia has been in a state of rapid growth in the wake of the pandemic. In 2024, the region accounted for 2.6 million cruise passengers, a 13% increase from the previous year, according to data from the Cruise Lines International Association.

“Prior to 2024 we were really seeing a rise in the disposable income and the income levels of Southeast Asian travelers,” said Dulani Porter, executive vice president and partner at Spark, a creative agency that works with hospitality and tourism brands. “And so it was a very, very important market for any international tourism organization.”

That’s where the Disney Adventure comes in.

Initially destined to be a floating casino, the ship went up for sale part way through its construction when its parent company, Genting Hong Kong, went bankrupt in 2022. Disney swooped in and bought it.

“I think this was a great opportunity, because if we hadn’t acquired the ship the way we did, we wouldn’t be going into this market as soon as we are,” said Bruce Vaughn, president and chief creative officer of Walt Disney Imagineering. “And that’s a great thing.”

Previously, all of Disney’s cruise ships have left from domestic ports in Florida before traveling to international destinations. In the case of the Adventure, the ship is the destination. Stationed in Singapore, the vessel will voyage entirely at sea, with no port calls.

And Disney says demand is already there. Disney’s cruises are already 80% booked for fiscal 2026, Schott said.

A ‘brand ambassador’

The Disney Adventure’s size isn’t the only thing that sets it apart from the rest of the fleet. The ship has been tailored for consumers in Asia.

“Since the ship is going to be dedicated to Singapore and that market, we also wanted to make sure that we address what we thought would be unique to them,” said Vaughn.

This came in the form of selecting franchises and characters that are popular in the region, designing entertainment and relaxation areas catered to local tastes and providing a diverse selection of menus across its restaurants.

“We’re looking forward to servicing a brand-new audience,” Schott said. “In that respect, the ship is a brand ambassador.”

Guests on board the Adventure will be immersed in Disney’s more than 100 years of storytelling with character meet-and-greets as well as themed shopping and entertainment areas.

Situated in the middle of the ship is a deck designed to look like a street from San Fransokyo, the fictional city in “Big Hero 6.” The area is home to arcade games inspired by the movie, a replica of the Lucky Cat Cafe owned and operated by Aunt Cass as well as four movie theaters and dedicated tween and teen spaces.

A view of San Fransokyo street aboard the Disney Adventure.

Disney

The street also features the first-ever Duffy and Friends store at sea and a National Geographic shop. Disney executives told CNBC that these brands are incredibly popular with consumers in the region.

Duffy the Disney Bear is a character that was developed initially for a merchandise line at Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs, but gained attention when it was brought to Tokyo a few years later. In the last two decades, Duffy has been joined by seven other stuffed animal friends and has become one of the bestselling merchandise lines for the company.

In 2023, Disney reported the character generated $500 million in sales annually.

Disney characters in traditional Han costumes perform on the stage during a special edition of “Enjoying the Moon with Duffy and Friends” event celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival at the Shanghai Disney Resort on September 17, 2024 in Shanghai, China.

Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images

In designing the Disney Adventure, the company was also conscious of local traditions. For many in Asia, vacations aren’t just for a nuclear family, but for extended family and even large groups of friends.

“I think one of the biggest distinctions that I’m seeing with South Asian cultures [is] travel really is about spending more time together,” Porter said. “Not to generalize, but North American cruisers will choose cruising because the kids can go do their thing and the parents can go do their thing, all contained into a ship.

“For Asian travelers, that is a very meaningful time spent together, where the grandparents and the kids and the parents and the grandparents, everybody is really trying to maximize all of that time together,” she said.

Both Vaughn and Schott detailed layers of experiences available to cruise guests that cater to different age ranges, both kids and kids at heart.

There’s Marvel Landing on the upper deck of the ship that features a rollercoaster, a spinning attraction and car-chase ride all inspired by The Avengers. In the same area is a sundeck, infinity pool and a bar.

Wayfinder Bay is an open-air area with amphitheater-like seating that doubles as a performance venue. And there’s D Lounge, which features a number of private karaoke rooms.

“We’ve had to think about that quite extensively in our parks in the region … multigenerational travel is just part of the formula,” said Schott.

Also part of the formula is Disney’s dining experience.

Aboard the Disney Adventure, guests will have an eclectic selection of food and beverages to try, with an emphasis on flavors that are popular in the region.

The Disney Adventure will have burgers and classic American fare at Stitch’s Ohana Grill, bubble teas at the Ursula-inspired Bewitching Boba and Brews, as well as pitas and kebabs at the Ms. Marvel-inspired Cosmic Kebabs.

There will also be Indian cuisine at Mowgli’s Eatery and Polynesian-inspired fare at Gramma Tala’s Kitchen.

Rotational dining is also featured on the cruise ship, a staple of Disney’s service.

While passengers have the option to grab quick-service meals and snacks throughout the ship, several of its restaurants are included in a prescheduled dining plan. Guests have reservations for each of these themed restaurants and rotate through them during their cruise.

Disney rotates the restaurant staff, too, to follow each group of passengers to their scheduled restaurant. As a result, guests have the same servers, busboys and restaurant managers throughout their trip, and the waitstaff gets to know the guests — and their preferences.

“I think at the end of the day, this entry into the market needs to be a really strong one for us,” Schott said. “So we’re looking forward to really being able to deliver the Disney-level of service at an extraordinary level.”



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Stock markets rebound and energy prices ease but fears remain over Iran war

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Stock markets rebound and energy prices ease but fears remain over Iran war



European and US stock markets have recovered and oil and gas prices eased, sending some relief to investors after a bruising start to the week despite war in the Middle East stoking fears about the longer-term hit to the economy.

In the UK, the FTSE 100 gained about 80 points to close 0.8% higher at 10,567.65, having slumped nearly 3% on Tuesday amid worries of a prolonged conflict.

Stocks were also rebounding across Europe, with Germany’s Dax up 1.8% at the end of the day, and France’s Cac rising 0.8%.

Over on Wall Street, trading got off to a positive start, with the S&P 500 up 0.85% and Dow Jones 0.65% higher by the time European markets closed.

Global financial markets are largely being led by the movement of wholesale energy prices, which were spiking on Monday and Tuesday as concerns grew about disruption to supply in affected parts of the Middle East.

But there was some steadying to prices on Wednesday, with Brent crude oil down about 0.5% to 80.9 dollars a barrel, and a European benchmark for natural gas slipping by about 9%.

Despite easing back slightly, the prices of both commodities remains substantially higher than last week.

Analysts at Cornwall Insights warned on Wednesday that household energy bills are forecast to rise by 10% from July following the sharp increases in wholesale gas prices.

However, it said the final price cap figure would be based on average wholesale prices over a three-month period, meaning that it would depend on how long gas prices stayed elevated and how long the period of volatility continued.

The share prices of London-listed energy giants BP and Shell were down about 2% on the back of easing prices.

Russ Mould, investment director for AJ Bell, said: “The FTSE 100 and other European markets took their cue from US gains to trade firmly higher, with some of the names caught up in the heavy selling at the start of the week bouncing back from their lows.

“This presents a salutary reminder to investors caught up in the recent volatility that ups and downs are a natural feature of financial markets.

“But the waters remain choppy. Wall Street has been oscillating between healthy gains and more modest moves higher, which hints at continuing nervousness about the outlook amid what remains a fast-moving set of events in the Middle East.”



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