target

/ˈtɑːgɪt/ noun [C]

Definition

› MANAGEMENT, FINANCE, ECONOMICS, GOVERNMENT a result, level, or situation that an organization or group wants or plans to achieve: The company gave employees the details of performance targets for bonuses. economic/financial targets emissions/production/sales targets earnings/inflation/budget targetshit/meet/reach a target The French economy is on track to meet its growth targets. lower/raise/reduce a targetexceed/miss/set a target The company has set a target of 10 million wholesale broadband connections by 2014.a target date/level/price They plan to finish the manufacturing process by the new target date of October 31st. → See Note aim

› MARKETING, POLITICS a person, place, etc. that an action is directed at or intended for: a/the target for sb/sth The abundance of resources makes these areas aprime target for development. Savers have replaced borrowers as the priority target for banks and building societies.a/the target of sth Their chief executive officer is the target of an investigation into fraud.

› (also target company) FINANCE a company that another company wants to buy: an acquisition/bid/buyout target Their plan is to be a buyer rather than a buyout target. The City has tipped the group as a takeover target.

› (also target price) FINANCE, MARKETING the price at which someone wants to buy or sell something: Prices have remained below the $21 target because demand growth has been slow. The investment house has a 1,125p target price on the shares.

an easy target (for sb/sth) › someone or something that is easy to attack or criticize, often because they cannot defend themselves: Advertisers view themselves as an easy target for regulators. Big oil companies make easy targets for politicians anxious to take the heat off their own taxation policies.

on target › if you are on target with a project, etc., you are likely to achieve what you planned at the time you intended: The company's ambitious growth plans are on target.on target to do sth We are on target to meet our sales goals for the coming year.

→ See also on target earnings

(Definition of target noun from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)