Michael Fiddelke, Target's current chief operating officer, will replace CEO Brian Cornell on Feb. 1 as the retailer works on its turnaround strategy.

Wall Street had hoped the big box retailer would hire someone from outside the company. Target's stock is down about 60% since 2021.

The news the retail industry has been anticipating for months was finally announced on Wednesday: Target CEO Brian Cornell is finally stepping down after 11 years at the helm and will be replaced by his operations chief Michael Fiddelke in February.

Michael Fiddelke, Target's current chief operating officer, will succeed Brian Cornell as chief executive officer, the company said in a release. Cornell, who has served as the company's CEO since 2014, will step down and Fiddelke will take over the role on Feb. 1, 2026.

Companies like Nike and Target are helmed by veterans who got their start at the companies decades ago.

Activists and customers on the right attacked Target on social media for its LGBTQ-themed merchandise during Pride Month. Target employees faced threats. Misinformation spread on social media that the swimsuits designed for transgender people were marketed to children, which they were not. The company removed them from stores.

Target Corp. named veteran Michael Fiddelke as its next chief executive officer, betting that the insider will revive the storied retailer struggling with weak sales.

Target's choice to name insider Michael Fiddelke as its new CEO in an effort to turn around the struggling retailer was met with a negative reaction from the stock market, as investors viewed the 20-year company veteran as unlikely to fix the company's myriad issues.

Shares in Target sank after the retailer reported its 11th straight quarter of flat or falling sales, and said Chief Operating Officer Michael Fiddelke will become its next chief executive. Target stock dropped more than 10% in premarket trading,