Hate group boycott is good for business

Not really but Target (NYSE: TGT) shares were up sharply this morning after the company raised its profit and revenue outlook for the second quarter as more people shopped at its stores in April and May. Shares have advanced (as of mid-morning) about 4%.

American Family Association, an anti-LGBT hate group, takes credit for every challenge that Target has faced — mostly due to Americans' shift to online merchants. Therefore, they should take credit for more foot traffic in Target stores. I jest and they won't.

AFA cliams that they organized a boycott of Target in order to chastise the store for publicizing its policy of accommodating trans and gender nonconforming customers and employee. The reality is that they are seizing on an issue, manufacturing outrage to make their cash registers go ka-ching. Call me a cynic.

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