Target, Limited Sales Beat Estimates in June Amid Discounts

Sales at U.S. retailers, led by Target Corp. and Limited Brands Inc., surpassed analysts’ estimates last month as discounts and lower gas prices in the U.S. enticed consumers to spend. The companies’ shares surged.

Sales at Target, the second-largest U.S. discount retailer, climbed 4.5 percent, topping the average projection for a 3.1 percent gain from analysts surveyed by Retail Metrics Inc. Limited, operator of the Victoria’s Secret chain, posted a 12 percent increase in same-store sales, surpassing the 4.4 percent average estimate.