Jeff Macke Is On Target With Retail

Off The Charts

Strap in. When Jeff Macke is driving the conversation, you need to pay attention. The wisdom, wit, and one-liners fly by fast. While other seven-year-olds spent their weekends playing with Lincoln Logs and Wiffle Ball, Jeff was riding around town in a station wagon with his dad, visiting Target stores. He wasn’t just tagging along—he was analyzing end-caps, product presentations, and the cleanliness of the floors and staff. As the son of a future Target CEO, he learned early that “a dirty store is an F-you to the customer.” And with that, a future retail stocks analyst was born. Today, nobody does it better. In this episode of Off The Charts, Jeff shares some of the principles that guide his investment decisions, how he spots trends early, and why the “story” around retail—along with the integrity of the management team—can have an outsized impact on an investment opportunity. If there’s one thing we learn from Jeff about investing in retail and consumer goods, it’s this: There’s plenty of fun to be had if you know where to look.