Target Says It's Poised to Raise Second-Half Marketing Spending

As a designer, I mused.. how are quarters broken up? how exactly does this fiscal year thing work?

•The fiscal year is the accounting period of the federal government. It begins on

October 1 and ends on September 30 of the next calendar year. Each fiscal year is

identified by the calendar year in which it ends and commonly is referred to as “FY.” For

example, FY2003 began October 1, 2002, and ends September 30, 2003.

•Beginning with FY1977, the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Section 501 of P.L. 93-

344, currently codified at 31 U.S.C. 1102) changed the fiscal year to its current cycle.

•For example, the United States government fiscal year for 2009 ("FY09", sometimes written "FY08–09") is as follows:

• 1st Quarter: October 1, 2008 – December 31, 2008
• 2nd Quarter: January 1, 2009 – March 31, 2009
• 3rd Quarter: April 1, 2009 – June 30, 2009
• 4th Quarter: July 1, 2009 – September 30, 2009

http://www.rules.house.gov/Archives/98-325.pdf

Target:

The move comes as execs say the retailer is finally gaining traction in its fight to convince consumers that it's just as cheap as rival Walmart. Part of that strategy has included the introduction of a "low-price promise."