Amazon will buy Target in 2018, influential tech analyst predicts

Technology analyst Gene Munster has predicted that Amazon will acquire Target Corp this year — a move that would further shake-up the evolving retail industry, Bloomberg reports.

"Target is the ideal offline partner for Amazon for two reasons, shared demographic and manageable but comprehensive store count," Bloomberg cited Munster saying. "Getting the timing on this is difficult, but seeing the value of the combination is easy."

Background: Amazon purchased Whole Foods Market Inc. in a deal valued at $13.7 billion.