Target (NYSE:TGT) Releases Quarterly Earnings Results

Target (NYSE:TGT) announced its earnings results on Wednesday. The retailer reported $4.11 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.35 by $1.76, FiscalAI reports. The business had revenue of $26.54 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $26.13 billion. Target had a return on equity of 22.92% and a net margin of 3.24%. Target updated its FY 2026 guidance to 9.900-10.900 EPS.

Target Price Performance

Shares of TGT opened at $152.63 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $69.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.96. The business has a 50-day moving average of $139.08 and a 200-day moving average of $126.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.30. Target has a 1 year low of $83.44 and a 1 year high of $156.47.

Target Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 12th will be paid a dividend of $1.16 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 12th. This is a positive change from Target’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.14. This represents a $4.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.0%. Target’s payout ratio is 61.29%.

Insider Activity

In other Target news, insider Cara A. Sylvester sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.89, for a total transaction of $1,258,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 45,930 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,782,127.70. The trade was a 17.88% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.13% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Target

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in TGT. Virtu Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Target in the 4th quarter worth approximately $515,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of Target in the fourth quarter worth about $67,000. Compound Planning Inc. increased its stake in Target by 38.4% in the 4th quarter. Compound Planning Inc. now owns 3,872 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $379,000 after buying an additional 1,074 shares in the last quarter. TMB Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Target during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $300,000. Finally, Invesco Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Target by 21.1% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,734,609 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $462,808,000 after purchasing an additional 824,446 shares during the last quarter. 79.73% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Target News

Here are the key news stories impacting Target this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Target raised its fiscal 2026 guidance, now forecasting adjusted earnings per share of $9.90–$10.90 versus the $7.72 analyst consensus. The company also expects approximately $110 billion in revenue, above the roughly $106.4 billion consensus estimate. Target Raises Fiscal-Year Forecast Again as Turnaround Gains Traction With Consumers
• Positive Sentiment: Second-quarter net sales increased 5.3% year over year, while comparable sales rose 3.8%, supported by a 3.6% increase in traffic. The two-year comparable sales growth rate also accelerated, indicating improving consumer engagement. Target Corporation Reports Second Quarter Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised its annual sales-growth forecast to about 5%, reinforcing the view that pricing initiatives and merchandising improvements are producing results. Target lifts annual forecasts again as Fiddelke’s turnaround takes root
• Positive Sentiment: DA Davidson raised its price target on TGT to $170 from $155 and maintained a “buy” rating, citing potential for further appreciation. Target analyst forecast changes
• Neutral Sentiment: Target’s stock had already rallied substantially this year, leaving investors focused on whether improved sales momentum can persist and justify the higher valuation. Target is set to report earnings before the bell
• Negative Sentiment: Quarterly profit received an approximately $1 billion boost from tariff refunds. Because this benefit may not recur, investors may view the underlying earnings improvement as less powerful than the headline guidance suggests. Target lifts annual forecasts again as Fiddelke’s turnaround takes root

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently commented on TGT shares. UBS Group boosted their price target on Target from $144.00 to $166.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Barclays reissued an “underweight” rating on shares of Target in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on shares of Target from $124.00 to $135.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on Target from $130.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Target from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, June 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating, sixteen have given a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $143.85.

About Target

Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) is a U.S.-based general merchandise retailer headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company operates a network of full-line and small-format stores across the United States alongside a national e-commerce platform and mobile app. Target’s retail assortment spans apparel, home goods, electronics, groceries and household essentials, plus beauty, baby and pet categories. The firm complements national brands with a portfolio of owned and exclusive labels and partnerships that help differentiate its merchandise assortment.

Target traces its roots to the Dayton Company, founded by George Dayton in 1902; the Target discount chain was launched in 1962 and the parent company later adopted the Target Corporation name.