Target (NYSE:TGT) Downgraded by Freedom Capital to “Hold”

Freedom Capital downgraded shares of Target (NYSE:TGT) from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other equities research analysts have also commented on the stock. Telsey Advisory Group increased their price objective on shares of Target from $145.00 to $148.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Wolfe Research upgraded shares of Target from an “underperform” rating to a “peer perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Oppenheimer increased their price objective on shares of Target from $130.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of Target from $120.00 to $129.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Finally, Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $140.00 price objective on shares of Target in a research note on Wednesday. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nineteen have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $120.18.

Target Trading Down 3.4%

TGT opened at $122.91 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 0.94 and a quick ratio of 0.36. Target has a fifty-two week low of $83.44 and a fifty-two week high of $133.10. The firm has a market capitalization of $55.82 billion, a PE ratio of 15.12, a P/E/G ratio of 3.78 and a beta of 1.01. The company’s 50-day moving average is $122.25 and its 200 day moving average is $109.26.

Target (NYSE:TGT) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 20th. The retailer reported $1.71 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.47 by $0.24. The company had revenue of $25.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.66 billion. Target had a net margin of 3.54% and a return on equity of 22.25%. The firm’s revenue was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.30 EPS. Target has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.500-8.500 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Target will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Target Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 13th will be paid a dividend of $1.14 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 13th. This represents a $4.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.7%. Target’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 56.09%.

Insider Activity

In other news, CAO Matthew A. Liegel sold 2,053 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.19, for a total transaction of $240,591.07. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 12,143 shares in the company, valued at $1,423,038.17. This trade represents a 14.46% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.16% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Target

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Target by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 58,212,397 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $5,690,262,000 after purchasing an additional 286,499 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in shares of Target by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 37,772,533 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,692,265,000 after purchasing an additional 124,468 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Target by 3.4% during the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 17,065,926 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,668,194,000 after purchasing an additional 561,898 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its stake in shares of Target by 2.4% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 6,194,448 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $605,507,000 after purchasing an additional 142,937 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Target during the 4th quarter worth approximately $587,903,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.73% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Target

Here are the key news stories impacting Target this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Target reported first-quarter EPS of $1.71, beating estimates, while revenue rose 6.7% to $25.44 billion and comparable sales strengthened, suggesting its turnaround is gaining traction. Target Corporation Reports First Quarter Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised full-year guidance, signaling confidence in continued sales momentum and margin improvement, which supports the case for a recovery in 2026. Target Beats Q1 Earnings Estimates on Strong Sales, Raises View
• Neutral Sentiment: Target also named a new supply-chain chief, Jeff England, to help improve logistics and the shopping experience, a longer-term operational step rather than an immediate earnings catalyst. Target Names Jeff England EVP, Chief Global Supply Chain and Logistics Officer
• Negative Sentiment: Even after the beat, some analysts downgraded the stock or argued that the rally has made valuation less attractive, implying limited upside if costs stay elevated. Target: Take Some Chips Off The Table (Rating Downgrade)
• Negative Sentiment: Market commentary says shares fell because investors are wary that cost headwinds and consumer uncertainty could offset the improved sales trend in the near term. Target tops forecasts but shares fall as retailer flags cost headwinds

Target Company Profile

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.