Ceredex Value Advisors LLC Has $12.68 Million Position in Target Corporation $TGT

Key Points

• Ceredex Value Advisors reduced its Target position by 7.1% in the second quarter, selling 7,419 shares and retaining 97,069 shares valued at approximately $12.68 million. Institutional investors collectively own 79.73% of Target.
• Target reported strong second-quarter results, with sales rising 5.3% to $26.54 billion and EPS of $4.11, well above the $2.35 consensus estimate. Management raised fiscal 2026 guidance to approximately 5% sales growth and EPS of $9.90–$10.90.
• Target raised its quarterly dividend to $1.16 per share, equivalent to a 2.9% annualized yield, while the stock’s recent rally and earnings boost from a roughly $994 million tariff refund have heightened valuation and sustainability concerns.

Ceredex Value Advisors LLC lessened its holdings in shares of Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT - Free Report) by 7.1% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 97,069 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 7,419 shares during the quarter. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC's holdings in Target were worth $12,678,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of TGT. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in shares of Target in the second quarter valued at $5,054,604,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new stake in shares of Target during the second quarter worth about $831,466,000. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Target in the 4th quarter worth about $587,903,000. TOMS Capital Investment Management LP bought a new position in Target in the 4th quarter valued at about $257,571,000. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Target by 243.8% in the 4th quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 2,870,210 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $280,563,000 after acquiring an additional 2,035,298 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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 second-quarter sales of $26.54 billion, up 5.3% year over year and ahead of estimates. Comparable sales rose 3.8%, supported by a 3.6% increase in traffic, while earnings significantly exceeded Wall Street expectations. Target Corporation Reports Second Quarter Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised its fiscal 2026 outlook, calling for approximately 5% sales growth and EPS of $9.90 to $10.90. Improving traffic, digital sales, merchandising and execution suggest that Target’s turnaround is gaining traction. Target lifts annual forecasts again
• Positive Sentiment: Several analysts raised their price targets following the earnings report. RBC increased its target to $178 and maintained an “outperform” rating, implying meaningful upside, while Citigroup and TD Cowen raised targets to $160. Analyst price-target updates
• Neutral Sentiment: Target’s dividend remains attractive to income investors, with a quarterly payout of $1.16 per share after a recent increase. However, the stock’s roughly 15% one-month rally leaves less room for additional gains if operating momentum slows. Target versus Walmart dividend comparison
• Negative Sentiment: Second-quarter profitability benefited from an approximately $994 million tariff refund. Investors may therefore view part of the earnings beat and upgraded outlook as nonrecurring, raising concerns about the quality and sustainability of underlying profits. Target raises guidance as tariff refunds boost profitability
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and execution risks are limiting enthusiasm. KeyCorp reaffirmed a “sector weight” rating, while Citi and TD Cowen remain effectively neutral or hold-rated, suggesting analysts believe much of the recovery is already reflected in TGT’s share price. Target valuation analysis

Insider Transactions at Target

In related news, insider Cara A. Sylvester sold 10,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $125.89, for a total value of $1,258,900.00. Following the sale, the insider directly 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 legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the company's stock.

Target Price Performance

Target stock opened at $158.04 on Friday. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $140.21 and its 200 day simple moving average is $127.75. Target Corporation has a 12 month low of $83.44 and a 12 month high of $161.98. The company has a market cap of $71.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.41, a PEG ratio of 2.09 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80.

Target (NYSE:TGT - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, August 19th. The retailer reported $4.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.35 by $1.76. 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 23.23% and a net margin of 4.08%.The business's revenue for the quarter was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.05 earnings per share. Target has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.900-10.900 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Target Corporation will post 10.4 EPS for the current year.

Target Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 12th will be issued a $1.16 dividend. This is an increase from Target's previous quarterly dividend of $1.14. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 12th. This represents a $4.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. Target's payout ratio is 61.29%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have commented on TGT. KeyCorp reissued a "sector weight" rating on shares of Target in a report on Thursday. Roth Capital restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $142.00 target price on shares of Target in a report on Thursday. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of Target in a research report on Thursday. Evercore set a $170.00 price target on Target in a report on Thursday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Target from $161.00 to $177.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, August 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating, seventeen have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $159.52.

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.

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