Emerald Investment Advisers LLC Acquires 8,315 Shares of Target Corporation $TGT

Key Points

• Emerald Investment Advisers nearly doubled its Target stake in the second quarter, purchasing 8,315 additional shares and bringing its holdings to 16,867 shares valued at approximately $2.2 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 79.73% of Target.
• Target reported strong quarterly results, with earnings per share of $4.11 versus the $2.35 analyst consensus and revenue of $26.54 billion, up 5.3% year over year. The company raised its fiscal 2026 earnings guidance to $9.90–$10.90 per share.
• Shares rose 4.5% to $165.35, while Target increased its quarterly dividend to $1.16, equivalent to a 2.8% annual yield. Despite several analyst price-target increases, the consensus rating remains “Hold,” and analysts noted concerns about valuation and the sustainability of tariff-related profit benefits.

Emerald Investment Advisers LLC boosted its holdings in Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT - Free Report) by 97.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 16,867 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 8,315 shares during the period. Emerald Investment Advisers LLC's holdings in Target were worth $2,203,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in 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 acquiring an additional 286,499 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Target during the 2nd quarter valued at $5,054,604,000. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Target by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 37,772,533 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,692,265,000 after purchasing an additional 124,468 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Target by 3.4% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 17,065,926 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,668,194,000 after purchasing an additional 561,898 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in shares of Target in the 2nd quarter worth $831,466,000. 79.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Target Trading Up 4.5%

Shares of NYSE TGT opened at $165.35 on Friday. Target Corporation has a twelve month low of $83.44 and a twelve month high of $165.48. The stock has a market cap of $75.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.17, a P/E/G ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a quick ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. The company's fifty day moving average is $140.82 and its 200-day moving average is $128.01.

Target (NYSE:TGT - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 19th. The retailer reported $4.11 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.35 by $1.76. The business had revenue of $26.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $26.13 billion. Target had a net margin of 4.08% and a return on equity of 23.23%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.05 EPS. Target has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.900-10.900 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Target Corporation will post 8.84 EPS for the current year.

Target Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 12th will be paid a $1.16 dividend. 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 yield of 2.8%. Target's payout ratio is presently 48.18%.

Key Target News

Here are the key news stories impacting Target this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Improved outlook: Target raised its fiscal 2026 earnings guidance to $9.90–$10.90 per share, citing stronger sales, digital growth, category performance and momentum that may extend beyond tariff-related benefits. Target Raises View as Growth Momentum Extends Beyond Tariff Tailwinds
• Positive Sentiment: Strong quarterly performance: Target reported $4.11 in quarterly EPS versus the $2.35 consensus estimate, while revenue of $26.54 billion exceeded expectations and increased 5.3% year over year. Traffic rose 3.6%, supported by merchandising improvements and better execution. Target Q2 Earnings Call Highlights Higher Sales Outlook and Traffic
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: RBC raised its price target to $178 and maintained an outperform rating. Other analysts also lifted targets following the earnings report, reinforcing the bullish reaction. Target Stock Climbs After Analysts Boost Price Targets
• Neutral Sentiment: Citigroup and TD Cowen raised their price targets but retained neutral/hold ratings, suggesting the stock’s valuation may already reflect much of the improved outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: A $994 million tariff refund significantly boosted second-quarter profitability, raising questions about how sustainable the earnings jump will be. Elevated valuation and execution risks could limit additional upside. Target Raises 2026 Guidance as Tariff Refunds Boost Q2 Profitability
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research downgraded Target from “strong buy” to “hold,” providing a counterweight to the broader analyst optimism.

Insider Activity

In other Target news, insider Cara A. Sylvester sold 10,000 shares of the 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 completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 45,930 shares in the company, valued at $5,782,127.70. This represents a 17.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.13% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the company. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on Target from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a "market perform" rating in a research note on Thursday. Evercore set a $170.00 target price on Target in a research note on Thursday. Argus set a $150.00 target price on Target in a report on Friday, May 22nd. Guggenheim raised their target price on Target from $150.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, Morgan Stanley restated an "overweight" rating on shares of Target in a research report on Thursday. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus 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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