Target Corporation $TGT Shares Acquired by Handelsbanken Fonder AB

Key Points

• Handelsbanken Fonder AB increased its Target stake by 54.2% in the fourth quarter, buying 70,442 more shares and bringing its total holding to 200,291 shares worth about $19.6 million.
• Target’s latest earnings were better than expected, with Q1 EPS of $1.71 topping estimates and revenue rising 6.7% to $25.44 billion. Management also raised full-year guidance, signaling confidence in the company’s turnaround.
• Despite the strong results, the stock has faced mixed sentiment: analysts remain mostly Hold rated overall, and some investors are concerned that cost headwinds and valuation could limit near-term upside.

Handelsbanken Fonder AB boosted its stake in shares of Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT - Free Report) by 54.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 200,291 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 70,442 shares during the quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB's holdings in Target were worth $19,578,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in TGT. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new stake in Target during the second quarter valued at $25,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates boosted its position in Target by 192.0% during the fourth quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 292 shares of the retailer's stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 192 shares in the last quarter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Target during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Key Financial Inc grew its stake in Target by 77.4% in the 3rd quarter. Key Financial Inc now owns 346 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 151 shares during the period. Finally, True Wealth Design LLC increased its holdings in Target by 168.9% in the 4th quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 355 shares of the retailer's stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 223 shares in the last quarter. 79.73% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting 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 Stock Down 3.4%

Shares of TGT opened at $122.91 on Thursday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $122.25 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $109.26. The company has a quick ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89. The company has a market capitalization of $55.82 billion, a PE ratio of 15.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.78 and a beta of 1.01. Target Corporation has a 52-week low of $83.44 and a 52-week high of $133.10.

Target (NYSE:TGT - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 20th. The retailer reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.47 by $0.24. Target had a return on equity of 22.25% and a net margin of 3.54%.The business had revenue of $25.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.66 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.30 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. Target has set its FY 2026 guidance at 7.500-8.500 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Target Corporation will post 8.06 EPS for the current year.

Target Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Shareholders 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.7%. Target's dividend payout ratio is 56.09%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Target news, CAO Matthew A. Liegel sold 2,053 shares of the 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 sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 12,143 shares in the company, valued at $1,423,038.17. This represents a 14.46% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.16% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. 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 report on Friday, May 15th. Mizuho set a $120.00 price objective on Target in a report on Thursday, March 5th. DA Davidson increased their target price on Target from $120.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Piper Sandler lifted their price target on Target from $119.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Finally, Truist Financial set a $130.00 price objective on Target in a research note on Wednesday. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $120.18.

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.

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