Target (NYSE:TGT) Price Target Raised to $160.00

Key Points

• TD Cowen raised Target’s price target from $155 to $160 while maintaining a “hold” rating; the new target implies just 0.26% upside from the prior close.
• Target reported strong quarterly results, with revenue of $26.54 billion and EPS of $4.11, exceeding analyst expectations. Management also set fiscal 2026 EPS guidance at $9.90–$10.90.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious overall, with the stock carrying an average “hold” rating and a consensus price target of $157.26; shares recently traded near their 52-week high.

Target (NYSE:TGT - Get Free Report) had its price objective boosted by equities research analysts at TD Cowen from $155.00 to $160.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a "hold" rating on the retailer's stock. TD Cowen's price target would indicate a potential upside of 0.26% from the company's previous close.

Several other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on TGT. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $161.00 target price on shares of Target in a research note on Thursday. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on shares of Target from $161.00 to $177.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, August 14th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Target from $130.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, August 14th. Wolfe Research set a $169.00 price objective on shares of Target in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Evercore set a $170.00 target price on Target in a research note on Thursday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating, sixteen have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $157.26.

Target Trading Up 0.4%

Shares of NYSE:TGT traded up $0.58 during trading on Thursday, hitting $159.58. The company had a trading volume of 1,011,822 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,410,040. The stock has a market cap of $72.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.93 and a quick ratio of 0.30. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $139.71 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $127.38. Target has a one year low of $83.44 and a one year high of $161.98.

Target (NYSE:TGT - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, August 19th. The retailer reported $4.11 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.35 by $1.76. Target had a return on equity of 22.92% and a net margin of 3.24%.The firm had revenue of $26.54 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $26.15 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.05 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Target has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.900-10.900 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Target will post 8.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Cara A. Sylvester sold 10,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $125.89, for a total transaction of $1,258,900.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 45,930 shares of the company's stock, valued at $5,782,127.70. This represents a 17.88% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Target

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Brighton Jones LLC increased its holdings in shares of Target by 101.3% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 6,080 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $822,000 after acquiring an additional 3,059 shares in the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP boosted its stake in Target by 39.9% in the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 38,712 shares of the retailer's stock worth $4,040,000 after purchasing an additional 11,047 shares in the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in Target by 22.8% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 69,660 shares of the retailer's stock worth $6,872,000 after purchasing an additional 12,948 shares during the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. grew its position in Target by 8.0% during the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 190,860 shares of the retailer's stock worth $18,832,000 after purchasing an additional 14,195 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Treasurer of the State of North Carolina increased its stake in Target by 11.0% during the 2nd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 272,787 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $26,910,000 after purchasing an additional 27,063 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.73% of the company's stock.

More Target News

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 above Wall Street expectations. Comparable sales rose 3.8%, supported by a 3.6% increase in traffic, suggesting the retailer’s pricing, merchandising and turnaround initiatives are attracting more shoppers. Target Corporation Reports Second Quarter Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Profit substantially exceeded expectations, with reported EPS of $4.11 versus a $2.35 consensus estimate; another earnings report cited adjusted EPS of $2.46 versus $2.30 expected. Revenue also topped estimates. The results provide further evidence that Target’s turnaround is gaining traction. Target Earnings Results
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised fiscal 2026 guidance to $9.90-$10.90 in EPS, well above the reported consensus estimate of $7.72, and projected approximately 5% annual sales growth. The increased outlook is a key catalyst for investor optimism. Target lifts annual forecasts
• Positive Sentiment: Target said traffic from artificial-intelligence platforms is contributing to digital growth, adding a potential new customer-acquisition channel as online sales and category performance improve. Target Touts Jump in Traffic From AI Platforms
• Neutral Sentiment: Target’s $1.16 quarterly dividend, or $4.64 annually, remains attractive to income investors, but the stock’s valuation has expanded after its rally, with a P/E near 21 and the shares close to their 12-month high. Target versus Walmart dividend comparison
• Negative Sentiment: Nearly $1 billion in tariff refunds boosted quarterly profitability, creating a potentially difficult comparison and raising questions about how much of the earnings beat is repeatable. Rising bond yields and weaker guidance from Walmart could also pressure retail-sector sentiment. Five Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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