Target (NYSE:TGT) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Royal Bank Of Canada Analyst Says

Key Points

• Royal Bank of Canada raised Target’s price objective to $178 from $166 and maintained an “outperform” rating, implying 10.44% upside from the reported $161.17 share price.
• Target reported strong quarterly results, with $4.11 in EPS versus the $2.35 consensus estimate and revenue of $26.54 billion, up 5.3% year over year. Management also set fiscal 2026 EPS guidance at $9.90–$10.90.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed: Target has an average “Hold” rating and a $151.59 consensus price target, while nearly $1 billion in tariff refunds boosted results and may make the earnings beat difficult to repeat.

Target (NYSE:TGT - Get Free Report) had its price objective hoisted by stock analysts at Royal Bank Of Canada from $166.00 to $178.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an "outperform" rating on the retailer's stock. Royal Bank Of Canada's target price indicates a potential upside of 10.44% from the stock's current price.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on the stock. Bank of America reiterated an "underperform" rating and set a $124.00 price objective (up from $110.00) on shares of Target in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. Wells Fargo & Company restated an "overweight" rating and issued a $185.00 target price on shares of Target in a research report on Thursday. KeyCorp reaffirmed a "sector weight" rating on shares of Target in a research note on Thursday. Freedom Capital cut Target from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Target from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, June 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Target presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $151.59.

Target Trading Up 1.4%

Shares of TGT opened at $161.17 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a current ratio of 0.93. Target has a 52-week low of $83.44 and a 52-week high of $161.98. The firm has a market cap of $73.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.24, a PEG ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 0.97. The business's fifty day moving average is $139.71 and its 200-day moving average is $127.38.

Target (NYSE:TGT - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data 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. The business had revenue of $26.54 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $26.15 billion. Target had a return on equity of 22.92% and a net margin of 3.24%.Target's revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.05 earnings per share. Target has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.900-10.900 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Target will post 8.43 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

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 transaction of $1,258,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 45,930 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,782,127.70. This trade represents a 17.88% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.13% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Target

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

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.

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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