Target's (TGT) "Sector Weight" Rating Reaffirmed at KeyCorp

Key Points

• KeyCorp reaffirmed its “sector weight” rating on Target, while the broader analyst consensus remains “Hold” with an average price target of $151.15.
• Target reported strong quarterly results, including $4.11 in EPS versus $2.35 expected and revenue of $26.54 billion, up 5.3% year over year. Management also provided fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $9.90–$10.90.
• Shares rose 4.3% to $159.11, near their 52-week high, though the earnings boost included nearly $1 billion in tariff refunds, raising concerns about the sustainability of the profit improvement.

Target (NYSE:TGT - Get Free Report)'s stock had its "sector weight" rating restated by equities research analysts at KeyCorp in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports.

A number of other analysts have also commented on TGT. Mizuho set a $150.00 target price on shares of Target in a report on Thursday. Evercore set a $150.00 target price on shares of Target in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a "hold" rating and set a $140.00 price target on shares of Target in a research note on Friday, August 14th. Piper Sandler set a $153.00 price target on Target in a research report on Thursday. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a "neutral" rating and set a $161.00 price objective on shares of Target in a research note on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $151.15.

Target Stock Up 4.3%

NYSE:TGT opened at $159.11 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $72.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.02, a P/E/G ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a current ratio of 0.93. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $139.71 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $127.38. Target has a 52-week low of $83.44 and a 52-week high of $161.98.

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

Insider Activity at Target

In other news, insider Cara A. Sylvester sold 10,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 29th. The shares were 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 owned 45,930 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,782,127.70. This represents a 17.88% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.13% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Target

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its stake in Target by 101.3% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 6,080 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $822,000 after purchasing an additional 3,059 shares during the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP grew its stake in shares of Target by 39.9% during the first 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 last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Target by 22.8% during the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 69,660 shares of the retailer's stock worth $6,872,000 after buying an additional 12,948 shares in the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Target by 8.0% during the 2nd 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Treasurer of the State of North Carolina grew its holdings in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 27,063 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.73% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting 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 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.

Continue following MarketBeat

Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.

Add As Preferred Source