TD Cowen Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Target (NYSE:TGT) Stock

Target (NYSE:TGT) had its price target hoisted by investment analysts at TD Cowen from $155.00 to $160.00 in a research note issued on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a “hold” rating on the retailer’s stock. TD Cowen’s price objective indicates a potential upside of 0.26% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently commented on TGT. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Target in a report on Thursday. Piper Sandler set a $153.00 price target on shares of Target in a report on Thursday. Citigroup restated a “market outperform” rating on shares of Target in a research note on Monday. Telsey Advisory Group set a $182.00 price objective on shares of Target in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $185.00 target price on shares of Target in a report on Thursday. One investment 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 issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Target presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $157.26.

Target Stock Performance

TGT stock traded up $0.58 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $159.58. The stock had a trading volume of 1,011,822 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,410,040. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $139.71 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $127.38. Target has a 52-week low of $83.44 and a 52-week high of $161.98. 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 has a market cap of $72.48 billion, a PE ratio of 21.17, a P/E/G ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 0.97.

Target (NYSE:TGT) last posted its quarterly 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. The business had revenue of $26.54 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $26.15 billion. Target had a return on equity of 22.92% and a net margin of 3.24%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.05 EPS. Target has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.900-10.900 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Target will post 8.43 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Cara A. Sylvester sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 owned 45,930 shares in the company, valued at $5,782,127.70. This trade represents a 17.88% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.13% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Target

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Brighton Jones LLC grew its position in shares of Target by 101.3% in the fourth 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 period. Woodline Partners LP raised its position in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 11,047 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of 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. lifted its stake in Target by 8.0% in the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 190,860 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $18,832,000 after buying an additional 14,195 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lifted its stake in Target by 11.0% in 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 buying an additional 27,063 shares in the last quarter. 79.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key 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.