Target Corporation $TGT Shares Purchased by Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co.

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its stake in shares of Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) by 4.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 109,161 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 4,441 shares during the quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co.’s holdings in Target were worth $14,257,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Target by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 58,212,397 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $5,690,262,000 after buying an additional 286,499 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Target during the second quarter worth $5,054,604,000. State Street Corp raised its holdings in shares of Target by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 37,772,533 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,692,265,000 after purchasing an additional 124,468 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Target by 3.4% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 17,065,926 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,668,194,000 after buying an additional 561,898 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in shares of Target in the 2nd quarter worth about $831,466,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.73% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Target news, insider Cara A. Sylvester sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $125.89, for a total value of $1,258,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 45,930 shares in the company, valued at $5,782,127.70. This represents a 17.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.13% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Target Stock Up 4.5%

TGT opened at $165.35 on Friday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $140.82 and its 200 day moving average price is $128.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.99 and a quick ratio of 0.30. The stock has a market cap of $75.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.17, a P/E/G ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 0.97. Target Corporation has a 12 month low of $83.44 and a 12 month high of $165.48.

Target (NYSE:TGT) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 19th. The retailer reported $4.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.35 by $1.76. Target had a return on equity of 23.23% and a net margin of 4.08%.The company had revenue of $26.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $26.13 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.05 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. Target has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.900-10.900 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Target Corporation will post 8.84 earnings per share for the current year.

Target Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 12th will be issued a dividend of $1.16 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 12th. This is a positive change from Target’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.14. This represents a $4.64 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. Target’s dividend payout ratio is presently 48.18%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

TGT has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Target from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Target from $129.00 to $157.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Guggenheim upped their target price on Target from $150.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. TD Cowen increased their price target on Target from $155.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Barclays raised their price target on Target from $115.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $159.52.

Key Stories Impacting Target

Here are the key news stories impacting Target this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Improved outlook: Target raised its fiscal 2026 earnings guidance to $9.90–$10.90 per share, citing stronger sales, digital growth, category performance and momentum that may extend beyond tariff-related benefits. Target Raises View as Growth Momentum Extends Beyond Tariff Tailwinds
• Positive Sentiment: Strong quarterly performance: Target reported $4.11 in quarterly EPS versus the $2.35 consensus estimate, while revenue of $26.54 billion exceeded expectations and increased 5.3% year over year. Traffic rose 3.6%, supported by merchandising improvements and better execution. Target Q2 Earnings Call Highlights Higher Sales Outlook and Traffic
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: RBC raised its price target to $178 and maintained an outperform rating. Other analysts also lifted targets following the earnings report, reinforcing the bullish reaction. Target Stock Climbs After Analysts Boost Price Targets
• Neutral Sentiment: Citigroup and TD Cowen raised their price targets but retained neutral/hold ratings, suggesting the stock’s valuation may already reflect much of the improved outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: A $994 million tariff refund significantly boosted second-quarter profitability, raising questions about how sustainable the earnings jump will be. Elevated valuation and execution risks could limit additional upside. Target Raises 2026 Guidance as Tariff Refunds Boost Q2 Profitability
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research downgraded Target from “strong buy” to “hold,” providing a counterweight to the broader analyst optimism.

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.