Target (NYSE:TGT) Releases Q1 2026 Earnings Guidance

Target (NYSE:TGT) updated its first quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided EPS guidance of 1.300- for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 1.890. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Target also updated its FY 2026 guidance to 7.500-8.500 EPS.

Target Stock Performance

Shares of Target stock opened at $120.03 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $109.11 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $98.06. The firm has a market capitalization of $54.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.76 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89. Target has a 12 month low of $83.44 and a 12 month high of $126.00.

Target (NYSE:TGT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 3rd. The retailer reported $2.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.16 by $0.28. Target had a net margin of 3.54% and a return on equity of 22.25%. The company had revenue of $30.45 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $30.52 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.41 EPS. Target’s quarterly revenue was down 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Target has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.300- EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 7.500-8.500 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Target will post 8.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Target Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 11th were issued a dividend of $1.14 per share. This represents a $4.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 11th. Target’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 55.34%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

TGT has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Citigroup boosted their price target on Target from $110.00 to $117.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Telsey Advisory Group raised Target from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $110.00 to $145.00 in a report on Wednesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Target from $100.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, February 26th. Piper Sandler lifted their price target on Target from $102.00 to $119.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein raised shares of Target from an “underperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and increased their price objective for the company from $91.00 to $116.00 in a research report on Wednesday. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twenty have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $114.90.

Target News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Target this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 EPS beat and upside FY guidance — Target reported adjusted EPS of $2.44 (above consensus) and issued FY 2026 EPS guidance above street estimates, signaling margin improvement and a return-to-growth narrative. Target Beats Q4 Earnings Estimates, Eyes Sales Growth in FY2026
• Positive Sentiment: Management unveiled a $2B incremental investment and multi‑year turnaround — plans to invest in stores, remodels, payroll/training and AI to drive personalized shopping and same‑day execution. This is the strategic catalyst driving optimism. Target Outlines Strategic Plan for a New Chapter of Growth in 2026 and Beyond
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts upgraded and raised price targets — multiple firms raised PTs and ratings (examples include UBS, Oppenheimer, Telsey, BMO and Guggenheim), supporting further buying momentum. Target’s 2026 Turnaround: Analysts Bullish as Growth Returns
• Neutral Sentiment: Store expansion and remodels announced — Target plans to open 30+ new stores in 2026 and will debut its 2,000th location; long‑term growth potential but increases near‑term capex. Target Ramps Up Store Investments to Fuel New Chapter of Growth
• Negative Sentiment: Top‑line weakness and traffic concerns persist — revenue was down year‑over‑year and analyses note foot‑traffic softness even as margins improved, highlighting the need to convert strategy into sales. Target: Sales Remain Weak, Shares Fairly Valued
• Negative Sentiment: Near‑term guidance inconsistency — Q1 EPS guidance was notably below consensus, creating short‑term execution risk despite upbeat full‑year targets. Target Q4 Release and Guidance (conference call/press materials)
• Negative Sentiment: Some major shops remain cautious — a few firms (Bank of America, BNP Paribas Exane, Barclays) retained or issued cautious ratings, citing execution risk and a still‑fragile top line. Target’s turnaround faces execution risks, says Bank of America

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Target

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of TGT. TOMS Capital Investment Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Target during the 4th quarter valued at about $257,571,000. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Target by 243.8% during the 4th quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 2,870,210 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $280,563,000 after acquiring an additional 2,035,298 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP lifted its position in Target by 104.7% during the fourth quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 65,505 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $6,403,000 after purchasing an additional 1,448,146 shares during the last quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. bought a new position in shares of Target in the 4th quarter valued at about $101,379,000. Finally, State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Target by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 37,648,065 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,377,031,000 after purchasing an additional 911,964 shares during the last quarter. 79.73% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.