Citigroup Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Macy’s (NYSE:M) Stock Price

Macy’s (NYSE:M) had its price objective reduced by stock analysts at Citigroup from $24.00 to $18.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “neutral” rating on the stock. Citigroup’s target price suggests a potential upside of 1.72% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. Evercore lifted their price objective on shares of Macy’s from $14.00 to $21.00 and gave the company a “cautious” rating in a research note on Friday, December 5th. Telsey Advisory Group reissued a “market perform” rating and set a $20.00 target price (down from $25.00) on shares of Macy’s in a research report on Wednesday. Wall Street Zen upgraded Macy’s from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Sunday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on Macy’s from $24.00 to $21.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Finally, UBS Group raised their price objective on Macy’s from $8.00 to $9.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research note on Monday, March 9th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $18.90.

Macy’s Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of NYSE M traded down $0.03 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $17.70. The stock had a trading volume of 2,840,934 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,533,232. The company has a market capitalization of $4.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.45 and a beta of 1.51. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $20.47 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $20.03. Macy’s has a 52 week low of $9.76 and a 52 week high of $24.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a quick ratio of 0.18 and a current ratio of 1.25.

Macy’s (NYSE:M) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 18th. The company reported $1.67 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $7.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.48 billion. Macy’s had a net margin of 2.10% and a return on equity of 15.57%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.80 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Macy’s will post 2.39 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Corient Private Wealth LLC grew its position in Macy’s by 51.9% in the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 292,216 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,444,000 after purchasing an additional 99,832 shares during the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC lifted its stake in shares of Macy’s by 112.1% in the fourth quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 383,947 shares of the company’s stock valued at $8,442,000 after buying an additional 202,906 shares during the period. Pacer Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Macy’s by 1,859.1% in the fourth quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 1,337,481 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,491,000 after buying an additional 1,269,211 shares during the period. Kera Capital Partners Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Macy’s during the 4th quarter worth approximately $271,000. Finally, Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV raised its stake in shares of Macy’s by 420.3% in the fourth quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 66,243 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,461,000 after purchasing an additional 53,512 shares in the last quarter. 87.36% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Macy’s

Here are the key news stories impacting Macy’s this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings and revenue beat — Macy’s posted adjusted EPS of $1.67 and revenue of $7.92B, both above consensus, driving the immediate rally. Why Are Macy’s (M) Shares Soaring Today
• Positive Sentiment: Same-store sales surprise and brand strength — Macy’s returned to annual comparable sales growth in FY2025 with positive comps across nameplates, led by Bloomingdale’s, a key driver of the upbeat quarter. Macy’s Posts Surprise Growth in Its Same-Store Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Operational pivot showing early payoff — Management attributes the improvement to expanded use of AI, reimagined store formats and loyalty-data driven merchandising, suggesting structural improvement beyond a one‑quarter beat. Macy’s Credits AI, Reimagined Stores and Loyalty Data for Return to Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Elevated bullish derivative activity — Unusually large call buying ahead of the print indicates some traders were positioned for upside, which can amplify intraday moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst stance mixed — JPMorgan trimmed its price target to $21 and set a Neutral, while Telsey reaffirmed Market Perform with a $20 target; both still imply upside from current levels but reflect tempered near‑term expectations. Analyst Actions
• Negative Sentiment: Cautious forward guidance — Macy’s forecast weaker annual sales and profit, citing tight consumer spending; that conservatism limits the sustainability of the rally and leaves room for downside if the macro backdrop weakens. Macy’s forecasts weak annual sales, profit; sees tariff relief
• Negative Sentiment: Macro headwinds — Hotter-than-expected producer inflation readings could pressure discretionary spending and support the company’s cautious guidance. PPI Comes in Hot

About Macy’s

Macy’s, Inc is a leading American omnichannel retailer operating under the Macy’s brand, as well as specialty divisions Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury. The company’s retail portfolio encompasses full-line department stores, fashion-focused specialty outlets and a high-end beauty chain, offering consumers a wide array of apparel, footwear, accessories, cosmetics and home furnishings. Through its integrated network of physical stores and digital platforms, Macy’s seeks to deliver a seamless shopping experience that blends in-store service with online convenience.

The company’s product assortment spans men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, beauty and personal care products, housewares and home décor.