Target (NYSE:TGT) Releases Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.25 EPS

Target (NYSE:TGT) announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The retailer reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.46 by $0.25, FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $25.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.66 billion. Target had a return on equity of 22.25% and a net margin of 3.54%.The company’s revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.30 EPS. Target updated its FY 2026 guidance to 7.500-8.500 EPS.

Target Trading Up 2.9%

NYSE TGT opened at $127.00 on Wednesday. Target has a fifty-two week low of $83.44 and a fifty-two week high of $133.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.36 and a current ratio of 0.94. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $122.19 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $109.05. The stock has a market cap of $57.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.67 and a beta of 1.01.

Target Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, May 13th will be issued a $1.14 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, May 13th. This represents a $4.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.6%. Target’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 56.09%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Target news, CAO Matthew A. Liegel sold 2,053 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.19, for a total value of $240,591.07. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 12,143 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,423,038.17. This trade represents a 14.46% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.16% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Target

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Jessup Wealth Management Inc purchased a new stake in Target in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in shares of Target in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Target in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Garton & Associates Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Target in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Target in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.73% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Target

Here are the key news stories impacting Target this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Target reported first-quarter net sales growth of 6.7%, well above expectations, with management saying growth was broad-based across merchandise categories, sales channels, and throughout the quarter.
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s first-quarter results reportedly beat analyst expectations across several key metrics, reinforcing optimism that its refreshed products and stores are resonating with shoppers. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Target said it saw its strongest sales gain in years, suggesting more consumers are returning to the brand as the retailer leans into style and value. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Target raised or reiterated full-year guidance with FY 2026 EPS of $7.50 to $8.50 versus the Street at $7.72, while revenue guidance of $108.5 billion to $109.5 billion topped consensus, signaling confidence in continued recovery.
• Positive Sentiment: Management’s supply-chain leadership change, including the hiring of former Walmart executive Jeff England, may support longer-term improvement in execution and shopping experience. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Target’s earnings release and conference call are drawing attention because the company is still in a turnaround phase, so investors are watching for evidence that recent momentum can be sustained.
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary still notes that Target has been working to recover from a yearslong sales slump, so the stock may remain sensitive to any signs that margins or consumer demand weaken again.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the company. KeyCorp reiterated a “sector weight” rating on shares of Target in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Citigroup increased their price objective on Target from $117.00 to $133.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on Target from $91.00 to $112.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. BNP Paribas Exane increased their target price on Target from $63.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an “underperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 4th. Finally, Wolfe Research upgraded Target from an “underperform” rating to a “peer perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $119.93.

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.