GAP (NYSE:GAP) Upgraded by Argus to “Strong-Buy” Rating

Argus upgraded shares of GAP (NYSE:GAP) to a strong-buy rating in a research report report published on Thursday morning,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research analysts have also commented on the company. UBS Group upgraded GAP from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $26.00 to $41.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of GAP from $32.00 to $36.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. BTIG Research increased their price target on GAP from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on shares of GAP from $26.00 to $29.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company set a $30.00 target price on GAP and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $30.15.

GAP Stock Performance

GAP opened at $27.10 on Thursday. GAP has a twelve month low of $16.99 and a twelve month high of $29.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.08 billion, a PE ratio of 12.10, a PEG ratio of 3.02 and a beta of 2.31. The company has a current ratio of 1.72, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $26.44 and its 200 day moving average price is $23.45.

GAP (NYSE:GAP) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, November 25th. The company reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.58 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $3.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.90 billion. GAP had a net margin of 5.57% and a return on equity of 24.91%. The business’s revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.72 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that GAP will post 2.02 EPS for the current fiscal year.

GAP Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 28th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, January 7th will be given a $0.165 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 7th. This represents a $0.66 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. GAP’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.46%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director William Sydney Fisher sold 400,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.02, for a total value of $10,808,000.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 2,853,453 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $77,100,300.06. This represents a 12.29% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, major shareholder John J. Fisher sold 250,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.75, for a total transaction of $6,937,500.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 750,752 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $20,833,368. This trade represents a 24.98% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 1,349,044 shares of company stock worth $36,857,065. Insiders own 30.56% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio increased its stake in shares of GAP by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 71,867 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,537,000 after acquiring an additional 447 shares during the last quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund raised its position in shares of GAP by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 45,799 shares of the company’s stock valued at $980,000 after acquiring an additional 600 shares in the last quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of GAP during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in GAP during the third quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Nisa Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in GAP by 3.9% during the fourth quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 34,766 shares of the company’s stock valued at $890,000 after purchasing an additional 1,301 shares during the last quarter. 58.81% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

GAP Company Profile

Gap Inc is a global specialty retailer renowned for its portfolio of apparel and accessories brands, including Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and Athleta. The company designs, sources and markets clothing across a broad price range and style spectrum, catering to men, women and children. Its offerings extend from everyday wardrobe essentials such as denim, tees and outerwear to performance and lifestyle pieces, reflecting each brand’s distinct identity and price point.

Founded in San Francisco in 1969 by Donald and Doris Fisher, Gap Inc has grown into one of the world’s largest apparel companies.