Target Corporation $TGT Stock Purchased by Machina Capital S.A.S.

Machina Capital S.A.S. boosted its stake in shares of Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) by 291.4% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 17,930 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 13,349 shares during the quarter. Machina Capital S.A.S.’s holdings in Target were worth $2,809,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Pension & Wealth Management Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Target in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Richardson Financial Services Inc. purchased a new stake in Target during the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Kimelman & Baird LLC purchased a new stake in Target during the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Putney Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in Target during the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Archer Investment Corp purchased a new stake in Target during the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. Institutional investors own 79.73% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CAO Matthew A. Liegel sold 926 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $163.51, for a total value of $151,410.26. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 12,266 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,005,613.66. This trade represents a 7.02% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Melissa K. Kremer sold 15,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $169.96, for a total value of $2,634,380.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 56,981 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,684,490.76. This represents a 21.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Target Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE TGT opened at $162.83 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $156.46 and a 200 day moving average of $135.87. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80. The firm has a market capitalization of $73.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 0.94. Target Corporation has a 12-month low of $83.44 and a 12-month high of $170.75.

Target (NYSE:TGT) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 19th. The retailer reported $4.11 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.35 by $1.76. Target had a net margin of 4.08% and a return on equity of 23.23%. The business had revenue of $26.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $26.13 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.05 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. Target has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.900-10.900 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Target Corporation will post 8.91 earnings per share for the current year.

Target Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, November 11th will be given a dividend of $1.16 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, November 10th. This represents a $4.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. Target’s payout ratio is presently 48.18%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on TGT shares. Guggenheim increased their price target on Target from $150.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Bank of America reaffirmed an “underperform” rating and issued a $124.00 price objective (up from $110.00) on shares of Target in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Citigroup lifted their price objective on Target from $148.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Target from $157.00 to $163.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, Truist Financial increased their target price on Target from $147.00 to $167.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating, seventeen have given a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Target currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $161.70.

About Target

Target Corporation is a U.S. general merchandise retailer that sells products through its stores and digital channels. Its assortment includes apparel and accessories, beauty products, home goods, groceries, electronics, toys, and household essentials, along with merchandise from national brands and Target-owned brands. The company also offers services such as in-store and curbside order pickup and same-day delivery in eligible areas. Target serves customers across the United States. The company traces its history to the Dayton Dry Goods Company, founded in Minneapolis in 1902.