Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co Purchases Shares of 88,680 Target Corporation $TGT

Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co purchased a new position in shares of Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 88,680 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $11,582,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in TGT. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Target by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 58,212,397 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $5,690,262,000 after buying an additional 286,499 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new stake in Target in the second quarter valued at about $5,054,604,000. State Street Corp increased its position in Target by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 37,772,533 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,692,265,000 after purchasing an additional 124,468 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Target by 3.4% during the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 17,065,926 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,668,194,000 after buying an additional 561,898 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in Target in the second quarter valued at about $831,466,000. 79.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have weighed in on the stock. KeyCorp reissued a “sector weight” rating on shares of Target in a research report on Thursday. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price target on Target from $166.00 to $178.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Target from $165.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Target from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 19th. Finally, Mizuho set a $150.00 price objective on Target in a report on Thursday. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eighteen have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $159.52.

Target Stock Down 0.1%

TGT opened at $165.35 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $75.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.17, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.34 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.99 and a quick ratio of 0.36. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $140.82 and a 200-day moving average price of $128.14. Target Corporation has a one year low of $83.44 and a one year high of $165.48.

Target (NYSE:TGT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 19th. The retailer reported $4.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.35 by $1.76. The firm had revenue of $26.54 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $26.13 billion. Target had a return on equity of 23.23% and a net margin of 4.08%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.05 EPS. Target has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.900-10.900 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Target Corporation will post 8.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Target Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 12th will be issued a $1.16 dividend. This represents a $4.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 12th. This is a positive change from Target’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.14. Target’s payout ratio is currently 48.18%.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Cara A. Sylvester sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.89, for a total value of $1,258,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 45,930 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,782,127.70. The trade was a 17.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Target

Here are the key news stories impacting Target this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Improved outlook: Target raised its fiscal 2026 earnings guidance to $9.90–$10.90 per share, citing stronger sales, digital growth, category performance and momentum that may extend beyond tariff-related benefits. Target Raises View as Growth Momentum Extends Beyond Tariff Tailwinds
• Positive Sentiment: Strong quarterly performance: Target reported $4.11 in quarterly EPS versus the $2.35 consensus estimate, while revenue of $26.54 billion exceeded expectations and increased 5.3% year over year. Traffic rose 3.6%, supported by merchandising improvements and better execution. Target Q2 Earnings Call Highlights Higher Sales Outlook and Traffic
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: RBC raised its price target to $178 and maintained an outperform rating. Other analysts also lifted targets following the earnings report, reinforcing the bullish reaction. Target Stock Climbs After Analysts Boost Price Targets
• Neutral Sentiment: Citigroup and TD Cowen raised their price targets but retained neutral/hold ratings, suggesting the stock’s valuation may already reflect much of the improved outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: A $994 million tariff refund significantly boosted second-quarter profitability, raising questions about how sustainable the earnings jump will be. Elevated valuation and execution risks could limit additional upside. Target Raises 2026 Guidance as Tariff Refunds Boost Q2 Profitability
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research downgraded Target from “strong buy” to “hold,” providing a counterweight to the broader analyst optimism.

Target 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.