Target Co. (NYSE:TGT) Shares Sold by Vestcor Inc

Vestcor Inc trimmed its position in shares of Target Co. (NYSE:TGT) by 10.6% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 8,120 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 960 shares during the period. Vestcor Inc’s holdings in Target were worth $1,098,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of TGT. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of Target during the third quarter worth approximately $28,000. Hopwood Financial Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Target in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. MCF Advisors LLC raised its stake in Target by 175.3% during the 4th quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 256 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 163 shares in the last quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in Target by 110.7% during the 4th quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 257 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 135 shares during the period. Finally, FSA Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Target in the third quarter worth $36,000. Institutional investors own 79.73% of the company’s stock.

Target Trading Up 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE:TGT opened at $104.71 on Friday. Target Co. has a 12-month low of $103.46 and a 12-month high of $181.86. The company has a quick ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $47.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 1.18. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $129.35 and a two-hundred day moving average of $139.75.

Target (NYSE:TGT) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, March 4th. The retailer reported $2.41 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.24 by $0.17. The company had revenue of $30.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $30.83 billion. Target had a return on equity of 31.11% and a net margin of 4.06%. On average, equities analysts expect that Target Co. will post 8.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Target Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, June 1st. Investors of record on Wednesday, May 14th will be paid a $1.12 dividend. This represents a $4.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.28%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, May 14th. Target’s payout ratio is presently 50.56%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price objective on shares of Target from $165.00 to $150.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 4th. Citigroup reduced their price target on shares of Target from $133.00 to $120.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, March 5th. Bank of America lowered their price objective on shares of Target from $160.00 to $145.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, March 5th. BMO Capital Markets cut their target price on Target from $160.00 to $120.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Finally, Evercore ISI lowered their price target on Target from $135.00 to $130.00 and set an “in-line” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eighteen have given a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $145.87.

Target Company Profile

Target Corporation operates as a general merchandise retailer in the United States. The company offers apparel for women, men, boys, girls, toddlers, and infants and newborns, as well as jewelry, accessories, and shoes; and beauty and personal care, baby gear, cleaning, paper products, and pet supplies.