Target Co. (NYSE:TGT) Shares Sold by Hamlin Capital Management LLC

Hamlin Capital Management LLC lessened its holdings in shares of Target Co. (NYSE:TGT) by 14.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 736,160 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 126,456 shares during the period. Target makes up approximately 2.5% of Hamlin Capital Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 24th biggest holding. Hamlin Capital Management LLC owned 0.16% of Target worth $99,514,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Cynosure Group LLC boosted its position in Target by 4.3% during the third quarter. Cynosure Group LLC now owns 1,590 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $248,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Financial Advocates Investment Management boosted its stake in shares of Target by 1.2% during the third quarter. Financial Advocates Investment Management now owns 5,736 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $894,000 after acquiring an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. Hancock Whitney Corp boosted its stake in shares of Target by 3.3% during the third quarter. Hancock Whitney Corp now owns 2,156 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $336,000 after acquiring an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont boosted its stake in shares of Target by 0.4% during the third quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 15,678 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,444,000 after acquiring an additional 69 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Target by 1.1% during the third quarter. Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,818 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,063,000 after acquiring an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. 79.73% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Target Trading Up 0.3 %

NYSE:TGT opened at $133.62 on Tuesday. Target Co. has a 12-month low of $120.21 and a 12-month high of $181.86. The firm has a market capitalization of $61.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.17, a P/E/G ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 1.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 0.94 and a quick ratio of 0.25. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $136.13 and a 200 day simple moving average of $145.15.

Target (NYSE:TGT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 20th. The retailer reported $1.85 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.30 by ($0.45). The company had revenue of $25.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $25.87 billion. Target had a net margin of 4.06% and a return on equity of 31.11%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up .9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.10 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Target Co. will post 8.62 EPS for the current year.

Target Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 12th will be paid a dividend of $1.12 per share. This represents a $4.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.35%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, February 12th. Target’s payout ratio is currently 47.51%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Target from $180.00 to $150.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on Target from $160.00 to $120.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Guggenheim decreased their price target on Target from $180.00 to $145.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Melius Research assumed coverage on Target in a research note on Monday, September 23rd. They issued a “buy” rating and a $180.00 price target on the stock. Finally, TD Cowen cut their price objective on Target from $165.00 to $145.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, sixteen have assigned a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Target has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $158.23.

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.