394,612 Shares in The Gap, Inc. $GAP Purchased by Man Group plc

Man Group plc bought a new position in shares of The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor bought 394,612 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,371,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. acquired a new position in shares of GAP in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Plato Investment Management Ltd purchased a new position in GAP during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC purchased a new position in GAP during the second quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in GAP in the second quarter valued at approximately $50,000. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new stake in GAP in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $73,000. 58.81% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

GAP Stock Performance

NYSE GAP opened at $23.48 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $20.06 and a 200-day simple moving average of $22.87. The company has a current ratio of 1.81, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The stock has a market cap of $8.45 billion, a PE ratio of 7.01, a P/E/G ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 2.05. The Gap, Inc. has a twelve month low of $18.11 and a twelve month high of $29.36.

GAP (NYSE:GAP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 27th. The company reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.48 by $0.04. GAP had a net margin of 8.14% and a return on equity of 20.05%. The company had revenue of $3.65 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.69 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.57 EPS. The firm’s revenue was down 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. GAP has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.350-2.450 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that The Gap, Inc. will post 2.38 earnings per share for the current year.

GAP Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 28th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, October 7th will be issued a dividend of $0.175 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 7th. This represents a $0.70 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.0%. GAP’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 20.90%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on GAP shares. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of GAP from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Bank of America lifted their price target on GAP from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded GAP from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $29.00 to $23.00 in a research report on Wednesday, August 12th. BTIG Research boosted their price objective on GAP from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on GAP from $40.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $27.21.

GAP News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting GAP this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings beat expectations: Adjusted EPS was $0.52, exceeding the $0.48 consensus estimate. Gross margin expanded 20 basis points to 41.4%, helping Gap outperform operating-profit expectations despite weaker sales. Gap names Michael Francis Old Navy CEO as quarterly profit beats estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Profit outlook raised: The company now expects fiscal 2026 EPS of $2.35 to $2.45, above the roughly $2.33 analyst consensus. Management cited continued momentum at the Gap brand, margin discipline and strength at Banana Republic. Gap lifts annual profit forecast on strength of namesake brand
• Positive Sentiment: Old Navy leadership reset: Michael Francis, a retail veteran with experience at Walmart and Target, will become Old Navy’s president and CEO on November 2, replacing Haio Barbeito. Investors appear hopeful that Francis can improve the company’s largest brand. Gap shares jump after Old Navy brings in new CEO to revive brand
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support increased: TD Cowen and BTIG raised their price targets to $27 and assigned “buy” ratings. Bank of America also raised its target to $27, while Morgan Stanley lifted its target to $23 but retained an “equal weight” rating.
• Neutral Sentiment: Sales remained soft: Second-quarter revenue fell 2% year over year to $3.65 billion, below the $3.69 billion consensus, while comparable sales declined 1%. Full-year revenue guidance of about $15.6 billion is slightly below analyst expectations. Gap Inc. Reports Second Quarter Fiscal 2026 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Brand performance was uneven: Old Navy reported sluggish comparable sales, and Athleta continued to face pressure. The need for a leadership change underscores execution risks even as Gap and Banana Republic show stronger momentum.

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.