Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) has maintained its Buy rating on Target Corporation (NYSE: NYSE:TGT) with a steady price target of $191.00. The retail giant's second-quarter earnings surpassed expectations, posting earnings per share (EPS) of $2.57, which was above the Goldman Sachs and consensus estimates of $2.34 and $2.18 respectively.
Same-store sales (SSS) also exceeded forecasts, registering a 2.0% increase against the anticipated 1.2%.
The positive sales outcome was attributed to a 3.0% rise in customer traffic, despite a 0.9% drop in average ticket size. A breakdown of the sales channels revealed a 0.7% uptick in store comp sales and a more robust 8.7% surge in e-commerce comp sales.
Notably, same-day services experienced double-digit growth, spearheaded by strong performances in Drive Up and Target Circle 360 same-day delivery services. Moreover, the company observed a continued improvement in discretionary sales trends, with apparel comps climbing over 3%.
Target has updated its full-year guidance for the fiscal year 2024, now anticipating same-store sales to land in the lower half of the flat to 2% range, compared to Goldman Sachs and consensus estimates of 1.5% and 0.4% respectively.
Additionally, the company has increased its EPS guidance by approximately 3% to a range of $9.00 to $9.70, compared to the Goldman Sachs and consensus projections of $9.59 and $9.28.
For the third quarter of 2024, Target is guiding for same-store sales ranging from flat to a 2% increase, which falls short of the Goldman Sachs and consensus estimates of 3.5% and 2.0%. The EPS forecast for the quarter is set at $2.10 to $2.40, against the Goldman Sachs and consensus estimates of $2.57 and $2.24.
In other recent news, Target Corporation has been the focus of several analyst ratings following the announcement of its robust second-quarter performance. The retail giant exceeded earnings per share (EPS) expectations, reporting $2.57 compared to the estimated $2.33.
The positive outcome resulted in an upward revision of its annual profit forecast for 2024, now expecting a profit range of $9.00 to $9.70 per share, up from the prior estimate of $8.60 to $9.60.
Target's comparable sales growth of 2.0% also surpassed market expectations, marking the first increase in five quarters. The company's gross margin expanded significantly, attributed to effective merchandising initiatives, and customer traffic improved notably, rising to +3.0%.
Analysts from various firms, including Citi, Jefferies, Truist Securities, and Roth/MKM, have maintained their ratings on Target. While Citi and Jefferies reiterated their Buy rating, Truist Securities and Roth/MKM maintained their Hold and Neutral ratings, respectively.
InvestingPro Insights
As Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) continues to navigate the competitive retail landscape, InvestingPro data provides a snapshot of the company's financial health and market position. With a market capitalization of approximately $66.77 billion, Target trades at a P/E ratio of 16.1, suggesting a valuation that is potentially attractive when paired with its near-term earnings growth. This is reinforced by a PEG ratio of 0.31 for the last twelve months as of Q1 2025, indicating that the stock may be undervalued relative to its earnings growth rate.
InvestingPro Tips highlight Target's consistent performance in shareholder returns, with the company having raised its dividend for 53 consecutive years. Additionally, analysts remain optimistic about Target's profitability, expecting the company to maintain profitability this year. This financial stability is further evidenced by a dividend yield of 3.13% as of the end of 2024, coupled with a dividend growth of 3.7% in the last twelve months as of Q1 2025. For investors seeking more in-depth analysis, there are additional InvestingPro Tips available at https://www.investing.com/pro/TGT, which delve into Target's debt levels, liquidity, and industry standing.
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