Target Corporation: Why TGT Stock is Worth Owning

By Gaurav Sharma, BA | June 28, 2017

Upside Ahead for TGT Stock?

One stock that has not seen a great 2017 thus far is that of retail giant Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT), which is down nearly 24 %.

The shares are down is because same-store sales were down three percent over the holiday season, which is the busiest time for the retailer. Big-ticket items that customers tend to flock to during this time of year, including electronics and entertainment goods, also declined in this period. The most stable areas that tend to see continued growth, such as food and consumer staples, also saw a decline in sales compared to the previous year. (Source: “Target Reports November/December Sales and Updates Fourth Quarter 2016 Guidance,.” Target Corporation, January 18, 2017.)

Is now the time to considering owning the shares at a discount or is this a warning sign to stay away? Read on as we try to determine if TGT stock might deserve your investment capital.

Actions of the Management Team

First, consider the actions of company insiders. These people are members of senior management, including the likes of corporate executives and directors. As such, they possess knowledge that could both help and harm the company–knowledge that everyday investors don’t have available to them. Greater access to the business means they may have a better idea of the future direction of revenue and earnings. They also have access to other individuals within the company that have more material information which could be used to make an investment decision.

Insiders are allowed to still purchase shares of their company with their own personal money (though there’s extra paperwork). When insiders purchase shares, they are likely doing so because they have info that causes them to believe that the share price will trade higher in the future.

The recent activity of insiders implies future price appreciation, given there has been more buying than selling. Over the past year, Target insiders as a whole have seen a ratio of $2.46 buying compared to $1.00 of selling. This would be considered as a bullish indicator to consider an ownership steak in TGT stock. (Source: “TGT Insider Activity,” NASDAQ, last accessed June 23, 2017.)

Get Paid for Your Time

Target stock comes with a dividend, paid out in March, June, September, and December. And while the share price fell, it does have the advantage of a higher dividend yield. That’s because the dividend yield and price have an inverse relationship; as the price of the stock decreases, the dividend yield goes up.

The dividend is reviewed every June, with this year seeing it raised by just over three percent. Here is a five-year view of the dividend per share (DPS) payout, which shows how the yield has grown.

Ex-Dividend Date	DPS	Yield	Change	Declaration Date	Record Date	Payment Date
August 14, 2017	$0.62	4.9%	3.3%	June 14, 2017	August 16, 2017	September 10, 2017
February 13, 2017	$0.60	3.7%	N/A	January 12, 2017	February 15, 2017	March 10, 2017
November 14, 2016	$0.60	3.3%	N/A	September 21, 2016	November 16, 2016	December 10, 2016
August 15, 2016	$0.60	3.2%	7.1%	June 08, 2016	August 17, 2016	September 10, 2016
May 16, 2016	$0.56	3%	N/A	March 10, 2016	May 18, 2016	June 10, 2016
February 12, 2016	$0.56	3.2%	N/A	January 14, 2016	February 17, 2016	March 10, 2016
November 16, 2015	$0.56	3.1%	N/A	September 11, 2015	November 18, 2015	December 10, 2015
August 17, 2015	$0.56	2.8%	7.70%	June 09, 2015	August 19, 2015	September 10, 2015
May 18, 2015	$0.52	2.7%	N/A	March 13, 2015	May 20, 2015	June 10, 2015
February 13, 2015	$0.52	2.7%	N/A	January 15, 2015	February 18, 2015	March 10, 2015
November 17, 2014	$0.52	3.1%	N/A	September 10, 2014	November 19, 2014	December 10, 2014
August 18, 2014	$0.52	3.6%	20.9%	June 11, 2014	August 20, 2014	September 10, 2014
May 19, 2014	$0.43	3%	N/A	March 13, 2014	May 21, 2014	June 10, 2014
February 14, 2014	$0.43	3.1%	N/A	January 09, 2014	February 19, 2014	March 10, 2014
October 16, 2013	$0.43	2.7%	N/A	September 12, 2013	October 20, 2013	December 10, 2013
August 19, 2013	$0.43	2.5%	19.40%	June 12, 2013	August 21, 2013	September 10, 2013
May 13, 2013	$0.36	2.1%	N/A	March 14, 2013	May 15, 2013	June 10, 2013
February 15, 2013	$0.36	2.3%	N/A	January 10, 2013	February 20, 2013	March 10, 2013
November 19, 2012	$0.36	2.3%	N/A	September 13, 2012	November 21, 2012	December 10, 2012
August 13, 2012	$0.36	2.3%	20%	June 13, 2012	August 15, 2012	September 10, 2012

Management is not shy about yearly double-digit rewards, which is rare for a large-cap stock. In this this small five-year window, the dividend has almost doubled. In fact, Target has increased its dividend every year for the past 49 years.

There are two reasons for the dividend’s continued growth. One is the company’s steady, growing revenue. Even though 2016 was not a great year for total revenue earned, it was still very strong. This is in part because many of Target’s products are consumer staples such as food, beverages, and healthcare products. Consumers will purchase these types of goods no matter how the economy is doing. (Source: “Target Corp.,” MarketWatch, last accessed June 23, 2017.)

The second reason is Target’s very conservation payout, with approximately half of every dollar of earnings being put towards the dividend. This is within the same range as it has been for the past four years. Steady revenue allows for dividend hikes because it means they can be done without shaking up the company’s financial status.

Also Read:

Why Target Corporation is a Strong Pick for Income Investors

5 Dividend Aristocrats That Are Extremely Cheap

TGT stock is also trading at a very cheap valuation when compared to its peers, according to its price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 10.6 times. The industry sports a current ratio of 21.9 times and includes Target itself, as well as its direct competitors. These companies all the same business outlook, earnings growth, and gross margins, hence the comparison.

Final Thoughts About TGT Stock

Now is a great time to consider owning TGT stock since the market doesn’t seem to care right now. Nothing has changed within the company itself to make the investment trade at a lower level, and if it did, it only strengthen the argument for being bullish.

Target stock is offers a dividend yield of 4.91%, which is more than double the dividend yield offered on the S&P 500 Index.