Target Corp (TGT): Today's Featured Services Winner

Target (TGT) pushed the Services sector higher today making it today's featured services winner. The sector as a whole closed the day up 0.2%. By the end of trading, Target rose 37 cents (0.7%) to $57.62 on average volume. Throughout the day, 4.3 million shares of Target exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of five million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $57.17-$57.71 after having opened the day at $57.43 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $57.25. Other companies within the Services sector that increased today were: Spar Group (SGRP), up 13%, Lentuo International (LAS), up 12.6%, Career Education Corporation (CECO), up 11.4%, and Corinthian Colleges (COCO), up 10.2%.

Target Corporation operates general merchandise stores in the United States. Target has a market cap of $37.52 billion and is part of the retail industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 13.1, equal to the average retail industry P/E ratio and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 11.8% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are 12 analysts that rate Target a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and seven rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Target as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, attractive valuation levels, good cash flow from operations, solid stock price performance and growth in earnings per share. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally poor debt management on most measures that we evaluated.

• You can view the full Target Ratings Report.

On the negative front, Talbots (TLB), down 41%, Genetic Technologies (GENE), down 16.3%, China HGS Real Estate (HGSH), down 10.3%, and Dex One (DEXO), down 8.6%, were all losers within the services sector with Tiffany (TIF) being today's services sector loser.

• Use our services section to find sector-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the services sector could consider iShares Dow Jones US Cons Services (IYC) while those bearish on the services sector could consider ProShares Ultra Short Consumer Sers (SCC).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

For more information on Target Corp click any of the following:

• Target Corp Stock Price

• Target Corp Analyst Ratings

• Target Corp Key Stats & Profile

• Target Corp Earnings

• Target Corp Ratio Comparison

• Target Corp Growth Rates

• Target Corp Balance Sheet

• Target Corp Cash Flow

• Target Corp Income Statement