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

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

Target (TGT) pushed the Retail industry higher today making it today's featured retail winner. The industry as a whole was unchanged today. By the end of trading, Target rose 80 cents (1.3%) to $63.92 on average volume. Throughout the day, 5.3 million shares of Target exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 3.8 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $63.32-$64.23 after having opened the day at $63.44 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $63.12. Other companies within the Retail industry that increased today were: Stamps.com (STMP), up 20.2%, Overstock.com (OSTK), up 14.7%, Amazon.com (AMZN), up 6.9%, and Sears Holdings Corporation (SHLD), up 6%.

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Target Corporation operates general merchandise stores in the United States. Target has a market cap of $41.15 billion and is part of the services sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 14.4, equal to the average retail industry P/E ratio and below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 22.7% 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, increase in stock price during the past year, growth in earnings per share and notable return on equity. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally high debt management risk by most measures that we evaluated.

• You can view the full Target Ratings Report.

On the negative front, China Jo-Jo Drugstores (CJJD), down 6.4%, RadioShack (RSH), down 5.3%, HHGregg Incorporated (HGG), down 5%, and Tilly's (TLYS), down 4.2%, were all laggards within the retail industry with Lowe's Companies (LOW) being today's retail industry laggard.

• Use our retail section to find industry-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 retail industry could consider SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) while those bearish on the retail industry could consider ProShares Ultra Sht Consumer Goods (SZK).

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

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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