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TGT Stock vs the S&P 500: Returns, Risk and Crash History

Target Corporation, consumer defensive (market value $69.6 billion), an S&P 500 member: how it compared with the S&P 500, how it behaved in every crash since 2008, its risk‑adjusted returns and what analysts said. Data as of Sep 30, 2026.

Published Updated 4 min readHow we research

What changed since Oct 12

Exent re-checks this page every day. Ratings appear 30 days after they are published; the top‑ranked analysts’ calls are not counted here, they are in Gems.

42% Buy ratings (was 41%)13 4★+ analysts covering (was 12)

Key takeaways

  • TGT returned −21.2% over the 5 years to Sep 30, 2026 versus +90.0% for the S&P 500: it lagged the index.
  • Its 5-year Sharpe ratio was −0.10 against 0.67 for the S&P 500.
  • Its deepest crisis drawdown was −61.4% in the global financial crisis (2007–09) (S&P 500: −56.5%).
  • Five‑year volatility was 36.2% and beta 0.98.
  • 32 analysts rated it in the past year; 42% of their latest calls were Buy.
  • TGT beat earnings estimates in 9 of its last 12 reports; the stock moved 8.5% on average, up or down, around each report.

What do the best‑ranked analysts on TGT say now? See it in Exent Gems →

Did TGT beat the S&P 500?

Over the 5 years to Sep 30, 2026, Target Corporation (TGT) returned −21.2% including dividends, versus +90.0% for the S&P 500 (SPY). It lagged the index by 111.2 percentage points, or −4.6% a year against +13.7%.

PeriodTGTS&P 500TGT per yearS&P 500 per yearResult
1 year+80.4%+15.7%+80.4%+15.7%Beat
3 years+55.8%+85.0%+15.9%+22.8%Lagged
5 years−21.2%+90.0%−4.6%+13.7%Lagged
10 years+203.4%+312.9%+11.7%+15.2%Lagged
  • 1 year
    TGT
    +80.4%
    S&P 500
    +15.7%
    TGT per year
    +80.4%
    S&P 500 per year
    +15.7%
    Result
    Beat
  • 3 years
    TGT
    +55.8%
    S&P 500
    +85.0%
    TGT per year
    +15.9%
    S&P 500 per year
    +22.8%
    Result
    Lagged
  • 5 years
    TGT
    −21.2%
    S&P 500
    +90.0%
    TGT per year
    −4.6%
    S&P 500 per year
    +13.7%
    Result
    Lagged
  • 10 years
    TGT
    +203.4%
    S&P 500
    +312.9%
    TGT per year
    +11.7%
    S&P 500 per year
    +15.2%
    Result
    Lagged

Total return with dividends reinvested, from month-end prices to Sep 30, 2026. Beating the index on raw return is only half the story: the next section adjusts for the risk taken. See also how to beat the S&P 500.

TGT is in the S&P 500 (members as of Oct 20, 2026); the list shows every member’s return against the index.

What Wall Street analysts say about TGT

In the 12 months to 30 days ago, 32 analysts published 516 ratings on TGT. Their latest calls were 42% Buy, 52% Hold and 6% Sell. 13 of them rank 4★ or higher in Exent’s analyst scoring, which is based on each analyst’s past price‑target hit rate and returns.

The consensus 12‑month price target was $124.72 (range $88.00–$160.00), −18.2% from the last price. Remember that the average analyst’s target is hit only about half the time: how accurate are price targets?

Top‑ranked analyst coveringFirmStarsPrice‑target hit rate
??????4.9★62.8%
??????4.9★50.5%
??????4.9★55.6%
??????4.9★57.0%
??????4.8★59.4%

Ratings are shown with a 30‑day delay. Who the top‑ranked analysts on TGT are, their live calls and the median target of only the top‑rated analysts are in Exent Gems.

The average analyst’s target is reached about 53.6% of the time; Exent Gems is built on the top 50 of Exent’s ranking,where some reached 90% or more over the last two years. Unlock the top 50 analysts.

TGT returns by year vs the S&P 500

TGT beat the S&P 500 in 4 of the 9 full calendar years shown.

YearTGTS&P 500Difference
2026 (to Sep 30, 2026)+63.5%+12.7%+50.8%
2025−24.5%+17.7%−42.2%
2024−3.0%+24.9%−27.9%
2023−1.4%+26.2%−27.6%
2022−34.2%−18.2%−16.0%
2021+32.9%+28.7%+4.2%
2020+40.5%+18.3%+22.2%
2019+100.1%+31.2%+68.9%
2018+4.7%−4.6%+9.3%
2017−5.8%+21.7%−27.5%

TGT risk-adjusted returns: Sharpe, Sortino and volatility

Over 5 years, TGT had a Sharpe ratio of −0.10 against 0.67 for the S&P 500, so it earned less return per unit of risk than the index. Its annualized volatility was 31.7% and its beta 0.98: it tended to move about 1.0× as much as the market.

MetricTGTS&P 500
Annual return−4.6%+13.7%
Volatility (annualized)31.7%15.7%
Sharpe ratio−0.100.67
Sortino ratio−0.141.08
Max drawdown (month-end)−61.5%−23.9%
Beta to the S&P 5000.981.00

Sharpe divides return above cash by total volatility; Sortino counts only downside volatility. Both use monthly returns and the 1–3 month T‑bill ETF (BIL) as the risk‑free rate.

How TGT behaved in past crashes

TGT’s deepest fall in the crises below was −61.4% in the global financial crisis (2007–09), against −56.5% for the S&P 500. The last column turns that into money: what a $100,000 position would have lost from peak to trough.

CrisisTGTS&P 500Loss on $100,000
Global financial crisis (2007–09)−61.4%−56.5%−$61,430
2018 trade-war selloff−30.9%−20.2%−$30,900
COVID crash (Feb–Mar 2020)−21.7%−34.1%−$21,680
2022 inflation bear market−44.1%−25.4%−$44,130
2025 tariff selloff−32.1%−19.0%−$32,110
WindowTGT max drawdown
Last 1 year−20.3%
Last 3 years−49.8%
Last 5 years−64.7%
Last 10 years−68.6%

Peak‑to‑trough declines from daily prices inside each crisis window. A crash replay does not predict the next crisis; it shows how much room a holding needs. Run the same replay on a whole portfolio with the crash test.

What moves with TGT, and what doesn’t

Correlation runs from −1 (moves opposite) to +1 (moves in lockstep). Over the last 60 months of monthly returns, TGT’s correlation with the S&P 500 was 0.49, with the Nasdaq‑100 0.38, with long Treasuries (TLT) 0.28 and with gold (GLD) 0.13.

Adding a 5% TGT position to an S&P 500 portfolio would have moved its 5‑year volatility from 15.7% to 15.7%.

Least correlated large capsCorrelationMost correlated large capsCorrelation
MCK−0.11PLD0.59
APP−0.07ABNB0.58
IBM−0.03MCO0.54
PGR−0.02CSX0.47
LLY−0.01PH0.46

Holdings that are highly correlated behave like one position in a selloff. See how to find hidden overlap.

Latest TGT upgrades, downgrades and price‑target changes

DateRating and targetAnalyst
Aug 21Target raised
Buy
Target $182, was $170
Joe Feldman
Telsey Advisory
Aug 20Target raised
Hold
Target $160, was $148
Paul Lejuez
Citi
Aug 20Target raised
Hold
Target $170, was $150
Greg Melich
Evercore ISI
Aug 20Target raised
Hold
Target $153, was $146
Peter Keith
Piper Sandler
Aug 20Target raised
Hold
Target $150, was $140
Krisztina Katai
Deutsche Bank
Aug 20Target raised
Hold
Target $154, was $135
Zhihan Ma
Bernstein
Aug 20Target raised
Buy
Target $150, was $122
David Bellinger
Mizuho Securities
Aug 20Target raised
Buy
Target $170, was $150
Simeon Gutman
Morgan Stanley
Aug 20Target raised
Hold
Target $142, was $114
Bill Kirk
Roth MKM
Aug 19Target raised
Sell
Target $140, was $124
Christopher Nardone
Bank of America Securities
Aug 19Target raised
Hold
Target $160, was $155
Oliver Chen
TD Cowen
Aug 19Target raised
Buy
Target $178, was $166
Steven Shemesh
RBC Capital

Named analysts’ rating and price‑target changes on TGT in the 5 weeks to Sep 22, 2026, shown 30 days after publication (the free analysts’ calls 3 days after). The top‑ranked analysts’ calls are in Exent Gems. See all of the latest analyst upgrades and downgrades.

Do analysts get TGT right?

Of the 768 analyst price targets on TGT set from 2019 until a year ago, 58.3% were reached within 12 months (data to Oct 20, 2026), 10.3 points below the 68.6% hit rate of the median stock in Exent’s study of 794 stocks. Targets that were reached took a median of 56 days. The median target sat 13.8% above the share price on the day it was set.

Where analysts said TGT would be by now: a year ago, 21 analysts had a price target on TGT, and the median of their latest targets was $92.00. On Oct 20, 2026 TGT closed at $154.04, 67.4% above it.

58.3%of targets reached within 12 monthsMedian stock: 68.6%
56 daysmedian time to reach a target
+67.4%price now vs the median target set a year ago
AfterCallsMove on the call3 months vs S&P 500
Upgrades of TGT24+3.8%+7.3%
Upgrades, all stocks11,514+2.5%+3.4%
Downgrades of TGT25−1.0%−5.1%
Downgrades, all stocks10,700−3.0%−1.6%

The move on the call runs from the close before the rating change to the close after it; the last column is the stock’s return minus the S&P 500’s over the next three months. Averages of rating changes on TGT through Sep 15, 2026; analysts are not named here. Do analyst upgrades move stocks?

How TGT moves after earnings

TGT beat the consensus earnings‑per‑share estimate in 9 of its last 12 quarterly reports, through the one on Aug 19, 2026, and the revenue estimate in 7 of 12. From the close before each report to the close after it, the stock moved 8.5% on average, up or down, against 6.8% for the average report across the 1,002 US stocks Exent tracks. It rose after 5 of the 12 reports. In 4 of the 9 beats the stock still fell. The next report is expected on Nov 18, 2026.

9/12earnings beats
±8.5%average move per report
Nov 18, 2026next report (expected)
ReportEPS vs estimateRevenue vs estimateStock move
Aug 19, 2026$4.11 vs $2.35+1.6%+3.8%
May 20, 2026$1.71 vs $1.47+3.2%−0.9%
Mar 3, 2026$2.44 vs $2.16−0.0%+6.1%
Nov 19, 2025$1.78 vs $1.71−0.2%−5.5%
Aug 20, 2025$2.05 vs $2.04+1.1%−7.9%
May 21, 2025$1.30 vs $1.56−1.2%−3.1%
Mar 4, 2025$2.41 vs $2.27+0.5%−3.5%
Nov 20, 2024$1.85 vs $2.30−0.8%−21.5%

Reported earnings per share against the consensus estimate, revenue surprise in percent, and the stock’s price change over the two sessions around the report. How stocks move after earnings

Where TGT’s revenue comes from

In fiscal 2013 (the year to Feb 1, 2014), TGT’s largest reported region was the United States, with 100.0% of its $71.3 billion revenue.

By business, the largest segment was Food & beverage, with 23.0% of $104.8 billion revenue.

SegmentRevenueShareGrowth
Food & beverage$24.1 billion23.0%—
Household essentials$18.0 billion17.2%—
Hardlines$15.8 billion15.1%+0.1%
Apparel & accessories$15.7 billion15.0%—
Home furnishings & decor$15.6 billion14.9%—
Beauty$13.2 billion12.6%+0.3%
Advertising revenue$915.0 million0.9%—
Other$626.0 million0.6%—

From TGT’s annual filings; segment growth compares fiscal 2025 with the year before. Regions are as each company reports them, so one company’s “Asia Pacific” is not another’s. China counts the regions a company reports as China, Greater China or Hong Kong; a separately reported Taiwan is not counted. Which S&P 500 companies depend most on China?

Members of Congress who traded TGT

As of Oct 20, 2026, 34 members of Congress had disclosed 115 trades in TGT (64 buys and 51 sales) in STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate. The latest public trade is dated Jan 29, 2026.

Trade dateMemberTypeAmount
Jan 29, 2026Ro KhannaSale$1,001–$15,000
Oct 24, 2025Ro KhannaSale$1,001–$15,000
Sep 29, 2025Ro KhannaSale$1,001–$15,000
Sep 23, 2025Valerie HoyleSale$1,001–$15,000
Aug 18, 2025Dan NewhouseBuy$1,001–$15,000
Aug 8, 2025Ro KhannaSale$1,001–$15,000
Aug 5, 2025Ro KhannaSale$1,001–$15,000
Jul 25, 2025Ro KhannaBuy$1,001–$15,000
Jul 8, 2025Ro KhannaSale$1,001–$15,000
Apr 11, 2025Shelley CapitoSale$1,001–$15,000

Amounts are the ranges members report, not exact values. The STOCK Act gives members up to 45 days to disclose a trade, so trades appear weeks after they are made. See every member’s disclosed trades

One trade in TGT disclosed in the last 30 days is in Exent Radar.

Are TGT insiders buying or selling?

In the 12 months to Oct 20, 2026, TGT insiders made no open‑market purchases and 9 sales worth $26.0 million, according to SEC Form 4 filings. The last open‑market purchase on record was on Mar 9, 2017.

After the 7 insider purchases of $10,000 or more since 2012, TGT beat the S&P 500 by an average of 10.3 percentage points over the next 12 months; 86% of them were followed by a beat. Across all 17,865 insider purchases in Exent’s study, the average was +17.2% and the median +1.0% against the index.

Q3 ’24
Q1 ’25
Q2 ’25
Q3 ’25
Q4 ’25
Q1 ’26
Q2 ’26
Q3 ’26
DateInsiderRoleValue
Mar 9, 2017Knauss Donald RDirector$548,641
Mar 6, 2017Liu Don HExecutive Officer$114,000
Mar 2, 2017Liu Don HExecutive Officer$116,400
Mar 1, 2017Smith Cathy RExecutive Officer$294,741
May 20, 2016Smith Catherine RExecutive Officer$339,080

The table lists the latest open‑market purchases on record, leaving out the last 30 days. The chart counts Form 4 purchases and sales by calendar quarter. Purchases are open‑market buys; sales include planned sales under 10b5‑1 trading plans. Do insider buys beat the market?

How much of TGT is sold short?

As of the Sep 30, 2026 settlement date, 3.81% of TGT’s float was sold short: 17.3 million shares, or 4.9 days of average trading volume to cover. A year earlier (Oct 15, 2025) it was 4.58%. The median across the 997 US stocks Exent tracks was 4.77%, so TGT is less heavily shorted than most.

  • Apr 30, 20263.42%
  • May 29, 20263.45%
  • Jun 30, 20264.12%
  • Jul 31, 20263.70%
  • Aug 31, 20263.50%
  • Sep 30, 20263.81%

From FINRA short‑interest reports, filed twice a month; the bars show the short share of the float at each month‑end. Days to cover divides the shares short by the average daily volume. The most shorted stocks

How many institutions own TGT?

At the end of Q2 2026 (Jun 30, 2026), 1,991 institutions reported holding TGT in 13F filings, up 47 from the quarter before and up from 1,866 a year earlier. Their reported holdings add up to 90.2% of TGT’s shares. In the quarter 945 institutions added to their positions and 688 cut them.

1,99113F holders
211new positions
171positions closed
90.2%of shares held by 13F filers

Investment managers with over $100 million in US equities file 13F reports within 45 days of each quarter end, so this is the latest complete quarter. Holdings can add up to more than 100% when shares are lent and counted twice. Which stocks institutions are buying and selling

Is TGT diluting shareholders?

TGT’s diluted share count fell 9.9% over the five fiscal years to fiscal 2025 and fell 1.3% in fiscal 2025 alone. Each share now owns a larger slice of the company. The median change across the 1,005 US stocks Exent tracks was −0.1%.

Stock‑based compensation was $281.0 million in fiscal 2025, 0.3% of revenue. TGT spent $408.0 million buying back shares, a buyback yield of 0.55% of its market value; stock pay equaled 68.9% of the buybacks.

−1.3%share count, 1 year
−9.9%share count, 5 years
0.3%stock pay as % of revenue
0.55%buyback yield

Weighted‑average diluted shares from TGT’s annual income statements; stock‑based compensation and buybacks from its cash‑flow statement. Stock dilution and stock‑based compensation, explained

TGT financial health scores

In Exent’s Oct 20, 2026 snapshot, TGT’s Altman Z‑score was 3.30, in the safe zone (where 465 of the 794 non‑financial US stocks Exent tracks sit). Its Piotroski F‑score was 7 out of 9; 40% of scored stocks reach 7 or more.

3.30Altman Z‑score: safe zone
7/9Piotroski F‑score

The Altman Z‑score combines five balance‑sheet and earnings ratios into one bankruptcy‑risk score: below 1.81 is the distress zone, 1.81–2.99 grey, above 2.99 safe. It is not meaningful for banks, insurers and REITs. The Piotroski F‑score counts nine yes/no tests of profitability, leverage and efficiency; 8–9 is strong, 0–2 weak. Both come from the latest annual statements. Which stocks have the highest bankruptcy risk?

What TGT talks about on earnings calls

On its latest earnings call (Aug 19, 2026), TGT’s executives and analysts mentioned AI 4 times, against 1 on the call before (May 20, 2026); the average across 455 S&P 500 calls that quarter was 12.9. After AI, the most mentioned topic was tariffs (16).

MentionsAug ’26May ’26Mar ’26Nov ’25
AI41128
AI agents2010
Data centers0000
Tariffs161172
China0000
Recession0000
  • AI
    Aug ’26
    4
    May ’26
    1
    Mar ’26
    12
    Nov ’25
    8
  • AI agents
    Aug ’26
    2
    May ’26
    0
    Mar ’26
    1
    Nov ’25
    0
  • Data centers
    Aug ’26
    0
    May ’26
    0
    Mar ’26
    0
    Nov ’25
    0
  • Tariffs
    Aug ’26
    16
    May ’26
    1
    Mar ’26
    17
    Nov ’25
    2
  • China
    Aug ’26
    0
    May ’26
    0
    Mar ’26
    0
    Nov ’25
    0
  • Recession
    Aug ’26
    0
    May ’26
    0
    Mar ’26
    0
    Nov ’25
    0

Word counts in the full transcript of each call, prepared remarks and Q&A, newest first. “AI” also counts generative AI and large language models; “AI agents” counts agentic AI. Which companies talk most about AI?

Which ETFs hold TGT?

As of Oct 20, 2026, 58 of the 304 ETFs Exent tracks held TGT. Its largest weight is in XLP (State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF), at 4.08% of the fund.

ETFFundWeight of TGT
XLPState Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF4.08%
FSTAFidelity MSCI Consumer Staples Index ETF2.25%
WTVWisdomTree U.S. Value Fund1.92%
SCHDSchwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF1.71%
DVYiShares Select Dividend ETF1.71%
SDYState Street SPDR S&P Dividend ETF1.69%
FDLFirst Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund1.28%
VOEVanguard Mid-Cap Value Index Fund1.21%

Owning several of these funds stacks the same position. How much do VOO, QQQ and VTI overlap?

The right benchmark for TGT

Exent matches every holding to the index with the most similar risk. For TGT that is SPY (the S&P 500). Comparing a holding with an index that carries very different risk makes good results look bad and risky ones look clever. Read why the S&P 500 is the wrong benchmark for most portfolios.

Other consumer defensive stocks

TickerName5‑year returnVolatility (5y)
WMTWalmart Inc.+137.5%21.7%
COSTCostco Wholesale Corporation+113.4%23.0%
KOThe Coca-Cola Company+87.5%16.0%
PGThe Procter & Gamble Company+17.3%17.7%
PMPhilip Morris International Inc.+147.0%22.6%
PEPPepsiCo, Inc.−3.0%18.3%
MOAltria Group, Inc.+110.6%20.7%
MNSTMonster Beverage Corporation+87.4%24.5%

Data and methodology

Returns are total returns from month‑end adjusted closing prices (dividends reinvested) through Sep 30, 2026. Crisis drawdowns and trailing maximum drawdowns use daily prices. Analyst coverage counts ratings published in the last 12 months, shown with a 30‑day delay. Full method: Exent methodology.

Company data as of Oct 20, 2026. The move around an earnings report runs from the close before it to the close after it; a price target counts as hit when the stock closed at or beyond it within 12 months (Exent analyst data). Revenue by region and segment, share counts and executive pay come from company filings; insider trades from SEC Form 4, short interest from FINRA, institutional ownership from 13F filings, Congress trades from STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate, federal contracts from USAspending.gov. Filings from the last 30 days are shown as counts only.

Past performance does not guarantee future results. Historical figures are calculated by Exent from market data and are for education only; they are not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

Check TGT with Exent Gems

Wall Street’s average TGT price target is 18.2% below the latest share price. See what the best‑ranked analysts on TGT say now in Exent Gems.

  1. Exent ranks Wall Street analysts by their past price‑target hit rate and returns, and keeps the best‑ranked few.
  2. Gems shows who the top‑ranked analysts covering TGT are, their live calls and the median target of only the top‑rated analysts.
  3. Gems flags the stocks where several top‑ranked analysts agree: a starting point for your own research, not a promise.

Exent is our product. Educational content, not investment advice.

Frequently asked questions

No. TGT returned +203.4% (+11.7% a year) over the 10 years to Sep 30, 2026, versus +312.9% (+15.2% a year) for the S&P 500, including dividends.

Yes. As of Oct 20, 2026, TGT (Target Corporation) is one of the 503 stocks in the S&P 500.

TGT fell −61.4% from peak to trough during the global financial crisis (2007–09), versus −56.5% for the S&P 500.

TGT fell −21.7% from peak to trough during the covid crash (feb–mar 2020), versus −34.1% for the S&P 500.

TGT fell −44.1% from peak to trough during the 2022 inflation bear market, versus −25.4% for the S&P 500.

Over the 5 years to Sep 30, 2026, TGT’s Sharpe ratio was −0.10 and its Sortino ratio −0.14, versus 0.67 and 1.08 for the S&P 500.

TGT’s 5‑year annualized volatility was 36.2%, higher than the S&P 500’s 17.0%, with a beta of 0.98.

Among large US stocks, the lowest correlations with TGT over the last 60 months were MCK (−0.11), APP (−0.07), IBM (−0.03). Its correlation with long Treasuries (TLT) was 0.28 and with gold (GLD) 0.13.

TGT beat the consensus earnings-per-share estimate in 9 of its last 12 quarterly reports through Aug 19, 2026, and the revenue estimate in 7 of 12. The stock moved 8.5% on average, up or down, from the close before each report to the close after it. Its next report is expected on Nov 18, 2026.

Yes. As of Oct 20, 2026, 34 members of Congress had disclosed 115 trades in TGT (64 buys and 51 sales) in STOCK Act disclosures filed with the House and Senate.

As of the Sep 30, 2026 settlement date, 3.81% of TGT’s float was sold short (17.3 million shares, 4.9 days to cover), according to FINRA short-interest reports. A year earlier it was 4.58%.

No. TGT’s diluted share count fell 9.9% over the five fiscal years to fiscal 2025 and fell 1.3% in the latest year. Stock-based compensation was 0.3% of revenue, and buybacks totaled $408.0 million.

What do the best‑ranked analysts say on TGT now?

Exent ranks Wall Street analysts by their track record. Gems shows who the top‑ranked analysts on TGT are, their latest calls and the stocks where several of them agree.

See this week’s GemsLimited offer$1.95 for full access· full access

Educational content, not investment advice. Examples are illustrative; past performance does not guarantee future results.

DISCLAIMER: Exent AI is an informational research platform and does not provide investment advice, financial advice, or act as an investment adviser, broker-dealer, or fiduciary. All content, analytics, and model outputs are provided for educational and informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any financial instrument. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Exent AI does not execute trades, hold customer funds, or provide brokerage services. Past performance and hypothetical results are not indicative of future results. Third-party data and AI-generated outputs may be incomplete or inaccurate.