Target Corporation operates as a general merchandise retailer in the United States. The company offers apparel for women, men, boys, girls, toddlers, and infants and newborns, as well as jewelry, accessories, and shoes; and beauty and personal care, baby gear, cleaning, paper products, and pet supplies. It also provides dry grocery, dairy, frozen food, beverages, candy, snacks, deli, bakery, meat, and food service; electronics, which includes video game hardware and software, toys, entertainment, sporting goods, and luggage; and furniture, lighting, storage, kitchenware, small appliances, home decor, bed and bath, home improvement, school/office supplies, greeting cards and party supplies, and other seasonal merchandise. In addition, the company sells merchandise through periodic design and creative partnerships, and shop-in-shop experience; and in-store amenities. Further, it sells its products through its stores; and digital channels, including Target.com. Target Corporation was incorporated in 1902 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Target выглядит как зрелый ритейлер с сильной рентабельностью капитала, но с заметным давлением на маржу и ликвидность. По оценке акции выглядят недорогими по P/E, P/S и P/FCF относительно отрасли, что поддерживает фундаментальную привлекательность. При этом P/B выше медианы, а это говорит о том, что рынок уже частично закладывает качество бизнеса и устойчивость баланса. ROE и ROI остаются высокими и выше отраслевых ориентиров, что подтверждает способность компании эффективно зарабатывать на капитале. Однако динамика этих показателей за последние периоды скорее ухудшается: ROE, ROA и ROI снижаются, а операционная и чистая маржа постепенно сжимаются. Это важный сигнал, потому что для ритейла именно устойчивость маржи часто определяет, насколько оправдана текущая оценка. Долговая нагрузка выглядит повышенной относительно отрасли, а текущая и быстрая ликвидность остаются слабыми, что ограничивает финансовую гибкость. С другой стороны, денежная позиция и собственный капитал растут, а долг за последний период немного снизился, что смягчает риски. Выручка, валовая прибыль и EBITDA в целом остаются крупными и стабильными, но без убедительного ускорения, поэтому потенциал переоценки выглядит ограниченным. Дивидендная доходность в текущих данных не поддерживает идею сильного доходного кейса, а историческая динамика выплат выглядит неровной. В сумме фундаментал скорее подтверждает справедливую оценку с небольшим уклоном в сторону осторожности, чем даёт основание для заметного повышения целевой цены. Для инвестора это означает, что у бумаги есть качество и прибыльность, но слабая ликвидность, высокая долговая нагрузка и давление на маржу сдерживают апсайд.

Target Corporation

Сильный индекс, без изменений. Быки в растерянности.

Strong index, flat. The bulls are confused.

Сильный индекс, без изменений. Рынок на стороне быков.

Strong index, flat. The market is on the bulls' side.

Сильный индекс, незначительно упал. Приток средств в лонги на высоком уровне.

Strong index, slightly down. Inflow of funds into longs at a high level.

У TGT сильная рентабельность и недорогие мультипликаторы, но слабая ликвидность, высокая долговая нагрузка и сжимающиеся маржи ограничивают потенциал переоценки.

(RTTNews) - Target Corp. (TGT) announced the results of its 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on June 10, 2026. Shareholders rejected three proposals, including a request for a policy requiring the Board Chair to be independent, a report on the presence of pesticides in Target's private label brands, and a report on reducing plastic microfiber shedding.
Despite these rejections, shareholders elected all 12 nominees to the board of directors, reaffirming confidence in the company's leadership team. They also ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as Target's independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal 2026, ensuring continued oversight of financial reporting.
On compensation matters, shareholders approved, on an advisory basis, Target's executive pay package through the "Say on Pay" vote. In addition, they endorsed the Amended and Restated Target Corporation 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan, which aligns management incentives with long-term shareholder value.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Target Shareholders Reject Independent Chair Policy Proposal

The TJX Companies, Inc. TJX recently reached a new 52-week high, a notable milestone that has grabbed investors' attention. The company's solid execution, resilient off-price business model and expansion initiatives have fueled the stock's strong performance, leaving investors wondering whether it is still worth buying.
In the past year, TJX stock has surged 35.8%, outpacing the Zacks Retail - Discount Stores industry, the broader Retail and Wholesale sector and the S&P 500, which have gained 15.1%, 5.4% and 25.1%, respectively.
TJX Price Performance vs. Industry, S&P 500 & Sector
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The TJX Companies has also outperformed its key competitors, such as Target Corporation TGT, Dollar Tree, Inc. DLTR and Dollar General Corporation DG. Over the past year, Target, Dollar Tree and Dollar General posted gains of 33.6%, 19.6% and 2.3%, respectively.
Technical indicators also point to continued strength. TJX currently trades above both 50 and 200-day moving averages, signaling sustained upward momentum and reinforcing investors' confidence in its long-term growth prospects.
TJX’s Off-Price Strength and Expansion Strategy Support Growth
TJX’s off-price retail model continues to be a key competitive advantage, enabling it to attract consumers across income groups through a combination of branded merchandise, attractive pricing and a treasure-hunt shopping experience. In the first quarter of fiscal 2027, comparable sales increased 6%, driven by both higher customer transactions and larger basket sizes. Management noted that all divisions delivered transaction growth, highlighting the broad appeal and resilience of the company’s value-focused business model.
The company is also benefiting from exceptional merchandise availability and its extensive global sourcing network. With more than 1,400 buyers and strong vendor relationships, TJX remains well-positioned to secure quality branded products at attractive prices. Management emphasized that merchandise availability remains outstanding, allowing the retailer to maintain fresh assortments, respond quickly to consumer trends and capitalize on buying opportunities that support both sales growth and margin expansion.
TJX’s growth strategy extends beyond merchandising strength, supported by continued store expansion and market-share gains. The company ended the fiscal first quarter with 5,262 stores worldwide after adding 48 net new locations. Management remains optimistic about expansion opportunities across Europe and Australia while pursuing growth initiatives in newer markets such as Spain and Mexico. The retailer believes it still has a substantial runway to increase global footprint and deepen presence across key markets.
TJX’s operational flexibility remains a major competitive advantage. Its fast-turning inventory model allows the company to quickly capitalize on emerging trends, adjust merchandise assortments and pursue high-demand categories. This agility supports strong customer traffic, healthy merchandise margins and continued market-share gains, while helping TJX maintain a fresh and compelling shopping experience that encourages repeat visits across its retail banners.
How Are Estimates Stacking Up for TJX?
Reflecting the positive sentiment around TJX, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings per share has seen upward revisions. Over the past seven days, earnings per share estimates for fiscal 2027 and 2028 have increased 2 cents and 1 cent to $5.17 and $5.67, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How Does TJX’s Valuation Look?
TJX is currently trading at a slight discount to its industry benchmarks. The company’s forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 31.55X is slightly lower than the industry average of 31.92X. Among peers, Target, Dollar Tree and Dollar General trade at significantly lower valuations, with forward P/E multiples of 15.52X, 15.89X and 15.18X, respectively.
TJX P/E Ratio (Forward 12 Months)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The TJX Companies Navigates Key Challenges Ahead
TJX operates in a highly competitive retail environment, where maintaining its value proposition may require continued investments in pricing, marketing and store operations. While the company has successfully gained market share through its off-price model, competition from both traditional retailers and e-commerce players remains intense. In addition, cost inflation across labor, sourcing and logistics could pressure profitability and limit future margin expansion.
The retailer is also exposed to macroeconomic and international risks due to its extensive global footprint. Fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, evolving trade policies and tariff-related uncertainties could affect profitability and sourcing costs. While management remains confident in the resilience of the off-price model, changes in consumer spending patterns, economic slowdowns in key markets and persistent cost inflation could pressure future results and moderate earnings growth.
TJX’s Investment Analysis
TJX’s recent 52-week high reflects the strength of its off-price business model, consistent execution and ability to gain market share in a challenging retail environment. The company continues to benefit from strong customer traffic, strong merchandise availability and significant expansion opportunities across global markets. While higher costs, foreign exchange fluctuations and macroeconomic uncertainties remain risks, TJX’s solid fundamentals and positive earnings outlook support its long-term growth story. With a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), the stock remains a compelling choice for investors seeking steady growth and resilience in the retail sector.
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is Here
The AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. AI’s second wave is moving from infrastructure to implementation and these companies are at the forefront of this transition, positioned to become what Amazon and Google were to the internet era.
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The TJX Companies Hits 52-Week High: Is the Stock Still Worth Buying?

The Board of Directors of Caterpillar voted today to raise the quarterly dividend by 12 cents, an eight percent increase, to one dollar and sixty-three cents per share of common stock payable Aug. 19, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business July 20, 2026. Caterpillar has paid a cash dividend every year since the company was formed and has paid a quarterly dividend since 1933. Caterpillar has paid higher annual dividends to shareholders for 32 consecutive years and is recognized as a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index.
Microsoft on Wednesday announced that its board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.91 per share. The dividend is payable Sept. 10, 2026, to shareholders of record on Aug. 20, 2026. The ex-dividend date will be Aug. 20, 2026.
Flexsteel Industries announced its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share, payable July 6, 2026, to shareholders of record as of June 24, 2026. The $0.25 per share quarterly dividend is an increase of 25% from the previous quarterly dividend. Flexsteel has paid cash dividends on its common stock each year since 1938. This is the 338th consecutive quarterly cash dividend.
The Board of Directors of Philip Morris International today declared a regular quarterly dividend of $1.47 per common share, payable on July 20, 2026, to shareholders of record as of June 25, 2026. The ex-dividend date is June 25, 2026.
The board of directors of Target has declared a quarterly dividend of $1.16 per common share, a 1.8% increase from the prior quarterly dividend of $1.14. The dividend is payable September 1, 2026 to shareholders of record at the close of business August 12, 2026. The 3rd quarter dividend will be the company's 236th consecutive dividend paid since October 1967 when the company became publicly held. With the increase announced today, 2026 is on track to be the 55th consecutive year in which Target has increased its annual dividend.
VIDEO: Daily Dividend Report: CAT,MSFT,FLXS,PM,TGT
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Daily Dividend Report: CAT,MSFT,FLXS,PM,TGT

Dollar General Corporation’s DG first-quarter fiscal 2026 same-store sales growth suggests that the company has multiple drivers supporting its performance for the rest of the year. Same-store sales increased 2% in the quarter, driven by 1.4% growth in customer traffic and a 0.5% rise in the average transaction amount. Traffic-led comps generally indicate that customers are visiting more often, rather than growth being driven only by higher prices or larger baskets.
Dollar General said all four merchandising categories delivered positive comparable sales for the fifth straight quarter, with non-consumables again outpacing consumables. That balance is important because it shows the company is not relying solely on essential categories to drive comps.
Management also pointed to consistency within the quarter. All three periods were positive, with March helped by the Easter shift. The company said the business recovered after severe winter weather hurt the first two weeks of the quarter in February, with the remaining 11 weeks running near the upper end of its range. Trends also continued as May began.
For fiscal 2026, Dollar General continues to expect same-store sales growth of 2.2% to 2.7%. After a 2% first-quarter comp despite weather disruption, the latest update suggests that the company’s value and convenience proposition is still drawing repeat visits and providing a firmer base for same-store sales growth.
How Dollar General Compares With Walmart and Target
Walmart Inc. WMT posted U.S. comparable sales growth of 4.1% in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, driven by higher customer transactions, increased unit volumes and strong e-commerce performance. Walmart continued to gain market share across income groups while benefiting from growth in advertising, marketplace sales and Walmart+ membership revenues. Walmart’s results reflected steady demand for both grocery and general merchandise offerings.
Meanwhile, Target Corporation TGT delivered comparable sales growth of 5.6%, supported by a 4.4% increase in traffic and strength across both stores and digital channels. Target reported sales growth in all six core merchandise categories, with broad-based demand across guest demographics. Target also highlighted momentum in beauty, food and wellness categories. As Target executes its merchandising and store experience initiatives, the retailer remains focused on driving sustainable long-term growth.
What the Latest Metrics Say About Dollar General
Dollar General has seen its shares tumble 26.8% over the past three months compared with the industry’s decline of 1.3%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, Dollar General's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio stands at 14.19, lower than the industry’s ratio of 31.30. However, it is trading below its 12-month median level of 17.52.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Dollar General’s current financial-year sales and earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 3.9% and 6.7%, respectively. For the next fiscal year, the consensus estimate indicates a 3.9% rise in sales and 8.7% growth in earnings.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Dollar General currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Radical New Technology Could Hand Investors Huge Gains
Quantum Computing is the next technological revolution, and it could be even more advanced than AI.
While some believed the technology was years away, it is already present and moving fast. Large hyperscalers, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, and even Meta and Tesla, are scrambling to integrate quantum computing into their infrastructure.
Senior Stock Strategist Kevin Cook reveals 7 carefully selected stocks poised to dominate the quantum computing landscape in his report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power.
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Dollar General's Same-Store Sales Strength Suggests More Growth Ahead

Kohl’s Corporation’s KSS home business emerged as a notable bright spot in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, reflecting the company's ongoing efforts to refine assortments and deliver products that better align with customer preferences. While overall comparable sales declined 1.1%, Home was one of the few businesses to deliver flat to slightly positive comparable sales growth during the quarter.
The improvement was particularly meaningful given the category’s recent challenges. Home performance improved more than 400 basis points from the fourth quarter, aided by stronger customer response to innovation and fresh product offerings. Newness from brands such as Shark and Ninja resonated well with shoppers, helping drive momentum across the category.
Beyond national brands, Kohl’s is also leaning into proprietary offerings within soft home and tabletop categories through brands, such as Mariana and Mingle & Co. The balanced mix of innovation, value and exclusive products appears to be driving greater customer engagement.
Home decor was another area of progress. The business delivered low-single-digit growth after significant underperformance in the prior quarter. The turnaround followed assortment adjustments in seasonal decor, where the company previously carried excessive depth in select products while offering limited variety. A broader and more balanced assortment appears to have improved customer response.
The first-quarter results suggest that product newness is playing an increasingly important role in reviving Kohl’s Home business. The category’s recovery highlights how thoughtful merchandising and innovation can help reengage shoppers in a business that had previously struggled to gain momentum.
How WMT and TGT Stack Up
Walmart Inc. WMT is also seeing traction in discretionary categories, with U.S. general merchandise comps up mid-single digits in the first quarter of fiscal 2027. Walmart’s marketplace growth in hardlines, home and apparel was more than 40%, while private-brand sales rose double digits, underscoring the company’s ability to use value-led newness to drive broader category engagement. WMT posted its strongest general merchandise share gains in five years, suggesting that it is gaining relevance beyond grocery.
Target Corporation TGT, meanwhile, is taking a more reset-driven approach in home. The company’s home furnishings and decor sales rose to $3,239 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 from $3,220 million in the year-ago period. TGT is beginning a multiyear home reinvention, including changes to nearly three-fourths of decorative accessories, with kids’ home and bedding updates planned later this year. For Target, newness remains a work in progress.
KSS Stock Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of Kohl’s have surged 72.6% over the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 61.9%.
KSS Price Performance Versus Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, KSS trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 12.1, lower than the industry’s average of 13.44.
KSS’ Valuation Compared to Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KSS’ current fiscal-year earnings per share implies a year-over-year decline of 19.1%, while the consensus mark for the next fiscal year’s EPS suggests growth of 7.6%.
Kohl’s currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Radical New Technology Could Hand Investors Huge Gains
Quantum Computing is the next technological revolution, and it could be even more advanced than AI.
While some believed the technology was years away, it is already present and moving fast. Large hyperscalers, such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Oracle, and even Meta and Tesla, are scrambling to integrate quantum computing into their infrastructure.
Senior Stock Strategist Kevin Cook reveals 7 carefully selected stocks poised to dominate the quantum computing landscape in his report, Beyond AI: The Quantum Leap in Computing Power.
Kevin was among the early experts who recognized NVIDIA's enormous potential back in 2016. Now, he has keyed in on what could be "the next big thing" in quantum computing supremacy. Today, you have a rare chance to position your portfolio at the forefront of this opportunity.
See Top Quantum Stocks Now >>
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Kohl's Home Gains Traction: Will Newness Drive Continued Growth?

Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in Target Corp (Symbol: TGT), where a total volume of 39,587 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 4.0 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 65.7% of TGT's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 6.0 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $133 strike call option expiring June 12, 2026, with 24,432 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 2.4 million underlying shares of TGT. Below is a chart showing TGT's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $133 strike highlighted in orange:
Palantir Technologies Inc (Symbol: PLTR) options are showing a volume of 261,983 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 26.2 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 63.7% of PLTR's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 41.1 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $145 strike call option expiring June 12, 2026, with 16,433 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 1.6 million underlying shares of PLTR. Below is a chart showing PLTR's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $145 strike highlighted in orange:
And Pfizer Inc (Symbol: PFE) options are showing a volume of 203,974 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 20.4 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 61.2% of PFE's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 33.3 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $28 strike call option expiring September 18, 2026, with 76,654 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 7.7 million underlying shares of PFE. Below is a chart showing PFE's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $28 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for TGT options, PLTR options, or PFE options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Further TGT Research:
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Noteworthy Monday Option Activity: TGT, PLTR, PFE

Target Corporation’s TGT first-quarter fiscal 2026 performance suggests that one of the most important drivers of retail growth is beginning to move in the right direction again — customer traffic. After facing softer demand trends over the past year, the retailer saw shoppers return to stores and digital channels in meaningful numbers, helping fuel broad-based sales growth across the business.
Comparable sales increased 5.6% in the first quarter, driven primarily by a 4.4% rise in traffic, a notable turnaround from the 2.4% decline recorded in the year-ago period. Management highlighted traffic as the largest contributor to growth, calling it an encouraging sign because it reflects more guests choosing Target more often.
The strength was not limited to one part of the business. Store comparable sales rose 4.7%, while digital comparable sales increased 8.9%, indicating that shoppers engaged with Target across multiple channels. Traffic gains also coincided with growth in all six core merchandise categories, reinforcing the breadth of the recovery.
Target tied the improvement to recent merchandising and experience initiatives. Management noted that categories where Target introduced new products, refreshed assortments and enhanced in-store experiences generated positive guest responses.
For now, the key takeaway from the quarter is clear. Target’s efforts are drawing shoppers back, and rising traffic is emerging as a meaningful engine behind its renewed growth momentum.
How Target Compares With Walmart and Costco’s Comp Sales
While Target is showing signs of improving category momentum, peer performance provides additional context on how consumer demand is trending across the retail landscape.
Walmart Inc. WMT posted U.S. comparable sales growth of 4.1% in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, driven by higher customer transactions, increased unit volumes and strong e-commerce performance. Walmart continued to gain market share across income groups while benefiting from growth in advertising, marketplace sales and Walmart+ membership revenues. Walmart’s results reflected steady demand for both grocery and general merchandise offerings.
Costco Wholesale Corporation’s COST third-quarter fiscal 2026 comparable sales rose 9.8%, helped by fuel inflation and foreign exchange. Costco’s adjusted comparable sales increased 6.6%, reflecting broad-based demand, with traffic up 2.4% and adjusted ticket growth of 4.2%. Costco also posted healthy regional adjusted comps of 6.8% in the United States, 6.2% in Canada and 5.9% internationally.
What the Latest Metrics Say About Target
Target has seen its shares jump 1.2% over the past three months against the industry’s decline of 1.5%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, Target's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio stands at 14.35, lower than the industry’s ratio of 31.29. However, it is trading above its 12-month median level of 13.25, suggesting that while the stock remains discounted versus the industry, part of the recent operating improvement may already be priced in.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Target’s current financial-year sales and earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 3.9% and 10.3%, respectively. The consensus mark for earnings has risen 33 cents to $8.35 per share over the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Target currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is Here
The AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. AI’s second wave is moving from infrastructure to implementation and these companies are at the forefront of this transition, positioned to become what Amazon and Google were to the internet era.
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Target's Growth Story Gains Steam as Traffic Returns in Force

Costco Wholesale Corporation’s COST third-quarter fiscal 2026 results suggest that its digital business is evolving from a supporting channel into a meaningful growth engine. The company reported digitally enabled comparable sales growth of 21.5%, significantly outpacing total comparable sales growth of 9.8%. Adjusted digitally enabled comparable sales rose 20.8%, while site and app traffic jumped 37%, highlighting strong engagement across its digital ecosystem.
The momentum is being driven by more than just online transactions. Management pointed to a series of technology investments that are improving the member experience across both digital and warehouse channels. Enhancements such as digital membership card access, mobile wallet improvements, expanded cake ordering through the Costco app and the international rollout of its shopping cart pre-scan tool are helping simplify shopping and checkout processes.
Costco is also seeing tangible benefits from personalization efforts. In the quarter, personalized product recommendation carousels generated conversion rates three times higher than normal levels and contributed nearly $500 million in e-commerce sales. This indicates that the retailer is becoming more effective at connecting members with relevant products while driving higher digital engagement.
Another emerging opportunity is artificial intelligence. Costco noted triple-digit growth in traffic generated through AI-powered search platforms, with this traffic delivering the highest conversion rates among all sources. While still small today, management views AI-driven discovery as a potentially significant channel for attracting shoppers and highlighting Costco’s value proposition.
How Costco Compares With Walmart and Target
Walmart Inc. WMT continues to strengthen its digital ecosystem through faster fulfillment, marketplace expansion and AI-powered shopping tools. In the first quarter of fiscal 2027, Walmart reported a 26% increase in global e-commerce sales, driven by store-fulfilled delivery, marketplace growth and advertising services. Marketplace sales in the United States surged 50%, while Walmart highlighted rising engagement with its AI shopping assistant, Sparky and growing membership revenues from Walmart+.
Target Corporation TGT is also investing in its omnichannel capabilities. In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, Target reported growth across both stores and digital channels, supported by higher traffic and technology investments. Target is enhancing digital merchandising, improving product discoverability and leveraging its stores-as-hubs model, which fulfills more than 95% of sales through stores. As Target accelerates technology initiatives and digital integration, it is aiming to deliver a more seamless shopping experience for guests.
What the Latest Metrics Say About Costco
Costco has seen its shares tumble 3.3% in the past three months compared with the industry’s decline of 1.5%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, Costco's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio stands at 44.22, higher than the industry’s ratio of 31.29. However, it is trading below its 12-month median level of 46.71, indicating some moderation in valuation despite sustained investor confidence in the stock.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Costco’s current financial-year sales and earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 9.3% and 13.3%, respectively. For the next fiscal year, the consensus estimate indicates a 7.7% rise in sales and 10.2% growth in earnings.
The consensus estimate for earnings per share for the current and next fiscal year has increased by 6 cents and 7 cents to $20.38 and $22.45, respectively, in the past 30 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Costco currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is Here
The AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. AI’s second wave is moving from infrastructure to implementation and these companies are at the forefront of this transition, positioned to become what Amazon and Google were to the internet era.
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Is Costco's Digital Surge Making It a Bigger Retail Winner?

Walmart Inc. WMT continues to demonstrate how its omnichannel model is evolving beyond traditional retail, with e-commerce becoming an increasingly important driver of growth and profitability. The company’s first-quarter fiscal 2027 results underscored strong digital momentum, supported by faster fulfillment capabilities, marketplace expansion and growing contributions from higher-margin revenue streams.
Global e-commerce sales increased 26% in the quarter, led by store-fulfilled pickup and delivery as well as marketplace growth. The strength was evident across segments, with Walmart U.S. e-commerce sales rising 26%, Walmart International e-commerce sales advancing 27%, and Sam’s Club U.S. e-commerce sales growing 23%.
As digital sales scale, the focus is shifting from growth alone to the profitability of that growth. Walmart U.S. adjusted operating income rose 5.7% to $6 billion, while the adjusted operating income rate improved 6 basis points to 5.1%. The gain was aided by improved e-commerce economics, Walmart+ membership growth and other income benefits.
The company’s extensive store network remains a key advantage. Store-fulfilled delivery in Walmart U.S. grew about 45% in the quarter, and more than 36% of store-fulfilled deliveries were completed in less than three hours. Globally, Walmart delivered more than 3.5 billion units on the same day or the next day.
Even so, margin expansion remains a work in progress. Consolidated gross profit rate increased 6 basis points to 24.3%, but operating expenses continued to face pressure from higher fuel costs, depreciation and healthcare expenses. While near-term expenses remained elevated, the quarter suggested that Walmart’s growing e-commerce scale is increasingly being supported by better fulfillment economics and a richer mix of higher-margin digital revenues.
E-commerce Gains Put TGT and COST Margins in Focus
Target Corporation TGT is also benefiting from growing digital demand. In its first quarter, TGT reported comparable digital sales growth of 8.9%, driven by more than 27% growth in same-day delivery through Target Circle 360. Gross margin expanded to 29% from 28.2%, while adjusted operating margin improved to 4.5% from 3.7%.
Costco Wholesale Corporation COST continues to post robust online-related growth. Digitally enabled comparable sales increased 21.1% in May and 21.6% for the first 39 weeks of the fiscal year. Total comparable sales rose 12.5% in May, while net sales increased 14.5% to $24.01 billion. COST’s strong digitally enabled sales growth highlights the growing importance of e-commerce and convenience-led shopping across the retail landscape.
WMT Stock Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of Walmart have risen 22% over the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 20.3%.
WMT Price Performance Versus Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, WMT trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 39.36, higher than the industry’s average of 35.83.
WMT Valuation Compared to Industry
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WMT’s current and next fiscal year earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 9.5% and 13.3%, respectively.
Walmart currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Walmart's E-commerce Improves 26%: Is Margin Expansion Next?

Key Points
Symbotic is sitting on a massive backlog and recently signed a large customer.
A significant shareholder, however, sold a big chunk of Symbotic shares last month.
Symbotic (NASDAQ: SYM) is automating large warehouses and distribution centers with its artificial-intelligence (AI)-powered automated robotic systems. Supply chain automation is a rapidly growing market, Symbotic's revenue is rising steadily, and it signed medical surgical products leader, Medline as its first customer from the healthcare sector in April.
Yet, Symbotic stock slumped 21.4% in May, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. Shares have fallen further this month and touched their lowest levels in 2026, as of this writing. Should investors panic or buy the dip?
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Why Symbotic stock is falling despite bumper numbers
Symbotic's revenue rose 23% year over year in Q2, and it reported a net income of $9 million versus a loss of $10 million in the year-ago quarter. That dramatic improvement in profits should have sent the stock higher, but Wall Street was fixated on the one cent in profit per share. They expected something much bigger from the company.
There's nothing to worry about here, though. Symbotic is rapidly deploying systems, moving from 46 systems as of May last year to 70 as of May 2026. Deploying these massive systems, however, comes at a cost, which is why Symbotic posted only a small net profit last quarter.
Just as the stock appeared to stabilize after mid-May, it slipped again toward the end of the month after regulatory filings revealed high-level insider selling.
On May 27, an investment vehicle owned by the SoftBank Group (OTC: SFTBF) and its affiliates dumped 5.59 million shares of Symbotic for $50.41 per share. The massive institutional sale sent Symbotic shares even lower, and it continues to reel under pressure in June so far.
Is it time to buy Symbotic stock?
Insider selling doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong with the company. Funds often rebalance their portfolios and monetize mature public holdings to recycle capital or return cash. Symbotic has been a publicly listed company for years, so large exits are normal for long-term institutional sponsors to cash out of their positions. SoftBank Group continues to own a 31.3% stake in Symbotic and has a joint venture with the company to offer warehouse-as-a-service.
Symbotic's backlog of $22.7 billion is 10 times its fiscal 2025 revenue, meaning the company has already effectively locked in revenue for several years to come. Warehouse automation is a rapidly growing business, and Symbotic already has large customers like Walmart, Target, and now Medline.
The Medline contract has expanded Symbotic's footprint from retail to healthcare, adding a strong growth vertical to its portfolio. That only solidifies the investing thesis for Symbotic, making it a stock to buy on dips.
Should you buy stock in Symbotic right now?
Before you buy stock in Symbotic, consider this:
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Neha Chamaria has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Medline, Symbotic, Target, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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