How to Invest in Target Stock (TGT)

By Rachel Warren – Updated Apr 25, 2025 at 10:01 PM | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Target has operated since 1902, growing into a major U.S. retailer with a broad product range.
Target's e-commerce expansion in 1999 capitalized on the dot-com boom, and it rebranded in 2000.
Target offers dividends, pays $1.12/share quarterly, and can be included in investment portfolios via ETFs.

Target (TGT +3.17%) has become a go-to shopping destination for millions around the country who search the store for everything from home goods to clothes to food to gadgets.

The story of Target began in 1902 in Minneapolis, when the Goodfellow Dry Goods store was located on the site of an 1893 fire that had burned the Westminster Presbyterian Church to the ground. The church couldn't cover the cost of a new building, but George Dayton, a parishioner, bought an adjacent lot, constructed a new building, and acquired the Goodfellow store as a tenant.

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NYSE: TGT

Target

Today's Change

(3.17%) $2.99

Current Price

$97.25

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$43B

Day's Range

$95.00 - $97.90

52wk Range

$85.36 - $158.42

Volume

311K

Avg Vol

7.8M

Gross Margin

25.43%

Dividend Yield

0.05%

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As the parent company sold off various owned shopping centers in the years that followed, it continued to expand its portfolio of Target locations both through new openings and aggressive acquisitive maneuvers. By the late 1990s, Target operated 851 stores in the United States and was turning $23 billion in annual sales, even as Dayton-Hudson's Corp.'s other brands struggled.

In 1999, Target capitalized on the dot-com boom and launched an e-commerce site; the next year, it rebranded from the Dayton-Hudson Corp. to Target Corp. If you want to buy shares of Target stock, here's what you need to know.

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Stock

A stock represents an ownership interest in a business. When a business wants to raise money, its board of directors determines the number of shares to issue.

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Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF)

An exchange-traded fund, or ETF, allows investors to buy many stocks or bonds at once.

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The bottom line on Target

Target's position as a top retailer nationwide, its strong underlying profitability, and its robust cash position could all tempt some investors to take a second look at the stock. The company also pays regular dividends, and it has an enviable history of maintaining and raising its dividend in a wide range of market environments.

Slowing growth, increased competition, and challenging consumer spending patterns are dragging on the balance sheet. For investors willing to stay along for the ride during the transition period Target is going through, the ability to receive steady dividend income and invest in a mainstay retailer may make the stock worth a second look.

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About the Author

Rachel Warren is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, information technology, and consumer goods. Prior to The Motley Fool, Rachel was a paralegal and legal administrator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from Liberty University School of Law.

TMFRachelW

John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Rachel Warren has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Costco Wholesale, Target, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.