TGT's Expanding Tech Initiatives Set Foundation for Long-Term Growth

Target Corporation TGT is accelerating its transformation through a wave of technology initiatives designed to enhance speed, precision and profitability. In the second quarter of fiscal 2025, the company advanced several digital priorities, including automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and data modernization, as part of a broader strategy to create a faster and more connected retail ecosystem.

At the heart of this effort lies the Enterprise Acceleration Office, established to modernize legacy systems, streamline workflows and strengthen decision-making agility. The program addresses inefficiencies across corporate and operational levels, leveraging technology and analytics to improve coordination between merchandising, supply chain and digital divisions.

A key highlight of the quarter was the deployment of more than 10,000 AI licenses, supporting automation of forecasting, demand prediction and inventory planning. These tools have already delivered improved on-shelf availability and enhanced intra-day accuracy, representing Target’s strongest operational consistency in recent years. Automation has also minimized repetitive tasks, allowing employees to focus on innovation and customer engagement.

The company continues to expand its store-as-fulfillment-hub model, using its nationwide store network to process online orders more efficiently. This approach supports a digital business exceeding $20 billion in annual revenues, while simultaneously reducing shipping costs and improving delivery speed.

Looking forward, Target reaffirmed its five-year plan to drive $15 billion in total sales growth, identifying technology, agility and productivity as primary enablers. With sustained investments in AI, automation and digital infrastructure, the company is firmly positioned to achieve stronger efficiency, innovation and profitability in the years ahead.

WMT & BBY Strengthen Technical Initiatives as TGT Expands AI

Walmart Inc. WMT advanced its artificial intelligence initiatives to enhance customer service, associate productivity, and operational efficiency. Walmart introduced “Sparky,” an AI-powered assistant integrated into its app to improve search and personalized shopping experiences in the second quarter of fiscal 2026. The company also created leadership roles dedicated to AI acceleration and platform development, reinforcing Walmart’s long-term technology-driven growth vision.

Best Buy Co., Inc. BBY accelerated its technology transformation through major advancements in AI and digital innovation in the second quarter of fiscal 2026. The company introduced more than 125 AI-powered laptops and desktops, nearly 70% of which are retail exclusives featuring CoPilot Plus capabilities. Best Buy also trained more than 16,000 experts to assist customers in exploring AI applications and everyday tech integration, reinforcing Best Buy’s leadership in smart technology adoption.

Target’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates

The TGT stock has lost 32.8% year to date against the industry’s growth of 4%.

Target’s forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 11.42 reflects a lower valuation than the industry’s average of 29.78. TGT carries a Value Score of A.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TGT’s fiscal 2025 earnings implies a year-over-year decline of 16.3%, while the same for fiscal 2026 indicates growth of 9.1%. Earnings estimates for fiscal 2025 and 2026 have been southbound by 3 cents per share each in the past 60 days.

Target currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research