The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) has received an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the fifteen research firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $102.19.

TJX has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of TJX Companies from $95.00 to $104.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, March 1st. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $105.00 price objective on shares of TJX Companies in a research note on Wednesday, February 28th. Redburn Atlantic downgraded shares of TJX Companies from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $100.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Monday, February 5th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of TJX Companies from $95.00 to $110.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 29th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other TJX Companies news, CEO Ernie Herrman sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.98, for a total value of $1,979,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 515,801 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $51,053,982.98. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In related news, EVP Louise Greenlees sold 2,694 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.83, for a total transaction of $266,248.02. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 50,273 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,968,480.59. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Ernie Herrman sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.98, for a total transaction of $1,979,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 515,801 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $51,053,982.98. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in TJX. Aspect Partners LLC acquired a new stake in TJX Companies during the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in TJX Companies during the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in TJX Companies during the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Anchor Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of TJX Companies in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, BKM Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of TJX Companies in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.09% of the company’s stock.

TJX Companies Price Performance

Shares of TJX stock opened at $93.36 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 1.21 and a quick ratio of 0.64. The company has a market capitalization of $105.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.19, a P/E/G ratio of 2.40 and a beta of 0.86. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $97.58 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $93.62. TJX Companies has a one year low of $75.65 and a one year high of $102.84.

TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The apparel and home fashions retailer reported $1.22 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.12 by $0.10. TJX Companies had a net margin of 8.25% and a return on equity of 64.18%. The business had revenue of $16.41 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.20 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.89 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 13.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that TJX Companies will post 4.07 EPS for the current year.

TJX Companies Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 6th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 16th will be issued a $0.375 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, May 15th. This represents a $1.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.61%. This is a boost from TJX Companies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.33. TJX Companies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 34.46%.

TJX Companies declared that its board has initiated a share buyback program on Wednesday, February 28th that authorizes the company to repurchase $2.50 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the apparel and home fashions retailer to buy up to 2.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are usually an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

About TJX Companies

The TJX Companies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. It operates through four segments: Marmaxx, HomeGoods, TJX Canada, and TJX International. The company sells family apparel, including footwear and accessories; home fashions, such as home basics, furniture, rugs, lighting products, giftware, soft home products, decorative accessories, tabletop, and cookware, as well as expanded pet, and gourmet food departments; jewelry and accessories; and other merchandise.