The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX) recently upped its earnings guidance. For the fiscal year, the company sees earnings coming in between $2.46 - $2.54 per share. Analysts polled by Zacks are currently calling for earnings of $2.57 per share, an increase from last month's $2.41.

Company Description

The TJX Companies is a discount retailer, selling apparel and home fashions worldwide. The Company operates 882 T.J. Maxx, 811 Marshalls, 323 HomeGoods, and 141 A.J. Wright stores in the United States. In Canada, The TJX Companies operates 203 Winners, 75 HomeSense and 3 STYLESENSE stores, and in Europe, 243 T.K. Maxx and 8 HomeSense stores.

TJX Sees Higher Earnings

The company recently upped its earnings guidance. For the fiscal year, the company sees earnings coming in between $2.46 - $2.54 per share. Analysts polled by Zacks are currently calling for earnings of $2.57 per share, an increase from last month's $2.41.

TJX Companies is

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Target Corp. (TGT), the operator of general merchandise and food discount stores, expects its third-quarter earnings to surpass analysts’ expectations of 43 cents a share on the back of better-than-expected results for the month of September. However, Target holds a cautious outlook about its fourth-quarter results.   The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third quarter also remains at 43 cents.   Total sales for the month of September climbed 1.3% to $5,392 million from $5,320 million posted in the same month last year. However, year-to-date sales declined marginally by .7% year on year to $39,176 million.   Target’s comparable-store sales for the month of September fell 1.7%, an improvement over the 3% decline delivered in the same month last year. Year-to-date comps slipped 4.3% compared to a decline of 1.1% posted in the same period last year.   The company has been feeling the brunt of the recession, as ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 9, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Target Corporation (TGT), Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), Hasbro Inc. (HAS), Mattel Inc. (MAT) and Citigroup Inc. (C).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:

Target Lowers Toy Prices

In order to woo customers this holiday season, major discount retailer Target Corporation (TGT) recently announced an aggressive price cut on toys. The announcement came on the back of the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) news on offering 100 toys for

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In order to woo customers this holiday season, major discount retailer Target Corporation (TGT) recently announced an aggressive price cut on toys. The announcement came on the back of the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) news on offering 100 toys for $10 each through the Christmas holiday, up from 10 toys offered last year. Target slashed the price of selective toys by up to 50%, which include the Barbie Fashion Doll ($5), GI Joe Tough Troopers Figure ($14.99), and the Fisher-Price Little People Play 'N Go Farm Set 50th Anniversary edition ($11). The holiday seasons are generally important for toymakers and retailers, who expect an uptick in demand with more children splurging in toy stores. However, toy companies did not reap any benefit in the 2008 holiday sales season due to recessionary effects, as consumers cut back their spending and prioritized their purchases. Realizing the ...

Cato Corporation (...

The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX) saw its shares surge after announcing solid June sales. Total sales of $1.84 billion were up 4% year-over-year. Consolidated comparable store sales also jumped 4%.

Company Description

The TJX Companies is a discount retailer, selling apparel and home fashions worldwide. The Company operates 882 T.J. Maxx, 811 Marshalls, 323 HomeGoods, and 141 A.J. Wright stores in the United States. In Canada, The TJX Companies operates 203 Winners, 75 HomeSense and 3 STYLESENSE stores, and in Europe, 243 T.K. Maxx and 8 HomeSense stores.

Stellar Sales and Higher Estimates

The company, which more than doubled the market's return over the past 3 months, recently announced that June's total sales of $1.84 billion were up 4% year-over-year. Consolidated comparable store sales also jumped 4%.

Management said there were strong increases in customer traffic across TJX's divisions as the extreme values

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Dollar Tree Inc. (...

The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX) just declared a quarterly dividend of 12 cents per share, noting that it is payable September 3 to shareholders of record on August 13. The company remains an industry leader in terms of income, currently yielding 2%.

Company Description

The TJX Companies is a discount retailer, selling apparel and home fashions worldwide. The Company operates 882 T.J. Maxx, 809 Marshalls, 322 HomeGoods, and 140 A.J. Wright stores in the United States. In Canada, The TJX Companies operates 203 Winners, 75 HomeSense and 3 STYLESENSE stores, and in Europe, 238 T.K. Maxx and 8 HomeSense stores.

Rewarding Shareholders with Income

The company just declared a quarterly dividend of 12 cents per share, noting that it is payable September 3 to shareholders of record on August 13.

The TJX Companies remains an industry leader in terms of income, currently

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In one of the most high-profile proxy battles in US corporate history, billionaire investor William Ackman will introduce his slate of alternative directors to shareholders of Target Corp. (TGT) on Monday and ask them to overthrow the discount retailer's present board at the annual general meeting later this month.

Ackman has been pushing Target for the last two years to bring about a radical change in strategy. He claims that the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based company's directors lack relevant expertise to make critical decisions that could navigate Target through the ongoing economic crisis.

While Target has no past record of poor governance, its investors might support Ackman's activism in light of the company's underperformance in terms of key retail metrics in the recent past. Shares of Target have shed nearly 40% of their value since a July 2007 high of about $70. Rival retailer Wal-Mart that once lagged

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Target Corp. (TGT) led the broader surge in the S&P Retail Index on Tuesday after activist investor William Ackman said he would launch a proxy battle to replace 5 directors at the discount retailer's board.

In addition to Ackman himself, his hedge fund Pershing Square's nominees include Winthrop Realty Trust (FUR) Chief Executive Michael Ashner, ex-Starbucks (SBUX) CEO Jim Donald, Professor Ronald Gilson and Richard Vague, the former CEO of First USA, Juniper Financial and Barclays Bank Delaware.

"If elected, we believe they will substantially improve Target's ability to navigate through the current economic environment while increasing shareholder value over the long term," Ackman said.

Pershing Square is Target's third-largest investor, with beneficial ownership of about 7.8% of its outstanding common stock. Ackman has long held that Target's stock is undervalued and urged the Minneapolis-based company to sell its credit card portfolio. His decision for the proxy

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