TargetLIM:TGT 63 Beneish M-Score is -2.62 as of Jun. 25, 2026. GuruFocus rates LIM:TGT with a GF Score™ of 63/100 and a GF Value™ of $114.04 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 9 warning signs investors should review. Among 293 Retail - Defensive companies, Target ranks better than 54.61% on this metric.
The zones of discrimination for M-Score is as such:
An M-Score of equal or less than -1.78 suggests that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.
An M-Score of greater than -1.78 signals that the company is likely to be a manipulator.
Good Sign:
Beneish M-Score -2.62 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.
The historical rank and industry rank for Target's Beneish M-Score or its related term are showing as below:
LIM:TGT'
s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -3.06 Med: -2.75 Max: -2.29
Current: -2.62
During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Target was -2.29. The lowest was -3.06. And the median was -2.75.
Target Beneish M-Score Related Terms
Target Beneish M-Score Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Target's Beneish M-Score can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
LIM:TGT vs DG, DLTR, BJ: Beneish M-Score Comparison
For the Discount Stores subindustry, Target's Beneish M-Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Beneish M-Score data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Target Beneish M-Score vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Target's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Target's Beneish M-Score falls into.
The M-score was created by Professor Messod Beneish. Instead of measuring the bankruptcy risk (Altman Z-Score) or business trend (Piotroski F-Score), M-score can be used to detect the risk of earnings manipulation. This is the original research paper on M-score.
The M-Score Variables:
The M-score of Target for today is based on a combination of the following eight different indices:
M
=
-4.84
+
0.92 * DSRI
+
0.528 * GMI
+
0.404 * AQI
+
0.892 * SGI
+
0.115 * DEPI
=
-4.84
+
0.92 * 1
+
0.528 * 0.9976
+
0.404 * 1.363
+
0.892 * 1.0047
+
0.115 * 0.9897
-
0.172 * SGAI
+
4.679 * TATA
-
0.327 * LVGI
-
0.172 * 1.046
+
4.679 * -0.062713
-
0.327 * 0.9736
=
-2.62
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Sales growth is not itself a measure of manipulation. However, growth companies are likely to find themselves under pressure to manipulate in order to keep up appearances.
DEPI greater than 1 indicates that assets are being depreciated at a slower rate. This suggests that the firm might be revising useful asset life assumptions upwards, or adopting a new method that is income friendly.
DEPI
=
(Depreciation_t-1 / (Depreciaton_t-1 + PPE_t-1))
/
(Depreciation_t / (Depreciaton_t + PPE_t))
=
(3050 / (3050 + 36921))
/
(3160 / (3160 + 37827))
=
0.076305
/
0.077098
=
0.9897
Note: If the Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization data is not available, we assume that the depreciation rate is constant and set the Depreciation Index to 1.
6. SGAI = Sales, General and Administrative expenses Index
Total accruals calculated as the change in working capital accounts other than cash less depreciation.
TATA
=
(IncomefromContinuingOperations_t
-
CashFlowsfromOperations_t)
/
TotalAssets_t
=
(NetIncome_t - NonOperatingIncome_t
-
CashFlowsfromOperations_t)
/
TotalAssets_t
=
(3450 - 85
-
7003)
/
58010
=
-0.062713
An M-Score of equal or less than -1.78 suggests that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator. An M-Score of greater than -1.78 signals that the company is likely to be a manipulator.
Target has a M-score of -2.62 suggests that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.
Target (LIM:TGT) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.62 as of Jun. 25, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Target and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Target ranks #133 out of 293 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 45.4%.
Is Target's Beneish M-Score too high?
Target's current Beneish M-Score is -2.62. Based on the distribution chart, Target ranks #133 out of 293 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Target has a GF Score™ of 63/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Target's Beneish M-Score compare to DG and DLTR?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Target ranks #133 out of 293 companies for Beneish M-Score. This puts Target in the upper half of its industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Beneish M-Score for a Retail - Defensive company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Retail - Defensive industry context. However, Beneish M-Score should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Beneish M-Score mean?
A high Beneish M-Score can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Target and its competitors. Target's current Beneish M-Score is -2.62. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Target stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Target (LIM:TGT) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $114.04, compared to a current price of $124.55 — trading 9.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.62. Target's overall GF Score™ is 63/100 with 9 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Beneish M-Score calculated?
Beneish M-Score is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Target (LIM:TGT), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.62 as of Jun. 25, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Target (LIM:TGT) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Target stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $124.55 is trading 9.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of $114.04.
GuruFocus considers Target to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for LIM:TGT:
Beneish M-Score: -2.62
GF Value™: $114.04 vs. price of $124.55 (9.2% above fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the LIM:TGT stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Target's start dates back to 1962, but now it is one of the largest discount retailers in the United States (where it derives all of its sales), operating just under 2,000 stores and generating over $104 billion in fiscal 2025 sales. The company offers a broad assortment of merchandise across categories including apparel and accessories (16% of fiscal 2025 revenue), beauty and household essentials (30%), food and beverage (24%), hardlines (15%), as well as home furnishings (15%). Target's model is anchored in its physical store base, which fulfills more than 97% of sales. Around 30% of sales are derived from its own private-label brands.
63GF Score
Get the complete analysis for LIM:TGT
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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