# How Target (TGT) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

> Source: EasyCompare research, https://easycompare.io/research/tgt
> Data as of October 20, 2026. Total returns include reinvested dividends. Past performance does not predict future results; nothing here is investment advice.

Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on TGT alone. It places TGT (Target Corporation) against 19 popular alternatives, its neighboring categories and the entire market of over 10,000 U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, and surfaces what has done better on consistent outperformance, return for the risk taken, behavior in real market crashes and diversification. The result is a clearer view of where TGT stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: TGT's full trading record, from October 1986 through September 2026. All returns include reinvested dividends. Data as of October 20, 2026.

## Key findings

- **Right now:** The slide is TGT's own: it is 32.7% below its high, against 1.3% for the S&P 500. That said, over the past 6 months, TGT rose 20.3% against 9.1% for the S&P 500 and 11.2% for the Nasdaq 100.
- **Stock or market?:** TGT held up far better than its industry: it rose 11.2% over the past 3 months while the discount retail ETF XRT (State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF) fell 1.2%. The S&P 500 rose 3.9%. Its discount retail peers did not move as one over the past 3 months: OLLI (Ollie's Bargain Outlet) rose 37.4%, while AMZN (Amazon.com) rose 5.1%.
- **Past 1 to 3 years:** TGT has run far ahead of the market, rising 75.1% over the past year against 15.8% for the S&P 500 and 17.9% for the Nasdaq 100. Even so, it finished behind the S&P 500 in both 2024 and 2025.
- **Long term:** TGT turned $10,000 into $30,700 over the past decade, against $42,100 in the S&P 500.
- **In a crash:** The 2022 bear market took 43.9% off TGT, against 24.5% for the S&P 500. That was more than AMZN (Amazon.com, 39.6%) but less than BURL (Burlington Stores, 61.5%). TGT fell further than the S&P 500 in three of the last four sell-offs, including the 2022 bear market (43.9% against 24.5%).
- **Diversification:** Against the S&P 500, TGT has a correlation of 0.49 over 5 years, more closely than 70% of stocks worth at least $300 million. Next to an index fund it is some diversification, but not a hedge.
- **Better options**
  - **Popular alternatives:** WMT (Walmart), COST (Costco Wholesale) and TJX (TJX Companies) earned more than TGT with less volatility over the past 5 years. WMT returned 20.8% a year at 22.6% volatility, against a loss of 6.5% a year at 36.1%.
  - **Nearby categories and themes:** KO (Coca-Cola, food & beverages) and KDP (Keurig Dr Pepper, food & beverages) earned more than TGT with less volatility over the past 5 years. KO returned 14.7% a year at 16.8% volatility, against a loss of 6.5% a year at 36.1%.
  - **Whole market:** 1,912 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than TGT with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them AAPL (Apple), GOOG (Alphabet) and MSFT (Microsoft).

## How much would $10,000 in TGT have grown?

This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in TGT over the past 29 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of TGT over the same span and TGT's popular alternatives, among those that traded for the entire period.

- $10,000 invested in TGT at the end of September 1997 would have grown to $184,797 by September 2026, more than the $132,907 it would have become in SPY, an S&P 500 fund.
- Seven of the eight other investments on the chart ended ahead of TGT, and AMZN finished highest, at $11,484,924.

## TGT at a glance

This section summarizes the key facts about the stock, its returns over periods from one to ten years and the risk it has carried, with dividends reinvested throughout.

- TGT is still 32.7% below its all-time high.
- TGT's deepest decline since it began trading in 1986 was 64.4%, from November 2021 to November 2025. It has not yet climbed back to that peak.
- Over 29 full calendar years, TGT's best was 2019, when it returned 100%, and its worst was 2022, when it lost 34.2%. It lost money in 11 of those years.

- Type: Stock, Consumer Staples (Discount Stores)
- Trading since: October 17, 1986
- Market value: $70B
- Volatility (5 years): 36.1%; Sharpe ratio: 0.00
- Worst decline ever: −64.4%, from November 16, 2021 to November 20, 2025; not yet back at its high

| Period | TGT total return |
| --- | --- |
| 1 month | −2.4% |
| 3 months | +11.2% |
| 6 months | +20.3% |
| year to date | +57.4% |
| 1 year | +75.1% |
| 3 years | +58.0% |
| 5 years | −28.5% |
| 10 years | +207% |

## TGT against the whole market

Where TGT ranks among every stock and fund, and what across the market has done better.

### How does TGT rank among all stocks?

This section ranks TGT on return, volatility, risk-adjusted return and worst decline against every stock worth at least $300 million with enough history.

- TGT's 1-year return ranks in the top 9% of the 3,287 stocks worth at least $300 million with 1 year of history.
- On return for the risk taken (the Sharpe ratio), TGT ranks in the bottom 19% of the 2,893 stocks worth at least $300 million.

| Measure | TGT | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-year return | +75.1% | 303 of 3,287 (top 10%) |
| 3-year return | +58.0% | 1,426 of 3,017 (top 48%) |
| 5-year return | −28.5% | 2,128 of 2,893 (top 74%) |
| 10-year return | +207% | 835 of 2,202 (top 38%) |
| Volatility, 5 years | 36.1% | 1,217 of 2,893 (top 43%) |
| Sharpe ratio, 5 years | 0.00 | 2,350 of 2,893 (top 82%) |
| Worst decline, past 10 years | −64.4% | 1,061 of 2,187 (top 49%) |

### What has beaten TGT on both return and risk?

Each dot is an investment, placed by how much it earned a year over the past 5 years (higher is better) and how much its price swung, its volatility (further left is calmer).

- 951 stocks and 961 ETFs worth at least $500 million sit in the green region: each earned more than TGT over the past 5 years with smaller price swings. That is 53% of the 3,633 screened.
- Among those with at least half TGT's swings, CAH has the best return for its risk: 42.1% a year at 24.7% volatility, 31% less than TGT's 36.1%, and a Sharpe ratio (return above cash per unit of volatility) of 1.55 against -0.00 for TGT. MPC earned the most, 51.2% a year, while still swinging less than TGT (33.4% against 36.1%).
- Among TGT's popular alternatives, WMT, TJX and COST are in the region. WMT earned 20.8% a year against a loss of 6.5% a year for TGT, at 22.6% volatility, 37% less than TGT's 36.1%.

### Is there a better investment than TGT?

The table below lists investments that beat TGT over the past 5 years on at least one of these measures: a higher annual return with lower volatility, a higher annual return at similar volatility, a similar return with lower volatility, a higher Sharpe ratio with a smaller worst decline, a higher total return in most periods from 3 months to 10 years, or smaller losses in recent market crashes.

- Among TGT's popular alternatives, WMT, COST and TJX earned more than TGT with less volatility over the past 5 years. WMT returned 20.8% a year at 22.6% volatility, against a loss of 6.5% a year at 36.1%.
- Looking beyond its popular alternatives, KO (food & beverages) and KDP (food & beverages) earned more than TGT with less volatility over the past 5 years. KO returned 14.7% a year at 16.8% volatility, against a loss of 6.5% a year at 36.1%.
- Across the whole market, 1,912 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than TGT with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them AAPL, GOOG and MSFT.

The 15 strongest of 1,912 investments that beat TGT over the past 5 years, out of 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million.

| Investment | Group | Annual return (5 years) | Volatility | Sharpe | Worst decline (10 years) | 10Y return | Correlation with TGT | Better on |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| TGT: Target Corporation (this page) |  | −6.5% | 36.1% | 0.00 | −64.4% | +207% |  |  |
| [CAH](https://easycompare.io/research/cah): Cardinal Health, Inc. | Health Care Distribution | +42.1% | 24.7% | 1.55 | −46.1% | +349% | 0.19 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [MSFT](https://easycompare.io/research/msft): Microsoft Corporation | Software | +12.5% | 28.2% | 0.56 | −37.1% | +946% | 0.28 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [LLY](https://easycompare.io/research/lly): Eli Lilly and Company | Pharmaceuticals | +40.7% | 32.8% | 1.21 | −34.5% | +1,807% | -0.01 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [ABBV](https://easycompare.io/research/abbv): AbbVie Inc. | Pharmaceuticals | +26.1% | 23.4% | 1.11 | −45.1% | +603% | 0.06 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [V](https://easycompare.io/research/v): Visa Inc. | Payment Processing | +12.8% | 22.9% | 0.64 | −36.4% | +429% | 0.35 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [CVX](https://easycompare.io/research/cvx): Chevron Corporation | Integrated Oil & Gas | +19.5% | 25.2% | 0.84 | −55.8% | +238% | 0.22 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [MRK](https://easycompare.io/research/mrk): Merck & Co., Inc. | Pharmaceuticals | +16.3% | 24.8% | 0.74 | −43.4% | +241% | 0.28 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [AMGN](https://easycompare.io/research/amgn): Amgen Inc. | Biotechnology | +19.6% | 24.9% | 0.85 | −24.9% | +266% | 0.13 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [SAP](https://easycompare.io/research/sap): SAP SE | Enterprise Software | +11.5% | 30.0% | 0.52 | −52.5% | +205% | 0.34 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [TMO](https://easycompare.io/research/tmo): Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | Life Sciences Tools | +2.9% | 27.8% | 0.24 | −40.9% | +366% | 0.44 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [ADP](https://easycompare.io/research/adp): Automatic Data Processing, Inc. | Business Services | +9.0% | 22.9% | 0.49 | −40.8% | +320% | 0.29 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [ELV](https://easycompare.io/research/elv): Elevance Health Inc. | Managed Health Care | +2.2% | 29.4% | 0.23 | −50.4% | +307% | 0.18 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [KO](https://easycompare.io/research/ko): The Coca-Cola Company | Food & Beverages | +14.7% | 16.8% | 0.91 | −37.0% | +204% | 0.29 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| DGX: Quest Diagnostics Incorporated | Medical Diagnostics | +12.3% | 22.5% | 0.63 | −36.6% | +243% | 0.16 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [A](https://easycompare.io/research/a): Agilent Technologies, Inc. | Life Sciences Tools | +2.6% | 30.6% | 0.24 | −43.2% | +306% | 0.41 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |

## TGT against its popular alternatives

The investments people most often weigh against TGT, compared period by period and year by year.

### How do TGT's risk and return compare with its alternatives?

This map plots each investment's annual return over the past 5 years against its volatility, the size of its typical price swings.

- Eight of the 19 popular alternatives, led by WMT, TJX and PSMT, were both more rewarding and calmer than TGT over the past 5 years, earning a higher annual return with lower volatility.
- Over the past 5 years, TGT returned -6.5% a year, less than the S&P 500's 12.7%, with higher volatility (36.1% against 17.1%).

### Has TGT consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

This section compares TGT with the investments people most often weigh against it, checking each one over eight periods from one month to ten years.

- None of the 19 popular alternatives outperformed TGT in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes. The closest was COST.
- WMT, TJX and COST earned more for the risk they took than TGT (a higher Sharpe ratio) and fell less in their worst decline of the past 10 years.
- AMZN outperformed TGT over all three long-term periods but in only one of the five short-term ones, so TGT has had the better of it lately.

| Investment | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return | 10Y return | Periods ahead of TGT | Verdict | Sharpe |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| TGT: Target Corporation (this page) | +75.1% | +58.0% | −28.5% | +207% |  |  | 0.00 |
| [COST](https://easycompare.io/research/cost): Costco Wholesale Corporation | +6.9% | +87.2% | +123% | +685% | 1/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.82 |
| [AMZN](https://easycompare.io/research/amzn): Amazon.com, Inc. | +21.3% | +110% | +53.8% | +548% | 1/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.42 |
| [WMT](https://easycompare.io/research/wmt): Walmart Inc. | +11.0% | +130% | +158% | +508% | 1/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.96 |
| [TJX](https://easycompare.io/research/tjx): The TJX Companies, Inc. | +3.8% | +71.6% | +147% | +361% | 1/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.93 |
| [ROST](https://easycompare.io/research/rost): Ross Stores, Inc. | +51.9% | +111% | +129% | +312% | 1/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.71 |
| BURL: Burlington Stores, Inc. | −3.1% | +112% | −6.2% | +240% | 1/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.19 |
| BBY: Best Buy Co., Inc. | +22.1% | +58.2% | +3.5% | +242% | 2/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.21 |
| OLLI: Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc. | −23.3% | +23.8% | +38.9% | +238% | 2/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.37 |
| [HD](https://easycompare.io/research/hd): The Home Depot, Inc. | −16.7% | +18.8% | −0.2% | +217% | 1/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.12 |
| PSMT: PriceSmart, Inc. | +43.2% | +153% | +135% | +124% | 1/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.75 |
| M: Macy's, Inc. | +34.8% | +131% | +7.7% | +0.7% | 1/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.29 |
| FIVE: Five Below, Inc. | +43.3% | +27.2% | +19.6% | +493% | 0/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.32 |
| [KR](https://easycompare.io/research/kr): The Kroger Co. | −6.9% | +52.6% | +78.5% | +151% | 1/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.56 |
| DLTR: Dollar Tree, Inc. | +26.2% | +13.1% | +23.3% | +64.7% | 1/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.31 |
| BJ: BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. | +9.0% | +47.7% | +75.3% | — | 1/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.51 |
| SFM: Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. | −41.4% | +52.7% | +191% | +202% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.74 |
| KSS: Kohl's Corporation | +38.6% | +23.2% | −36.7% | −20.0% | 3/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.21 |
| DG: Dollar General Corporation | +28.5% | +24.2% | −32.0% | +127% | 1/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | -0.01 |
| [UPS](https://easycompare.io/research/ups): United Parcel Service, Inc. | +20.8% | −23.0% | −36.1% | +35.4% | 1/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | -0.17 |

### How did TGT do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 1997, along with where TGT ranked among its popular alternatives each year.

- TGT finished ahead of the S&P 500 in 16 of its 29 full calendar years, and behind it in each of the last four.
- Among its popular alternatives, BJ came out ahead of TGT most often, in six of the seven years both traded.
- Ranked against its popular alternatives each year, TGT finished in the top quarter in four of 29 years and in the bottom quarter in six. In 2025, it ranked 19 of 20.

| Year | TGT | SPY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2025 | −24.5% | +17.7% |
| 2024 | −2.3% | +24.9% |
| 2023 | −1.4% | +26.2% |
| 2022 | −34.2% | −18.2% |
| 2021 | +32.9% | +28.7% |
| 2020 | +40.5% | +18.3% |
| 2019 | +100% | +31.2% |
| 2018 | +4.7% | −4.6% |
| 2017 | −5.8% | +21.7% |
| 2016 | +2.7% | +12.0% |

## Risk and diversification

How TGT has fallen, how it held up in crashes beside the S&P 500 and its popular alternatives, and what moves independently of it.

### What were TGT's worst declines?

A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high.

- In all four of TGT's worst declines, the S&P 500 held up better over the same dates.
- Not every decline was the market's doing: TGT fell 64.4% from November 2021 to November 2025, while the S&P 500 rose 47.1%.
- The slowest recovery came after TGT fell 63.0% from July 2007 to March 2009; it did not regain that peak until August 2012, three years later.

| Decline | Peak | Low | Back at the high | SPY over the same dates | Market event |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| −64.4% | November 16, 2021 | November 20, 2025 | not yet | +47.1% | 2022 bear market |
| −63.0% | July 13, 2007 | March 9, 2009 | August 15, 2012 | −54.5% | 2008 financial crisis |
| −57.0% | October 5, 1987 | December 4, 1987 | July 27, 1989 | — |  |
| −42.6% | February 26, 2002 | October 7, 2002 | March 12, 2004 | −28.1% | dot-com bust |
| −40.8% | March 30, 2000 | October 12, 2000 | February 27, 2001 | −10.0% | dot-com bust |

### How did TGT do in stock market crashes?

This section measures how far TGT, the S&P 500 and each alternative fell from peak to trough during every major market crash since 2000.

- Among its popular alternatives, DG held up best, falling less than TGT in five of the eight crashes they both traded through.
- TGT fell less than the S&P 500 in four of the ten crashes it has traded through. The clearest case was the Covid crash, when TGT fell 21.7% and the S&P 500 fell 33.7%.

| Crash | Dates | TGT fall | SPY fall |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dot-com bust | March 10, 2000 to October 9, 2002 | −42.6% | −47.5% |
| Global financial crisis | October 9, 2007 to March 9, 2009 | −60.6% | −55.2% |
| Flash crash | May 6, 2010 to May 7, 2010 | −1.3% | −1.5% |
| Euro debt crisis | July 22, 2011 to October 3, 2011 | −10.4% | −17.9% |
| China devaluation & oil rout | August 10, 2015 to February 11, 2016 | −15.8% | −12.8% |
| Volmageddon | February 2, 2018 to February 9, 2018 | −3.0% | −6.5% |
| Q4 2018 selloff | September 21, 2018 to December 24, 2018 | −30.3% | −19.3% |
| COVID crash | February 19, 2020 to March 23, 2020 | −21.7% | −33.7% |
| 2022 bear market | January 4, 2022 to October 12, 2022 | −43.9% | −24.5% |
| SVB / regional bank stress | March 8, 2023 to March 13, 2023 | −3.4% | −3.4% |

### How closely does TGT move with the S&P 500?

Upside capture measures how much of the S&P 500's gains an investment kept in the months the market rose, and downside capture how much of its losses it took in the months the market fell.

- Nine of the 18 popular alternatives had a higher capture ratio (upside capture divided by downside capture) than TGT's 0.95, led by WMT, SFM and COST.
- WMT took just 36% of the S&P 500's losses, against 87% for TGT, while still keeping 74% of its gains.
- Over the past 10 years, TGT captured 83% of the S&P 500's gains in rising months and 87% of its losses in falling months, with a beta of 1.00. Its share of the market's losses was slightly larger than its share of the gains.

Measured over the past 10 years of monthly returns against SPY.

| Investment | Upside capture | Downside capture | Beta |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| TGT: Target Corporation (this page) | 83.0% | 87.0% | 1.00 |
| [COST](https://easycompare.io/research/cost): Costco Wholesale Corporation | 93.0% | 50.0% | 0.77 |
| [AMZN](https://easycompare.io/research/amzn): Amazon.com, Inc. | 134% | 139% | 1.31 |
| [WMT](https://easycompare.io/research/wmt): Walmart Inc. | 74.0% | 36.0% | 0.53 |
| [TJX](https://easycompare.io/research/tjx): The TJX Companies, Inc. | 81.0% | 65.0% | 0.78 |
| [ROST](https://easycompare.io/research/rost): Ross Stores, Inc. | 93.0% | 89.0% | 0.93 |
| BURL: Burlington Stores, Inc. | 103% | 121% | 1.22 |
| BBY: Best Buy Co., Inc. | 127% | 164% | 1.40 |
| OLLI: Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc. | 92.0% | 100% | 0.83 |
| [HD](https://easycompare.io/research/hd): The Home Depot, Inc. | 96.0% | 117% | 1.00 |
| PSMT: PriceSmart, Inc. | 68.0% | 79.0% | 0.80 |
| M: Macy's, Inc. | 93.0% | 183% | 1.75 |
| FIVE: Five Below, Inc. | 111% | 102% | 1.13 |
| [KR](https://easycompare.io/research/kr): The Kroger Co. | 49.0% | 36.0% | 0.40 |
| DLTR: Dollar Tree, Inc. | 52.0% | 79.0% | 0.75 |
| SFM: Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. | 54.0% | 27.0% | 0.47 |
| KSS: Kohl's Corporation | 109% | 234% | 1.76 |
| DG: Dollar General Corporation | 46.0% | 46.0% | 0.37 |
| [UPS](https://easycompare.io/research/ups): United Parcel Service, Inc. | 85.0% | 149% | 1.08 |

### What diversifies TGT?

Correlation measures how closely two investments move together, on a scale from 1 (in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to -1 (in opposite directions).

- Moving a fifth of the money in TGT into MCK would have cut the portfolio's volatility by 20% over the past 5 years and raised its annual return (-4.3% for TGT alone, +4.0% for the mix).
- MCK made money in eight of the 11 calendar years in which TGT lost money.
- Among large ETFs, LVHI, DXJ and EMLP have moved largely independently of TGT over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.46 or lower, and each still earned a positive 5-year return.

| Investment | Correlation with TGT | 5Y return | Volatility | Sharpe | Rose in TGT's 11 down years |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LVHI: Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | 0.46 | +119% | 11.1% | 1.48 | 5 of 11 |
| DXJ: WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | 0.29 | +225% | 19.1% | 1.34 | 6 of 11 |
| EMLP: First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund | 0.34 | +101% | 14.5% | 1.04 | 5 of 11 |
| HDV: iShares Core High Dividend ETF | 0.36 | +83.3% | 13.0% | 1.00 | 5 of 11 |
| [SMH](https://easycompare.io/research/smh): VanEck Semiconductor ETF | 0.30 | +323% | 36.9% | 0.97 | 6 of 11 |
| [GLD](https://easycompare.io/research/gld): SPDR Gold Shares | 0.13 | +126% | 18.9% | 0.96 | 7 of 11 |
| SPMO: Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | 0.34 | +136% | 20.8% | 0.93 | 4 of 11 |
| [XLE](https://easycompare.io/research/xle): State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.27 | +177% | 25.5% | 0.93 | 6 of 11 |

## Common questions

### What was TGT's worst drawdown?

TGT's deepest decline since it began trading in 1986 was 64.4%, from November 2021 to November 2025. It has not yet climbed back to that peak.

### What were TGT's best and worst years?

Over 29 full calendar years, TGT's best year was 2019, when it returned 100%. Its worst was 2022, with a return of -34.2%.

### Is there a better investment than TGT?

Among TGT's popular alternatives, WMT, COST and TJX earned more than TGT with less volatility over the past 5 years. WMT returned 20.8% a year at 22.6% volatility, against a loss of 6.5% a year at 36.1%. Looking beyond its popular alternatives, KO (food & beverages) and KDP (food & beverages) earned more than TGT with less volatility over the past 5 years. KO returned 14.7% a year at 16.8% volatility, against a loss of 6.5% a year at 36.1%.

### Is TGT more volatile than the S&P 500?

Yes. TGT's volatility over the past 5 years was 36.1%, 2.1 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, TGT's return lands within 36.1% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump.

### What is TGT's Sharpe ratio?

TGT's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was -0.00, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so TGT earned less for each unit of risk than an index fund did. The Sharpe ratio is the return earned above cash for each unit of volatility: two investments with the same return are not equal if one got there with far bigger swings.

### How correlated is TGT with the S&P 500?

Over the past 5 years, TGT's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.49 with the S&P 500. Correlation runs from 1 (moving in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to −1 (moving in opposite directions). They often move together: some diversification next to an index fund, but not a cushion. In the table, the correlation column measures each option against TGT instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a TGT holding.

### What are the best alternatives to TGT?

None of the 19 popular alternatives we compared outperformed TGT in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, which says more about TGT's strength than about its alternatives.

### Did TGT outperform the S&P 500?

TGT finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in 16 of 29 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned -24.5%, against +17.7% for the index.

### How did TGT do in stock market crashes?

TGT fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in four of the ten major crashes it has traded through, and further in four. The clearest case was the Covid crash, when TGT fell 21.7% and the S&P 500 fell 33.7%.

### What diversifies TGT?

These had a low correlation with TGT over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, LVHI (correlation 0.46), DXJ (correlation 0.29) and EMLP (correlation 0.34); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.19), CLS (correlation 0.19) and FIX (correlation 0.32). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

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## Explore further

- Full page with charts: https://easycompare.io/research/tgt
- All research pages: https://easycompare.io/llms.txt
- Compare the entire market against TGT live: https://betterthanspy.com/?b=TGT&utm_source=easycompare&utm_medium=research