United Community Bank Purchases 158 Shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

United Community Bank lifted its stake in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 2.9% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,571 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 158 shares during the quarter. United Community Bank’s holdings in MetLife were worth $456,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of MetLife by 244.4% in the 3rd quarter. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC now owns 310 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 220 shares in the last quarter. Peterson Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in MetLife in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC bought a new position in MetLife in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Sierra Ocean LLC bought a new position in MetLife in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, Coastline Trust Co bought a new position in MetLife in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. 94.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

MetLife Stock Up 0.1 %

MET opened at $82.28 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $83.72 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $82.28. MetLife, Inc. has a 52 week low of $67.30 and a 52 week high of $89.05. The company has a market capitalization of $56.05 billion, a PE ratio of 13.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a quick ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.08 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.13 by ($0.05). MetLife had a net margin of 6.19% and a return on equity of 20.42%. Analysts forecast that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MetLife Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 4th will be issued a dividend of $0.545 per share. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.65%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 4th. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 36.52%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of MetLife from $96.00 to $95.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on MetLife from $101.00 to $109.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 28th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price objective on MetLife from $100.00 to $98.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on MetLife in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $97.00 price objective for the company. Finally, StockNews.com lowered MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 9th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $94.58.

MetLife Company Profile

MetLife, Inc, a financial services company, provides insurance, annuities, employee benefits, and asset management services worldwide. It operates through six segments: Retirement and Income Solutions; Group Benefits; Asia; Latin America; Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and MetLife Holdings. The company offers life, dental, group short-and long-term disability, individual disability, pet insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, vision, and accident and health coverages, as well as prepaid legal plans; administrative services-only arrangements to employers; and general and separate account, and synthetic guaranteed interest contracts, as well as private floating rate funding agreements.