Unigestion Holding SA Grows Stake in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Unigestion Holding SA lifted its stake in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 144.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 23,496 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 13,890 shares during the quarter. Unigestion Holding SA’s holdings in MetLife were worth $1,924,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC bought a new position in shares of MetLife during the fourth quarter valued at $32,000. Sierra Ocean LLC bought a new position in MetLife during the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Graney & King LLC purchased a new position in shares of MetLife during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Values First Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in MetLife in the fourth quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, Golden State Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of MetLife during the 4th quarter valued at $44,000. Institutional investors own 94.99% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Piper Sandler increased their price objective on shares of MetLife from $92.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday. StockNews.com downgraded shares of MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 9th. UBS Group raised their target price on MetLife from $94.00 to $98.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. Barclays cut their price target on MetLife from $96.00 to $95.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 7th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on MetLife from $88.00 to $86.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $94.85.

MetLife Stock Down 9.5 %

MetLife stock opened at $68.71 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $46.81 billion, a PE ratio of 11.51, a P/E/G ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.16 and a quick ratio of 0.16. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $82.41 and its two-hundred day moving average is $82.93. MetLife, Inc. has a 1-year low of $67.30 and a 1-year high of $89.05.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.13 by ($0.05). MetLife had a net margin of 6.19% and a return on equity of 20.42%. On average, sell-side analysts expect that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 4th were issued a $0.545 dividend. This represents a $2.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.17%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 4th. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio is presently 36.52%.

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.