MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) Shares Purchased by Plato Investment Management Ltd

Plato Investment Management Ltd increased its holdings in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 5.5% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 18,767 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 977 shares during the quarter. Plato Investment Management Ltd’s holdings in MetLife were worth $1,317,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. GoalVest Advisory LLC raised its holdings in shares of MetLife by 73.3% during the first quarter. GoalVest Advisory LLC now owns 390 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Pineridge Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of MetLife in the 4th quarter valued at about $39,000. Bank & Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife in the second quarter worth about $39,000. Crewe Advisors LLC grew its holdings in MetLife by 602.5% during the second quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC now owns 562 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 482 shares during the period. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC raised its position in MetLife by 72.6% during the second quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 568 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $40,000 after acquiring an additional 239 shares in the last quarter. 89.81% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

MetLife Trading Up 1.0 %

Shares of MetLife stock opened at $76.19 on Monday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $73.86 and a 200 day moving average of $72.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a current ratio of 0.16. The firm has a market capitalization of $54.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.18, a PEG ratio of 0.61 and a beta of 1.04. MetLife, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $57.91 and a fifty-two week high of $79.34.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The financial services provider reported $2.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.13 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $17.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.57 billion. MetLife had a return on equity of 21.41% and a net margin of 4.23%. The company’s revenue was up 7.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.94 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that MetLife, Inc. will post 8.67 earnings per share for the current year.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 6th were issued a $0.545 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, August 6th. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.86%. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio is currently 74.91%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Argus boosted their target price on shares of MetLife from $77.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on MetLife from $83.00 to $86.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 18th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on MetLife from $86.00 to $85.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their price objective on shares of MetLife from $86.00 to $85.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 8th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 10th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $84.54.

About MetLife

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.