Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC Boosts Holdings in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC boosted its position in shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 25.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 39,179 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 7,940 shares during the quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC’s holdings in MetLife were worth $3,208,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in MetLife by 244.4% during the third quarter. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC now owns 310 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 220 shares during the period. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife during the third quarter valued at $30,000. Sierra Ocean LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife during the fourth quarter valued at $32,000. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife during the fourth quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, Coastline Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife during the third quarter valued at $35,000. 94.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays lowered 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 boosted their target price on shares of MetLife from $101.00 to $109.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 28th. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of MetLife in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. They set a “market perform” rating and a $97.00 target price for the company. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on MetLife from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on MetLife from $92.00 to $97.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 19th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $94.58.

MetLife Stock Performance

Shares of MetLife stock opened at $82.28 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $56.05 billion, a PE ratio of 13.78, a P/E/G ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a current ratio of 0.16. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $83.72 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $82.21. MetLife, Inc. has a one year low of $67.30 and a one year high of $89.05.

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

MetLife Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 4th will be issued a $0.545 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 4th. This represents a $2.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.65%. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio is presently 36.52%.

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.