MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) have been assigned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the thirteen research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and twelve have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $90.46.

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on MET shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of MetLife from $86.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of MetLife from $90.00 to $96.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 6th. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of MetLife in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $97.00 price objective for the company. StockNews.com lowered MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 9th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on MetLife from $93.00 to $92.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th.

MetLife Stock Performance

Shares of MET opened at $85.48 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The stock has a market cap of $59.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.23, a PEG ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a 50-day moving average of $84.06 and a two-hundred day moving average of $80.54. MetLife has a 12-month low of $64.61 and a 12-month high of $89.05.

MetLife Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Stockholders 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 2.55%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 4th. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio is 43.95%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On MetLife

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MET. United Asset Strategies Inc. raised its position in MetLife by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. United Asset Strategies Inc. now owns 10,933 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $895,000 after buying an additional 120 shares during the period. Barrett & Company Inc. increased its position in MetLife by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Barrett & Company Inc. now owns 11,942 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $978,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. increased its position in MetLife by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 9,464 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $781,000 after purchasing an additional 123 shares during the last quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. increased its position in MetLife by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. now owns 6,044 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $495,000 after purchasing an additional 126 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Abacus Planning Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of MetLife by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Abacus Planning Group Inc. now owns 12,301 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,015,000 after acquiring an additional 127 shares during the last quarter. 94.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.