National Pension Service Has $115.48 Million Stock Position in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

National Pension Service decreased its stake in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 8.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,410,324 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 124,066 shares during the period. National Pension Service owned approximately 0.20% of MetLife worth $115,477,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Lake Street Advisors Group LLC boosted its stake in MetLife by 8.1% during the fourth quarter. Lake Street Advisors Group LLC now owns 5,062 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $414,000 after buying an additional 381 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC boosted its stake in MetLife by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC now owns 33,598 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $2,751,000 after buying an additional 367 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its stake in MetLife by 109.2% during the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 8,826,658 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $722,727,000 after buying an additional 4,606,748 shares in the last quarter. BankPlus Trust Department acquired a new stake in MetLife during the fourth quarter worth $103,000. Finally, Rothschild Investment LLC boosted its stake in MetLife by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC now owns 71,535 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $5,857,000 after buying an additional 696 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.99% of the company’s stock.

MetLife Stock Performance

MetLife stock opened at $82.46 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. MetLife, Inc. has a 1 year low of $67.30 and a 1 year high of $89.05. The company has a market cap of $57.10 billion, a PE ratio of 13.81, a PEG ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.07. The company’s 50-day moving average is $83.48 and its two-hundred day moving average is $81.70.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last released 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%. Equities analysts anticipate that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 earnings per share for the current year.

MetLife Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 4th will be given a dividend of $0.545 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 4th. This represents a $2.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.64%. MetLife’s payout ratio is presently 36.52%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of MetLife from $92.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on MetLife from $86.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of MetLife from $96.00 to $95.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 7th. BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on shares of MetLife in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $97.00 target price on the stock. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their target price on shares of MetLife from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 27th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $92.58.

MetLife 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.