Coldstream Capital Management Inc. Reduces Stock Position in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Coldstream Capital Management Inc. trimmed its stake in shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 7.9% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 17,877 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 1,543 shares during the period. Coldstream Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in MetLife were worth $1,464,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Transce3nd LLC purchased a new position in shares of MetLife in the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC bought a new stake in shares of MetLife during the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Sierra Ocean LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife during the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Graney & King LLC bought a new position in shares of MetLife in the 4th quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Values First Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of MetLife in the fourth quarter worth approximately $36,000. Institutional investors own 94.99% of the company’s stock.

MetLife Trading Down 0.8 %

Shares of MET opened at $75.23 on Monday. 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 company has a 50 day simple moving average of $78.35 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $81.78. MetLife, Inc. has a 1 year low of $65.21 and a 1 year high of $89.05. The firm has a market cap of $51.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 0.89.

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

MetLife Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, May 6th will be paid a $0.5675 dividend. This is an increase from MetLife’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, May 6th. This represents a $2.27 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.02%. MetLife’s payout ratio is presently 38.02%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MET has been the topic of several recent research reports. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of MetLife from $97.00 to $91.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 10th. UBS Group lifted their target price on MetLife from $94.00 to $98.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on MetLife from $109.00 to $94.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 10th. Barclays lowered their price objective on MetLife from $95.00 to $88.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 11th. Finally, Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of MetLife in a report on Friday, March 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $92.46.

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.