Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC Sells 354 Shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC lessened its holdings in shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 1.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 34,732 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 354 shares during the period. Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC’s holdings in MetLife were worth $2,844,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in MetLife by 244.4% in the 3rd quarter. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC now owns 310 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 220 shares during the last quarter. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. boosted its stake in shares of MetLife by 131.9% during the third quarter. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. now owns 327 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 186 shares during the period. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC grew its holdings in shares of MetLife by 374.3% in the third quarter. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC now owns 351 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 277 shares during the last quarter. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in MetLife in the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC bought a new stake in MetLife during the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Institutional investors own 94.99% of the company’s stock.

MetLife Stock Performance

Shares of MET opened at $83.99 on Friday. MetLife, Inc. has a 12 month low of $66.18 and a 12 month high of $89.05. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $83.72 and a 200-day moving average price of $80.79. The company has a current ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The firm has a market cap of $58.16 billion, a PE ratio of 14.07, a P/E/G ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.07.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.08 earnings per share 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%. Equities research analysts predict that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 4th will be paid a dividend of $0.545 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 4th. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.60%. MetLife’s payout ratio is currently 36.52%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently commented on MET. 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 report on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on MetLife from $86.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on MetLife from $93.00 to $92.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. StockNews.com downgraded MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, January 9th. Finally, TD Cowen raised their target price on shares of MetLife from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 27th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $91.08.

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.