MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) Shares Purchased by Creative Planning

Creative Planning boosted its stake in shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 3.1% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 130,967 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 3,964 shares during the period. Creative Planning’s holdings in MetLife were worth $10,802,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. GoalVest Advisory LLC raised its holdings in shares of MetLife by 73.3% in the 1st quarter. GoalVest Advisory LLC now owns 390 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 165 shares during the period. Bank & Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife in the 2nd quarter valued at $39,000. Crewe Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of MetLife by 602.5% in the 2nd quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC now owns 562 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 482 shares during the period. Larson Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of MetLife by 72.6% in the 2nd quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 568 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $40,000 after buying an additional 239 shares during the period. Finally, Sound Income Strategies LLC raised its holdings in shares of MetLife by 98.3% in the 3rd quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 712 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $59,000 after buying an additional 353 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.81% of the company’s stock.

MetLife Stock Performance

NYSE MET opened at $84.77 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 0.16 and a quick ratio of 0.16. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $79.11 and a 200 day moving average price of $74.29. The company has a market capitalization of $60.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.13, a PEG ratio of 0.69 and a beta of 1.04. MetLife, Inc. has a 1-year low of $57.91 and a 1-year high of $86.94.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The financial services provider reported $2.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.13 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $17.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.57 billion. MetLife had a return on equity of 21.41% and a net margin of 4.23%. MetLife’s revenue was up 7.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.94 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that MetLife, Inc. will post 8.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 5th will be issued a dividend of $0.545 per share. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.57%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, November 5th. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 74.91%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have weighed in on MET. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on MetLife from $86.00 to $85.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 19th. TD Cowen initiated coverage on MetLife in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $97.00 target price for the company. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on MetLife from $86.00 to $92.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 10th. StockNews.com cut MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, October 4th. Finally, Bank of America decreased their price objective on MetLife from $99.00 to $96.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $88.46.

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.