MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) Receives Average Recommendation of “Buy” from Analysts

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) has been assigned an average rating of “Buy” from the thirteen ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $88.62.

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on MET shares. TD Cowen boosted their target price on MetLife from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 27th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of MetLife from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. Piper Sandler upped their target price on shares of MetLife from $85.00 to $92.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on MetLife from $92.00 to $93.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on MetLife from $89.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, September 27th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MetLife

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in MetLife by 244.4% in the third 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 in the last quarter. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of MetLife by 131.9% during the 3rd 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 last quarter. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC boosted its position in shares of MetLife by 374.3% in the 3rd 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 in the last quarter. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in MetLife during the 3rd quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Fortitude Family Office LLC increased its position in MetLife by 177.3% during the 3rd quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 416 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 266 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.99% of the company’s stock.

MetLife Trading Down 0.1 %

MET stock opened at $81.78 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $82.90 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $78.44. MetLife has a one year low of $64.61 and a one year high of $89.05. The company has a market capitalization of $56.63 billion, a PE ratio of 16.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a current ratio of 0.16.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 5th were given a dividend of $0.545 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, November 5th. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.67%. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 43.95%.

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.