Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Stock Crosses Above 200-Day Moving Average – Here’s Why

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) shares crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of C$45.45 and traded as high as C$46.58. Great-West Lifeco shares last traded at C$46.44, with a volume of 1,453,871 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have issued reports on GWO shares. CIBC increased their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$51.00 to C$55.00 in a report on Friday, November 8th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$47.00 to C$51.00 in a research report on Friday, November 8th. Scotiabank increased their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$50.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$46.00 in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$48.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of C$47.75.

Great-West Lifeco Trading Up 0.2 %

The firm has a market capitalization of C$43.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.67, a PEG ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is C$47.81 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$45.45. The company has a quick ratio of 22.18, a current ratio of 37.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61.

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 6th. The company reported C$1.14 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of C$1.08 by C$0.06. Great-West Lifeco had a net margin of 11.32% and a return on equity of 13.21%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.00 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that Great-West Lifeco Inc. will post 4.4525194 earnings per share for the current year.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st were given a dividend of $0.555 per share. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.78%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 3rd. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio is presently 55.78%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Great-West Lifeco

In other news, Director Paul Mahon sold 146,826 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$49.88, for a total value of C$7,323,842.39. Also, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 26,400 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$49.50, for a total transaction of C$1,306,800.00. Insiders sold a total of 174,613 shares of company stock worth $8,697,880 over the last three months. Insiders own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

Great-West Lifeco Company Profile

Great-West Lifeco Inc engages in the life and health insurance, retirement and investment services, asset management, and reinsurance businesses in Canada, the United States, and Europe. The company offers life, accidental death and dismemberment, disability, critical illness, health and dental protection, and creditor insurance products; and retirement and wealth savings, income and annuity products, and other specialty products to individuals, families, businesses, and organizations.