Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Hits New 1-Year High Following Analyst Upgrade

Shares of Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday after Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on the stock from C$42.00 to C$48.00. Jefferies Financial Group currently has a hold rating on the stock. Great-West Lifeco traded as high as C$47.19 and last traded at C$47.15, with a volume of 594595 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$46.83.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on the company. TD Securities upped their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$43.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Barclays set a C$43.00 target price on Great-West Lifeco and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 5th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$47.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of C$45.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Great-West Lifeco

In other news, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 25,400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$44.72, for a total value of C$1,135,888.00. In other news, Director Richard Henry Linton sold 35,800 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, October 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$46.27, for a total value of C$1,656,344.28. Also, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 25,400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$44.72, for a total transaction of C$1,135,888.00. Company insiders own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

Great-West Lifeco Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 22.18, a current ratio of 37.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61. The stock has a market capitalization of C$43.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.85, a P/E/G ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is C$44.59 and its 200 day simple moving average is C$42.28.

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported C$1.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of C$1.05 by C$0.06. Great-West Lifeco had a net margin of 11.32% and a return on equity of 13.21%. The company had revenue of C$8.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of C$9.83 billion. Equities research analysts forecast that Great-West Lifeco Inc. will post 4.4525194 EPS for the current year.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 27th were issued a dividend of $0.555 per share. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.71%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 55.78%.

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.