Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Hits New 12-Month High – Should You Buy?

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) shares reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as C$51.49 and last traded at C$50.20, with a volume of 155707 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at C$47.47.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on GWO shares. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$47.00 to C$51.00 in a research note on Friday, November 8th. CIBC increased their price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$55.00 to C$56.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$46.00 in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$48.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, Scotiabank raised shares of Great-West Lifeco from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, one has assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of C$47.88.

Great-West Lifeco Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61, a current ratio of 37.46 and a quick ratio of 22.18. The company has a market cap of C$47.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.89, a P/E/G ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84. The company’s 50-day moving average price is C$47.29 and its 200-day moving average price is C$45.94.

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 6th. The company reported C$1.14 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 company posted $1.00 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Great-West Lifeco Inc. will post 4.4525194 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st were paid a dividend of $0.555 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 3rd. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.33%. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio is 55.78%.

Insider Activity at Great-West Lifeco

In related news, Director Paul Mahon sold 146,826 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of C$49.88, for a total value of C$7,323,842.39. Also, Senior Officer David Martin Harney sold 562 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$47.55, for a total transaction of C$26,721.58. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 174,613 shares of company stock valued at $8,697,880. 70.70% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About Great-West Lifeco

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.