MetLife (NYSE:MET) Upgraded at StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of MetLife (NYSE:MET) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report issued on Wednesday morning.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on shares of MetLife from $89.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, September 27th. Barclays reduced their price target on MetLife from $91.00 to $90.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 31st. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on MetLife from $85.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 2nd. TD Cowen increased their target price on shares of MetLife from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 27th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of MetLife from $92.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat, MetLife currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $88.62.

MetLife Stock Up 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE MET opened at $82.21 on Wednesday. MetLife has a 1 year low of $64.61 and a 1 year high of $89.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.16 and a quick ratio of 0.16. The firm has a market cap of $56.92 billion, a PE ratio of 16.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $82.90 and a 200 day simple moving average of $78.44.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 5th were issued a dividend of $0.545 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, November 5th. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.65%. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio is currently 43.95%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MET. Acadian Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of MetLife by 7,837.0% in the second quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 1,129,353 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $79,250,000 after buying an additional 1,115,124 shares in the last quarter. Zurich Insurance Group Ltd FI bought a new position in MetLife in the 3rd quarter valued at about $91,771,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in MetLife by 22.4% during the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 5,396,274 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $378,799,000 after purchasing an additional 988,666 shares during the last quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. increased its holdings in MetLife by 79.1% during the 3rd quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. now owns 1,726,209 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $142,378,000 after purchasing an additional 762,291 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of MetLife by 256.6% in the third quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. now owns 948,223 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $78,209,000 after purchasing an additional 682,333 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 94.99% of the company’s stock.

MetLife Company Profile

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.