MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) Shares Sold by Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB

Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB lowered its position in shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 2.8% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 8,264 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 234 shares during the period. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB’s holdings in MetLife were worth $677,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in MetLife by 244.4% in the third quarter. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC now owns 310 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 220 shares during the last quarter. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. raised its position in shares of MetLife by 131.9% during the third quarter. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. now owns 327 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 186 shares during the period. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC lifted its holdings in shares of MetLife by 374.3% during the third quarter. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC now owns 351 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 277 shares during the last quarter. Peterson Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of MetLife in the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in MetLife during the 4th quarter worth about $32,000. 94.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

MetLife Trading Down 1.0 %

Shares of NYSE MET opened at $83.12 on Tuesday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $83.72 and a 200 day simple moving average of $80.88. MetLife, Inc. has a 52 week low of $67.04 and a 52 week high of $89.05. The stock has a market cap of $57.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.92, a PEG ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a current ratio of 0.16.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.13 by ($0.05). MetLife had a net margin of 6.19% and a return on equity of 20.42%. On average, research analysts predict that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 4th will be paid a dividend of $0.545 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 4th. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.62%. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 36.52%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have commented on MET. StockNews.com cut shares of MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, January 9th. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on shares of MetLife from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on MetLife from $86.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on MetLife from $93.00 to $92.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Finally, Barclays reduced their price objective on MetLife from $96.00 to $95.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, MetLife currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $91.08.

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.