Atom Investors LP Invests $358,000 in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Atom Investors LP purchased a new position in shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 4,339 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $358,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 220 shares during the last quarter. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. boosted its position in shares of MetLife by 131.9% in the third quarter. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. now owns 327 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 186 shares during the last quarter. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC boosted its position in shares of MetLife by 374.3% in the third quarter. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC now owns 351 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 277 shares during the last quarter. Peterson Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of MetLife in the third quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Fortitude Family Office LLC boosted its position in shares of MetLife by 177.3% in the third quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 416 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 266 shares during the last quarter. 89.81% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

MetLife Trading Down 0.4 %

NYSE MET opened at $85.35 on Thursday. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $83.65 and its 200-day simple moving average is $76.85. MetLife, Inc. has a 52 week low of $63.19 and a 52 week high of $89.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The stock has a market cap of $59.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.21, a PEG ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 1.06.

MetLife Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, November 5th will be paid a $0.545 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, November 5th. This represents a $2.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.55%. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 43.95%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MET has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on shares of MetLife from $89.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, September 27th. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of MetLife from $91.00 to $90.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 31st. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of MetLife from $92.00 to $93.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. TD Cowen lifted their price target 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, Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of MetLife from $86.00 to $85.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $88.62.

About MetLife

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.