UMB Bank n.a. Buys 211 Shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

UMB Bank n.a. increased its stake in shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 3.1% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 6,967 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 211 shares during the quarter. UMB Bank n.a.’s holdings in MetLife were worth $570,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of MetLife by 1.3% in the third quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 9,464 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $781,000 after acquiring an additional 123 shares during the period. Abacus Planning Group Inc. grew its holdings in MetLife by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Abacus Planning Group Inc. now owns 12,301 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,015,000 after purchasing an additional 127 shares during the last quarter. First Commonwealth Financial Corp PA raised its position in MetLife by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. First Commonwealth Financial Corp PA now owns 16,675 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,375,000 after purchasing an additional 133 shares during the period. Avestar Capital LLC raised its position in MetLife by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter. Avestar Capital LLC now owns 4,264 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $352,000 after purchasing an additional 133 shares during the period. Finally, Financial Management Professionals Inc. lifted its stake in MetLife by 2.0% in the third quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 6,984 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $576,000 after purchasing an additional 136 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.99% of the company’s stock.

MetLife Stock Performance

Shares of MetLife stock opened at $86.88 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $60.16 billion, a PE ratio of 17.52, a P/E/G ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $83.51 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $79.66. MetLife, Inc. has a one year low of $64.61 and a one year high of $89.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a current ratio of 0.16.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 4th will be paid a dividend of $0.545 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 4th. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.51%. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 43.95%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Piper Sandler increased their price target on MetLife from $85.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 2nd. TD Cowen lifted their target price on 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. upped their price target on shares of MetLife from $86.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of MetLife from $89.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, September 27th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on shares of MetLife from $93.00 to $92.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $89.92.

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.