Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators Has $619,000 Holdings in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators raised its stake in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 18.6% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,557 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 1,185 shares during the quarter. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators’ holdings in MetLife were worth $619,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MET. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in MetLife by 244.4% during the 3rd 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. raised its holdings in 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 purchasing an additional 186 shares during the period. Peterson Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of MetLife during the third quarter worth $30,000. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of MetLife in the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, Sierra Ocean LLC bought a new stake in shares of MetLife in the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Institutional investors own 94.99% of the company’s stock.

MetLife Stock Down 2.1 %

Shares of MET stock opened at $81.02 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $83.41 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $81.35. The company has a current ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. MetLife, Inc. has a 1 year low of $67.30 and a 1 year high of $89.05. The firm has a market capitalization of $56.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.57, a PEG ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 1.07.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.13 by ($0.05). MetLife had a return on equity of 20.42% and a net margin of 6.19%. On average, equities analysts predict that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 4th will be paid a $0.545 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 4th. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.69%. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio is presently 36.52%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have weighed in on MET shares. BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on MetLife in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. They set a “market perform” rating and a $97.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on MetLife from $92.00 to $97.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday. Barclays lowered their target price on MetLife from $96.00 to $95.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of MetLife from $86.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. Finally, TD Cowen increased 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. Two 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, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $92.58.

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.