QRG Capital Management Inc. Boosts Position in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

QRG Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 8.0% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 62,038 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 4,572 shares during the period. QRG Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in MetLife were worth $5,080,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. CX Institutional grew its stake in shares of MetLife by 15.9% in the 4th quarter. CX Institutional now owns 68,005 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $5,568,000 after buying an additional 9,337 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its position in MetLife by 109.2% in the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 8,826,658 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $722,727,000 after acquiring an additional 4,606,748 shares during the period. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG acquired a new stake in MetLife during the third quarter worth $2,960,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. raised its position in MetLife by 48,101.4% in the third quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 106,043 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $8,746,000 after purchasing an additional 105,823 shares during the period. Finally, Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC acquired a new position in shares of MetLife in the 3rd quarter valued at $1,074,000. 94.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

MetLife Trading Up 2.5 %

NYSE:MET opened at $86.16 on Friday. MetLife, Inc. has a 12-month low of $67.30 and a 12-month high of $89.05. The firm has a market cap of $59.66 billion, a PE ratio of 14.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.07. The company has a current ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $83.65 and a 200 day moving average price of $81.83.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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 net margin of 6.19% and a return on equity of 20.42%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MetLife Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 4th will be given a $0.545 dividend. This represents a $2.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.53%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 4th. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio is presently 36.52%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays reduced their price objective on shares of MetLife from $96.00 to $95.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 7th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of MetLife from $92.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 19th. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of MetLife from $101.00 to $109.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday. TD Cowen boosted their target price on MetLife from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on MetLife from $86.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $94.58.

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.