MetLife (NYSE:MET) Stock Rating Upgraded by StockNews.com

StockNews.com upgraded shares of MetLife (NYSE:MET) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note released on Monday.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. TD Cowen initiated coverage on shares of MetLife in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. They set a “buy” rating and a $97.00 price objective on the stock. Bank of America cut their target price on MetLife from $99.00 to $96.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on MetLife from $86.00 to $85.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, August 19th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on MetLife from $89.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, September 27th. Finally, 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 note on Thursday, October 31st. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat, MetLife currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $88.62.

MetLife Stock Performance

NYSE:MET opened at $88.25 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $61.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.79, a PEG ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 1.05. MetLife has a fifty-two week low of $62.89 and a fifty-two week 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. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $83.05 and a 200-day moving average price of $76.37.

MetLife Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed 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 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.47%. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio is 43.95%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On MetLife

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its stake in shares of MetLife by 22.4% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 5,396,274 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $378,799,000 after acquiring an additional 988,666 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc lifted its position in shares of MetLife by 5.4% in the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 5,299,800 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $371,993,000 after purchasing an additional 269,246 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its stake in shares of MetLife by 1.5% in the 3rd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 4,548,725 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $375,179,000 after purchasing an additional 68,579 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its position in shares of MetLife by 3.2% during the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,224,930 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $226,358,000 after buying an additional 100,782 shares during the period. Finally, Stifel Financial Corp raised its stake in MetLife by 5.0% during the third quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 2,239,841 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $184,744,000 after buying an additional 105,762 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.81% of the company’s stock.

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.