Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Barclays Analyst Says

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) had its price objective hoisted by Barclays from C$45.00 to C$46.00 in a research report released on Monday morning,BayStreet.CA reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on GWO. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$47.00 to C$51.00 in a report on Friday, November 8th. Scotiabank increased their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$50.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. CIBC lifted their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$51.00 to C$55.00 in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$48.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of C$47.75.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Down 0.2 %

GWO stock opened at C$46.90 on Monday. Great-West Lifeco has a 52 week low of C$38.44 and a 52 week high of C$50.99. The company has a quick ratio of 22.18, a current ratio of 37.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of C$48.14 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$44.97. The stock has a market capitalization of C$43.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.78, a P/E/G ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84.

Great-West Lifeco Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st were issued a $0.555 dividend. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.73%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 3rd. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio is currently 55.78%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Paul Mahon sold 146,826 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$49.88, for a total value of C$7,323,842.39. Also, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 26,400 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$49.50, for a total transaction of C$1,306,800.00. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 174,613 shares of company stock worth $8,697,880. Insiders own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

Great-West Lifeco Company Profile

Great-West Lifeco Inc engages in the life and health insurance, retirement and investment services, asset management, and reinsurance businesses in Canada, the United States, and Europe. The company offers life, accidental death and dismemberment, disability, critical illness, health and dental protection, and creditor insurance products; and retirement and wealth savings, income and annuity products, and other specialty products to individuals, families, businesses, and organizations.