National Bankshares Boosts Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Price Target to C$43.00

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) had its price target raised by National Bankshares from C$42.00 to C$43.00 in a report published on Thursday, BayStreet.CA reports. They currently have a sector perform rating on the stock.

A number of other research firms have also recently issued reports on GWO. TD Securities cut their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$44.00 in a research report on Thursday. Scotiabank upped their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, CIBC increased their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$46.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, February 16th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of C$43.60.

Great-West Lifeco Price Performance

Shares of TSE:GWO opened at C$42.23 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of C$39.38 billion, a PE ratio of 14.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.86. The firm’s fifty day moving average is C$41.95 and its 200-day moving average is C$42.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 32.33, a quick ratio of 22.18 and a current ratio of 12.42. Great-West Lifeco has a 52 week low of C$37.06 and a 52 week high of C$45.18.

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The company reported C$1.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of C$0.99 by C$0.05. Great-West Lifeco had a net margin of 7.95% and a return on equity of 10.28%. The business had revenue of C$20.21 billion for the quarter. Sell-side analysts predict that Great-West Lifeco will post 4.137561 earnings per share for the current year.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 31st will be paid a dividend of $0.555 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 31st. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.26%. Great-West Lifeco’s payout ratio is currently 75.77%.

Insider Transactions at Great-West Lifeco

In other news, Senior Officer Bradley John Fedorchuk sold 2,900 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.44, for a total transaction of C$123,062.08. In related news, Senior Officer Dervla Mary Tomlin sold 5,400 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.33, for a total value of C$228,590.10. Also, Senior Officer Bradley John Fedorchuk sold 2,900 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.44, for a total transaction of C$123,062.08. Insiders sold a total of 13,300 shares of company stock worth $566,402 in the last quarter. Insiders own 70.57% 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.