MetLife (NYSE:MET) Price Target Cut to $86.00 by Analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) had its target price trimmed by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $88.00 to $86.00 in a research report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an overweight rating on the financial services provider’s stock.

Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of MetLife from $92.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 19th. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on MetLife in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. They set a “market perform” rating and a $97.00 target price for the company. Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of MetLife in a research report on Friday, March 7th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price objective on MetLife from $100.00 to $98.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded shares of MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 9th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, MetLife presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $94.85.

MetLife Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MET opened at $82.61 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.16 and a quick ratio of 0.16. The stock has a market capitalization of $56.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.84, a P/E/G ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.04. The business has a 50-day moving average of $82.98 and a two-hundred day moving average of $83.01. MetLife has a fifty-two week low of $67.30 and a fifty-two week high of $89.05.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates 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 research analysts predict that MetLife will post 9.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 4th were issued a $0.545 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 4th. This represents a $2.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.64%. MetLife’s payout ratio is presently 36.52%.

Institutional Trading of MetLife

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. United Asset Strategies Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of MetLife by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. United Asset Strategies Inc. now owns 10,933 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $895,000 after acquiring an additional 120 shares during the period. Barrett & Company Inc. lifted its holdings in MetLife by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Barrett & Company Inc. now owns 11,942 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $978,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. Eagle Strategies LLC grew its stake in MetLife by 4.8% during the fourth quarter. Eagle Strategies LLC now owns 2,707 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $222,000 after buying an additional 123 shares during the last quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of MetLife by 2.1% during the fourth quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. now owns 6,044 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $495,000 after buying an additional 126 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Davis R M Inc. raised its stake in shares of MetLife by 4.2% in the fourth quarter. Davis R M Inc. now owns 3,148 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $258,000 after acquiring an additional 127 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.99% of the company’s stock.

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.