MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) Shares Sold by Bessemer Group Inc.

Bessemer Group Inc. cut its holdings in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 2.2% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 2,120,327 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 48,630 shares during the quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. owned about 0.31% of MetLife worth $173,612,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. CX Institutional lifted its position in MetLife by 15.9% during the 4th quarter. CX Institutional now owns 68,005 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $5,568,000 after acquiring an additional 9,337 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its holdings in shares of MetLife by 109.2% during 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 purchasing an additional 4,606,748 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its position in MetLife by 27.3% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 13,692 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,116,000 after buying an additional 2,940 shares during the last quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank increased its stake in MetLife by 1.7% in the 4th quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 776,244 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $63,559,000 after buying an additional 12,723 shares during the period. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio raised its position in MetLife by 5.6% during the 3rd quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 285,514 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $23,549,000 after buying an additional 15,251 shares during the last quarter. 94.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

MetLife Stock Down 1.5 %

Shares of MetLife stock opened at $68.28 on Wednesday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $81.34 and a 200 day moving average price of $82.68. The company has a current ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. MetLife, Inc. has a twelve month low of $65.21 and a twelve month high of $89.05. The stock has a market cap of $46.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 0.89.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.08 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%. Equities research analysts forecast that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MET has been the subject of several analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of MetLife from $92.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 19th. UBS Group raised their price target on MetLife from $94.00 to $98.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on MetLife from $88.00 to $86.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of MetLife in a report on Friday, March 7th. Finally, Barclays lowered their price target on shares of MetLife from $96.00 to $95.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 7th. 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 a consensus price target of $94.85.

MetLife 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.