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

Norden Group LLC decreased its stake in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 58.2% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,209 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 4,471 shares during the period. Norden Group LLC’s holdings in MetLife were worth $212,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MET. Criterion Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in MetLife during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Planned Solutions Inc. acquired a new position in shares of MetLife during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Quintet Private Bank Europe S.A. acquired a new stake in MetLife in the 3rd quarter valued at about $28,000. Tennessee Valley Asset Management Partners purchased a new position in MetLife during the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new position in MetLife during the third quarter worth about $36,000. 89.81% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at MetLife

In other MetLife news, insider Ramy Tadros sold 4,026 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.90, for a total value of $289,469.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 146,981 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,567,933.90. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, insider Ramy Tadros sold 4,026 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.90, for a total value of $289,469.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 146,981 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,567,933.90. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Bill Pappas sold 27,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.27, for a total value of $1,951,290.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 57,768 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,174,893.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.32% of the company’s stock.

MetLife Stock Performance

NYSE MET opened at $71.87 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.16 and a quick ratio of 0.16. MetLife, Inc. has a 1-year low of $48.95 and a 1-year high of $74.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $51.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.27, a P/E/G ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.03. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $71.61 and its 200-day simple moving average is $67.38.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The financial services provider reported $1.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.95 by ($0.02). MetLife had a net margin of 2.36% and a return on equity of 19.48%. The business had revenue of $18.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.07 billion. Equities analysts predict that MetLife, Inc. will post 8.71 EPS for the current year.

MetLife Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 11th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, May 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.545 per share. This represents a $2.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.03%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, May 6th. This is a boost from MetLife’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. MetLife’s payout ratio is currently 113.66%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of MetLife from $83.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 11th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price objective on MetLife from $82.00 to $87.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded MetLife from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $70.00 to $80.00 in a research report on Monday, January 8th. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of MetLife from $87.00 to $82.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, February 5th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of MetLife from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, April 15th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, MetLife currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $79.23.

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.