Ameritas Advisory Services LLC Sells 840 Shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Ameritas Advisory Services LLC reduced its position in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 7.7% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 10,000 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 840 shares during the period. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC’s holdings in MetLife were worth $819,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. grew its holdings in MetLife by 1.3% during the third quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 9,464 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $781,000 after purchasing an additional 123 shares during the period. Abacus Planning Group Inc. lifted its holdings in MetLife by 1.0% during the third quarter. Abacus Planning Group Inc. now owns 12,301 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $1,015,000 after purchasing an additional 127 shares in the last quarter. First Commonwealth Financial Corp PA boosted its position in shares of MetLife by 0.8% in the third quarter. First Commonwealth Financial Corp PA now owns 16,675 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,375,000 after purchasing an additional 133 shares during the period. Avestar Capital LLC increased its stake in shares of MetLife by 3.2% in the third quarter. Avestar Capital LLC now owns 4,264 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $352,000 after purchasing an additional 133 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Financial Management Professionals Inc. raised its position in shares of MetLife by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 6,984 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $576,000 after purchasing an additional 136 shares during the period. 94.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on MetLife from $93.00 to $92.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. StockNews.com downgraded MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 9th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of MetLife from $89.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, September 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of MetLife from $86.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Finally, Barclays raised their target price on shares of MetLife from $90.00 to $96.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, January 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, MetLife has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $89.92.

MetLife Trading Down 1.3 %

Shares of NYSE MET opened at $85.78 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $59.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.29, a PEG ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 1.07. MetLife, Inc. has a 1-year low of $64.61 and a 1-year high of $89.05. The business’s 50 day moving average is $83.60 and its two-hundred day moving average is $79.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.16 and a quick ratio of 0.16.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 4th will be given a $0.545 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 4th. This represents a $2.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.54%. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio is presently 43.95%.

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.