Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Stock Price Crosses Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average – Time to Sell?

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) shares crossed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of C$44.34 and traded as high as C$47.72. Great-West Lifeco shares last traded at C$47.36, with a volume of 3,399,645 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on GWO shares. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$48.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Scotiabank raised their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$50.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Barclays boosted their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$43.00 to C$45.00 in a research note on Friday, November 8th. CIBC raised their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$51.00 to C$55.00 in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$47.00 to C$51.00 in a research report on Friday, November 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Great-West Lifeco presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of C$47.63.

Great-West Lifeco Trading Down 0.6 %

The stock has a market cap of C$43.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is C$48.13 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$44.40. The company has a quick ratio of 22.18, a current ratio of 37.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be given a dividend of $0.555 per share. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.71%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 3rd. Great-West Lifeco’s payout ratio is 55.78%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 26,400 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$49.50, for a total value of C$1,306,800.00. Also, Senior Officer Colleen Nancy Bailey Moffitt sold 825 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$49.11, for a total value of C$40,515.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 66 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately C$3,241.26. The trade was a 92.59 % decrease in their position. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 209,851 shares of company stock valued at $10,327,502. Insiders own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

About Great-West Lifeco

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.