Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ Lowers Holdings in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ trimmed its position in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 1.8% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 123,287 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 2,266 shares during the quarter. Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ’s holdings in MetLife were worth $10,049,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in MET. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife in the 3rd quarter worth $30,000. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife in the 4th quarter worth $32,000. Sierra Ocean LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife in the 4th quarter worth $32,000. Coastline Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife in the 3rd quarter worth $35,000. Finally, Values First Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife in the 4th quarter worth $36,000. 94.99% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

MetLife Trading Up 3.8 %

MetLife stock opened at $80.62 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $83.44 and a two-hundred day moving average of $82.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a current ratio of 0.16. The stock has a market cap of $54.92 billion, a PE ratio of 13.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.04. MetLife, Inc. has a one year low of $67.30 and a one year high of $89.05.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.13 by ($0.05). MetLife had a net margin of 6.19% and a return on equity of 20.42%. On average, research analysts anticipate that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 4th were issued a $0.545 dividend. This represents a $2.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.70%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 4th. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio is presently 36.52%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on MET shares. BMO Capital Markets started coverage on MetLife in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. They set a “market perform” rating and a $97.00 price objective for the company. TD Cowen upped their price objective on MetLife from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 27th. Barclays decreased their price objective on MetLife from $96.00 to $95.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 7th. StockNews.com cut MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 9th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on MetLife from $101.00 to $109.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 28th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $94.58.

MetLife Company 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.