Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Given New C$45.00 Price Target at Royal Bank of Canada

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) had its target price boosted by Royal Bank of Canada from C$44.00 to C$45.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has a sector perform rating on the stock.

GWO has been the topic of several other reports. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Scotiabank increased their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$46.00 in a research note on Friday. TD Securities decreased their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$44.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. Finally, CIBC lifted their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$46.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, February 16th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of C$44.00.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Performance

TSE:GWO opened at C$43.33 on Friday. The business’s fifty day moving average is C$41.97 and its 200 day moving average is C$42.30. The firm has a market cap of C$40.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.34, a PEG ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.96, a quick ratio of 22.18 and a current ratio of 37.37. Great-West Lifeco has a 52-week low of C$37.06 and a 52-week high of C$45.18.

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The company reported C$1.04 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of C$0.99 by C$0.05. Great-West Lifeco had a return on equity of 11.74% and a net margin of 10.05%. The business had revenue of C$20.21 billion during the quarter. Research analysts predict that Great-West Lifeco will post 4.20199 EPS for the current year.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 31st will be issued a $0.555 dividend. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.12%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 31st. Great-West Lifeco’s payout ratio is currently 63.25%.

Insider Activity at Great-West Lifeco

In other Great-West Lifeco news, Senior Officer Linda Kerrigan sold 5,000 shares of Great-West Lifeco stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.95, for a total transaction of C$214,750.00. In other Great-West Lifeco news, Senior Officer Dervla Mary Tomlin sold 5,400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.33, for a total transaction of C$228,590.10. Also, Senior Officer Linda Kerrigan sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.95, for a total value of C$214,750.00. In the last three months, insiders have sold 13,300 shares of company stock valued at $566,402. Corporate insiders own 70.58% 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.