Ieq Capital LLC Sells 9,494 Shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Ieq Capital LLC decreased its position in shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 37.6% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 15,761 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 9,494 shares during the quarter. Ieq Capital LLC’s holdings in MetLife were worth $1,291,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Private Advisor Group LLC grew its position in shares of MetLife by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 80,147 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $6,562,000 after purchasing an additional 367 shares in the last quarter. Convergence Investment Partners LLC grew its holdings in MetLife by 4.3% during the 4th quarter. Convergence Investment Partners LLC now owns 28,781 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $2,357,000 after buying an additional 1,190 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust bought a new stake in shares of MetLife during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $82,000. Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund boosted its position in shares of MetLife by 127.9% during the fourth quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund now owns 39,700 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $3,251,000 after acquiring an additional 22,283 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Braun Stacey Associates Inc. grew its stake in MetLife by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. Braun Stacey Associates Inc. now owns 133,596 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $10,939,000 after acquiring an additional 2,410 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.99% of the company’s stock.

MetLife Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:MET opened at $81.26 on Tuesday. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $83.38 and its 200-day simple moving average is $81.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a current ratio of 0.16. MetLife, Inc. has a one year low of $67.30 and a one year high of $89.05. The firm has a market cap of $56.27 billion, a PE ratio of 13.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.07.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last issued its earnings results 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%. As a group, equities analysts predict that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 EPS for the current year.

MetLife Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 4th will be issued a $0.545 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, February 4th. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.68%. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio is currently 36.52%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have commented on the stock. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on shares of MetLife in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. They set a “market perform” rating and a $97.00 price objective for the company. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on MetLife from $92.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 19th. TD Cowen raised their target price on shares of MetLife from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, January 9th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of MetLife from $86.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $92.58.

About MetLife

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.