Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) Announces $0.56 Quarterly Dividend

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, December 3rd,Zacks Dividends reports. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be given a dividend of 0.555 per share on Tuesday, December 31st. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.40%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 3rd.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Up 0.2 %

Great-West Lifeco stock opened at C$50.41 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61, a quick ratio of 22.18 and a current ratio of 37.46. The firm has a market capitalization of C$46.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84. Great-West Lifeco has a fifty-two week low of C$38.44 and a fifty-two week high of C$50.99. The stock’s fifty day moving average is C$47.60 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$43.80.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

GWO has been the topic of several research reports. TD Securities upped their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$43.00 to C$44.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on 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 increased their price objective 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. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$47.00 to C$51.00 in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Finally, CIBC increased their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$51.00 to C$55.00 in a research note on Friday, November 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of C$47.63.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Richard Henry Linton sold 35,800 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$46.27, for a total transaction of C$1,656,344.28. Also, Director Paul Mahon sold 146,826 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of C$49.88, for a total value of C$7,323,842.39. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 235,251 shares of company stock worth $11,463,390. 70.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Great-West Lifeco Company Profile

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.