Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Price Target Raised to C$45.00

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) had its target price raised by BMO Capital Markets from C$44.00 to C$45.00 in a research note published on Friday, BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the stock.

Several other equities analysts have also commented on the company. TD Securities decreased their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$44.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. National Bankshares upped their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$43.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Thursday, May 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$46.00 in a research note on Friday. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$45.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, CIBC upped their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$46.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, February 16th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Great-West Lifeco has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of C$44.00.

Great-West Lifeco Price Performance

Shares of GWO stock opened at C$43.33 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is C$41.97 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$42.30. Great-West Lifeco has a 12 month low of C$37.06 and a 12 month high of C$45.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.96, a current ratio of 37.37 and a quick ratio of 22.18. The company has a market capitalization of C$40.42 billion, a PE ratio of 12.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.86.

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

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 31st will be given a dividend of $0.555 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 31st. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.12%. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio is presently 63.25%.

Insider Activity at Great-West Lifeco

In related news, Senior Officer Linda Kerrigan sold 5,000 shares of the company’s 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 related news, Senior Officer Dervla Mary Tomlin sold 5,400 shares of Great-West Lifeco stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.33, for a total value of C$228,590.10. Also, Senior Officer Linda Kerrigan sold 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.95, for a total value of C$214,750.00. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 13,300 shares of company stock worth $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.