Epoch Investment Partners Inc. Sells 177,196 Shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Epoch Investment Partners Inc. reduced its holdings in shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 10.6% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 1,490,863 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 177,196 shares during the quarter. Epoch Investment Partners Inc.’s holdings in MetLife were worth $122,072,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Sierra Ocean LLC bought a new position in shares of MetLife during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC purchased a new position in shares of MetLife during the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Graney & King LLC purchased a new stake in MetLife in the 4th quarter worth about $34,000. Values First Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in MetLife in the 4th quarter valued at about $36,000. Finally, Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich purchased a new stake in MetLife during the fourth quarter valued at about $48,000. 94.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

MetLife Trading Up 1.1 %

MET opened at $72.49 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $49.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.14, a PEG ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 0.89. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $79.19 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $82.12. MetLife, Inc. has a one year low of $65.21 and a one year high of $89.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.16 and a quick ratio of 0.16.

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of MetLife in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $97.00 price target on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 9th. Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of MetLife in a research note on Friday, March 7th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on MetLife from $97.00 to $91.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 10th. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on shares of MetLife from $92.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $92.46.

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.