Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Price Target Raised to C$43.00 at National Bankshares

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) had its price objective increased by National Bankshares from C$42.00 to C$43.00 in a research report sent to investors on Thursday, BayStreet.CA reports. National Bankshares currently has a sector perform rating on the stock.

Several other research firms have also issued reports on GWO. TD Securities dropped their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$44.00 in a research note on Thursday. Scotiabank lifted their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective 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 report on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, CIBC lifted their target price on shares of 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 investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Great-West Lifeco has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of C$43.60.

Great-West Lifeco Price Performance

Shares of Great-West Lifeco stock traded up C$0.51 on Thursday, reaching C$42.23. The stock had a trading volume of 1,202,920 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,261,810. The business’s 50 day moving average is C$41.96 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$42.20. The company has a current ratio of 12.42, a quick ratio of 22.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 32.33. Great-West Lifeco has a 1 year low of C$37.06 and a 1 year high of C$45.18. The company has a market cap of C$39.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.86.

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, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of C$0.99 by C$0.05. Great-West Lifeco had a net margin of 7.95% and a return on equity of 10.28%. The business had revenue of C$20.21 billion for the quarter. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Great-West Lifeco will post 4.137561 EPS for the current year.

Great-West Lifeco Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 31st will be paid a dividend of $0.555 per share. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.26%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 31st. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 75.77%.

Insider Transactions at Great-West Lifeco

In related news, Senior Officer Bradley John Fedorchuk sold 2,900 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.44, for a total transaction of C$123,062.08. In other news, Senior Officer Bradley John Fedorchuk sold 2,900 shares of Great-West Lifeco stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.44, for a total value of C$123,062.08. Also, Senior Officer Dervla Mary Tomlin sold 5,400 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.33, for a total value of C$228,590.10. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 13,300 shares of company stock worth $566,402. 70.57% of the stock is currently owned by 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.