Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Given New C$46.00 Price Target at Jefferies Financial Group

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) had its price objective lifted by Jefferies Financial Group from C$44.00 to C$46.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday, BayStreet.CA reports.

A number of other research analysts have also recently issued reports on GWO. CIBC lifted their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$46.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, February 16th. National Bankshares lifted their price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$43.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. 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 note on Thursday, January 25th. Scotiabank raised their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, TD Securities reduced their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$44.00 in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of C$44.00.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Up 2.6 %

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

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The company reported C$1.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of C$0.99 by C$0.05. The business had revenue of C$20.21 billion during the quarter. Great-West Lifeco had a return on equity of 11.74% and a net margin of 10.05%. Equities analysts predict that Great-West Lifeco will post 4.20199 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 28th. Investors of record on Friday, May 31st will be issued a $0.555 dividend. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.12%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 31st. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio is currently 63.25%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Senior Officer Linda Kerrigan sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.95, for a total transaction of C$214,750.00. In other news, Senior Officer Linda Kerrigan sold 5,000 shares of Great-West Lifeco 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. Also, Senior Officer Dervla Mary Tomlin sold 5,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.33, for a total transaction of C$228,590.10. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 13,300 shares of company stock valued at $566,402. 70.58% of the stock is currently owned by corporate 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.