Hancock Whitney Corp Has $3.44 Million Stake in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Hancock Whitney Corp lowered its stake in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 3.0% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 42,022 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 1,321 shares during the period. Hancock Whitney Corp’s holdings in MetLife were worth $3,441,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Transce3nd LLC bought a new stake in shares of MetLife during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC bought a new stake in MetLife during the 4th quarter worth about $32,000. Sierra Ocean LLC acquired a new position in MetLife during the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Graney & King LLC bought a new position in shares of MetLife in the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. Finally, Values First Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of MetLife during the 4th quarter worth approximately $36,000. Institutional investors own 94.99% of the company’s stock.

MetLife Trading Up 2.2 %

MET opened at $75.86 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $51.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.71, a P/E/G ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a current ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. MetLife, Inc. has a 12 month low of $65.21 and a 12 month high of $89.05. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $78.49 and its 200 day simple moving average is $81.87.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.08 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.13 by ($0.05). MetLife had a net margin of 6.19% and a return on equity of 20.42%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MetLife Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, May 6th will be paid a dividend of $0.5675 per share. This is a boost from MetLife’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. This represents a $2.27 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.99%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, May 6th. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 38.02%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on MET shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of MetLife from $88.00 to $86.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on MetLife from $97.00 to $91.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 10th. Barclays dropped their price objective on MetLife from $95.00 to $88.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 11th. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on MetLife in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. They set a “market perform” rating and a $97.00 target price for the company. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price target on shares of MetLife from $109.00 to $94.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 10th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $92.46.

About MetLife

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.