Jefferies Financial Group Boosts Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Price Target to C$46.00

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

Other research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on 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. CIBC upped their target price on 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. TD Securities decreased their price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$44.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 2nd. Scotiabank lifted their price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, National Bankshares increased their price objective 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 note on Thursday, May 2nd. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Great-West Lifeco presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of C$44.00.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Up 2.6 %

Shares of TSE:GWO opened at C$43.33 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of C$40.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a 50 day moving average of C$41.97 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$42.30. Great-West Lifeco has a 52-week low of C$37.06 and a 52-week high of C$45.18. The company has a quick ratio of 22.18, a current ratio of 37.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.96.

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

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 31st. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.12%. Great-West Lifeco’s payout ratio is 63.25%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Senior Officer Dervla Mary Tomlin sold 5,400 shares of Great-West Lifeco 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 related news, Senior Officer Linda Kerrigan sold 5,000 shares of the company’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. Also, Senior Officer Dervla Mary Tomlin sold 5,400 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.33, for a total value of C$228,590.10. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 13,300 shares of company stock valued at $566,402. Company 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.