Trexquant Investment LP Takes Position in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Trexquant Investment LP bought a new stake in shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 53,679 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $3,550,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MET. Criterion Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of MetLife during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Quintet Private Bank Europe S.A. acquired a new position in MetLife in the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. Planned Solutions Inc. purchased a new position in MetLife in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Tennessee Valley Asset Management Partners acquired a new stake in MetLife during the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife during the third quarter worth $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.81% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on MET shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their price target on shares of MetLife from $87.00 to $86.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, May 7th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on MetLife from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, April 15th. Argus increased their price target on MetLife from $77.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on MetLife from $86.00 to $85.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 10th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 11th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, MetLife currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $79.08.

Insider Buying and Selling at MetLife

In other news, EVP Bill Pappas sold 27,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.27, for a total transaction of $1,951,290.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 57,768 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,174,893.36. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, insider Ramy Tadros sold 4,026 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.90, for a total transaction of $289,469.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 146,981 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,567,933.90. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Bill Pappas sold 27,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.27, for a total value of $1,951,290.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 57,768 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,174,893.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.31% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

MetLife Price Performance

Shares of MET opened at $71.65 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $72.21 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $68.64. The stock has a market cap of $50.95 billion, a PE ratio of 24.62, a P/E/G ratio of 0.61 and a beta of 1.09. MetLife, Inc. has a 1-year low of $49.38 and a 1-year high of $74.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 0.16 and a quick ratio of 0.16.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 1st. The financial services provider reported $1.83 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.83. MetLife had a net margin of 3.50% and a return on equity of 20.39%. The firm had revenue of $17.02 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.73 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.52 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that MetLife, Inc. will post 8.62 EPS for the current year.

MetLife Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 11th. Investors of record on Tuesday, May 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.545 per share. This is a positive change from MetLife’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, May 6th. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.04%. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio is presently 74.91%.

MetLife announced that its board has authorized a share buyback program on Wednesday, May 1st that permits the company to buyback $3.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the financial services provider to purchase up to 6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

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.