MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) Stock Position Increased by Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC

Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC raised its position in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET - Free Report) by 21.1% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 21,400 shares of the financial services provider's stock after acquiring an additional 3,724 shares during the period. Capital Investment Advisory Services LLC's holdings in MetLife were worth $1,718,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MET. Ball & Co Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in MetLife in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Transce3nd LLC purchased a new stake in MetLife during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. North Capital Inc. acquired a new position in MetLife during the 1st quarter worth $26,000. Quarry LP acquired a new position in MetLife during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Graney & King LLC purchased a new stake in MetLife during the 4th quarter worth about $34,000. 94.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

MetLife Stock Down 1.8%

Shares of MET stock traded down $1.42 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $78.24. The company had a trading volume of 1,398,585 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,367,227. MetLife, Inc. has a twelve month low of $65.21 and a twelve month high of $89.05. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $78.87 and its 200 day simple moving average is $80.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a current ratio of 0.16. The company has a market capitalization of $52.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.67 and a beta of 0.85.

MetLife (NYSE:MET - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 30th. The financial services provider reported $1.96 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.00 by ($0.04). MetLife had a net margin of 6.08% and a return on equity of 20.89%. The business had revenue of $18.57 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.06 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.83 EPS. MetLife's revenue for the quarter was up 15.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MetLife declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback program on Wednesday, April 30th that allows the company to buyback $3.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to buy up to 5.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often a sign that the company's board believes its stock is undervalued.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 9th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, August 5th will be issued a dividend of $0.5675 per share. This represents a $2.27 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.90%. MetLife's dividend payout ratio is presently 36.91%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Barclays increased their price objective on MetLife from $88.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on MetLife from $86.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday. Wall Street Zen downgraded MetLife from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, May 24th. Piper Sandler increased their target price on MetLife from $92.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their target price on MetLife from $95.00 to $94.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $95.33.

MetLife Company Profile

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.