Brighthouse Financial (NASDAQ:BHF) Sets New 12-Month Low - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• Brighthouse Financial shares hit a new 52-week low, falling 1.7% to about $44.06 and trading well below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
• Analysts remain cautious: all seven covering the stock rate it “Hold,” while JPMorgan and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their price targets to $55; the consensus target is $61.25.
• The company missed quarterly expectations, reporting EPS of $4.45 versus $4.86 expected and revenue of $1.62 billion versus $2.18 billion forecast, with revenue down 2% year over year.

Brighthouse Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:BHF - Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Wednesday. The stock traded as low as $43.86 and last traded at $44.06, with a volume of 286,286 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $44.73.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently commented on the stock. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Brighthouse Financial to a "hold" rating in a research note on Sunday, July 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Brighthouse Financial from an "underweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $63.00 to $55.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 15th. Weiss Ratings cut Brighthouse Financial from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a report on Thursday, September 10th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods dropped their price target on Brighthouse Financial from $57.00 to $55.00 and set a "market perform" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 15th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $61.25.

Brighthouse Financial Trading Down 1.7%

The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $50.40 and a 200-day simple moving average of $59.39. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The stock has a market cap of $2.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 3.51, a P/E/G ratio of 0.60 and a beta of 0.83.

Brighthouse Financial (NASDAQ:BHF - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $4.45 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.86 by ($0.41). The firm had revenue of $1.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.18 billion. Brighthouse Financial had a return on equity of 17.24% and a net margin of 12.49%. The business's quarterly revenue was down 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $3.43 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that Brighthouse Financial, Inc. will post 18.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Brighthouse Financial

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BHF. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. purchased a new stake in shares of Brighthouse Financial in the second quarter valued at $27,000. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Brighthouse Financial by 390.3% during the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 505 shares of the company's stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 402 shares in the last quarter. Mather Group LLC. raised its position in Brighthouse Financial by 8,900.0% during the third quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 630 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 623 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP acquired a new position in Brighthouse Financial during the second quarter valued at $49,000. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC acquired a new position in Brighthouse Financial during the second quarter valued at $55,000. 81.24% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Brighthouse Financial

Brighthouse Financial, Inc NASDAQ: BHF is a U.S.-focused provider of annuities and life insurance products. The company serves individuals and institutions seeking solutions for retirement income, wealth preservation, protection and legacy planning.

Its annuity offerings include fixed, variable, income and registered index-linked annuities, including the Brighthouse Shield line of products. Brighthouse also provides life insurance products designed to offer death-benefit protection and, depending on the policy, cash-value accumulation and other financial-planning features.

Brighthouse Financial was established as an independent public company in 2017 after being separated from MetLife.

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