Q1 EPS Forecast for Manulife Financial Reduced by Analyst

Manulife Financial Co. (TSE:MFC - Free Report) NYSE: MFC - Equities researchers at National Bank Financial cut their Q1 2025 earnings per share estimates for Manulife Financial in a report issued on Thursday, May 1st. National Bank Financial analyst G. Dechaine now anticipates that the financial services provider will post earnings of $0.98 per share for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $1.04. The consensus estimate for Manulife Financial's current full-year earnings is $3.61 per share. National Bank Financial also issued estimates for Manulife Financial's Q2 2025 earnings at $1.00 EPS, Q3 2025 earnings at $1.09 EPS, Q4 2025 earnings at $1.10 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $4.17 EPS.

Several other equities analysts have also commented on MFC. Royal Bank of Canada set a C$51.00 target price on Manulife Financial and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 15th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on Manulife Financial from C$51.00 to C$46.00 in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Barclays lowered their price target on shares of Manulife Financial from C$49.00 to C$45.00 in a research report on Friday, April 11th. Scotiabank reduced their price target on shares of Manulife Financial from C$53.00 to C$50.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. Finally, TD Securities increased their price objective on Manulife Financial from C$48.00 to C$49.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 20th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of C$46.00.

Manulife Financial Trading Up 2.0 %

Shares of Manulife Financial stock opened at C$43.57 on Monday. The company has a 50-day moving average of C$42.14 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$43.14. Manulife Financial has a 12-month low of C$32.55 and a 12-month high of C$46.42. The stock has a market cap of C$76.42 billion, a PE ratio of 13.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 1.06.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Brooks Tingle sold 3,866 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$43.43, for a total value of C$167,882.21. Also, Senior Officer Steve Finch sold 11,598 shares of Manulife Financial stock in a transaction on Monday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$43.43, for a total transaction of C$503,646.63. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 18,683 shares of company stock valued at $816,102. 0.03% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Manulife Financial Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, March 19th were paid a $0.44 dividend. This is a positive change from Manulife Financial's previous quarterly dividend of $0.40. This represents a $1.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.04%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, March 5th. Manulife Financial's payout ratio is presently 49.79%.

About Manulife Financial

Manulife provides life insurance and wealth management products and services to individuals and group customers in Canada, the United States, and Asia. Manulife is one of Canada's Big Three Life Insurance companies (the other two are Sun Life and Great West Life). As of Dec. 31, 2021, Manulife reported assets under management or administration of about CAD $1.4 trillion.

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