Desjardins Lifts Earnings Estimates for Great-West Lifeco

Key Points

• Desjardins has increased its Q3 2025 EPS estimate for Great-West Lifeco from $1.19 to $1.21, with an overall FY2025 earnings estimate of $4.80 EPS.
• Great-West Lifeco announced a quarterly dividend of $0.61 per share, representing a 4.6% dividend yield and a payout ratio of 50.79%.
• Shares of Great-West Lifeco recently opened at C$53.00, with a market capitalization of C$49.34 billion and a recent target price range from various analysts between C$53.00 and C$61.00.

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO - Free Report) - Stock analysts at Desjardins lifted their Q3 2025 earnings per share estimates for shares of Great-West Lifeco in a research note issued on Wednesday, August 6th. Desjardins analyst D. Young now forecasts that the company will post earnings of $1.21 per share for the quarter, up from their previous estimate of $1.19. Desjardins has a "Hold" rating and a $55.00 price objective on the stock. The consensus estimate for Great-West Lifeco's current full-year earnings is $4.45 per share. Desjardins also issued estimates for Great-West Lifeco's Q4 2025 earnings at $1.25 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $4.80 EPS.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on GWO. National Bankshares cut their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$53.00 to C$52.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, May 8th. Scotiabank boosted their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$59.00 to C$61.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, August 7th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$58.00 to C$57.00 in a research note on Monday, April 21st. Barclays boosted their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$56.00 to C$57.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 6th. Finally, CIBC dropped their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$60.00 to C$57.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 1st. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of C$56.67.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Up 0.7%

GWO traded up C$0.39 during midday trading on Friday, hitting C$53.43. 232,513 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,914,517. The firm has a market capitalization of C$49.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.22, a P/E/G ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84. Great-West Lifeco has a 1-year low of C$41.98 and a 1-year high of C$57.61. The firm's 50 day moving average price is C$51.62 and its 200-day moving average price is C$51.95.

Great-West Lifeco Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 29th. Investors of record on Monday, September 29th will be paid a dividend of $0.61 per share. This represents a $2.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 29th. Great-West Lifeco's dividend payout ratio is 50.79%.

Great-West Lifeco announced that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase program on Tuesday, August 5th that authorizes the company to buyback $0.00 in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to purchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often a sign that the company's board believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Senior Officer Dervla Mary Tomlin sold 36,700 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$51.05, for a total transaction of C$1,873,520.32. Also, Senior Officer David Martin Harney sold 20,700 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$51.85, for a total value of C$1,073,263.95. 70.70% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Great-West Lifeco

Great-West Lifeco is one of the three big Canadian life insurance firms. With just under half of the firm's profit and revenue in Canada, Great-West also operates in the U.S. and Europe. In Canada, Great-West provides both individual and group insurance. In the United States, Great-West operates Putnam Investments and defined-contribution recordkeeping firm Empower Retirement.