Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Given New C$45.00 Price Target at BMO Capital Markets

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) had its price objective upped by BMO Capital Markets from C$44.00 to C$45.00 in a report published on Friday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. They currently have an outperform rating on the stock.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Scotiabank increased their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. CIBC increased their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$46.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, February 16th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$45.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Friday. National Bankshares increased their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$43.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$46.00 in a report on Friday. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Great-West Lifeco presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of C$43.60.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Up 1.2 %

TSE:GWO opened at C$42.23 on Friday. Great-West Lifeco has a 52 week low of C$37.06 and a 52 week high of C$45.18. The company has a quick ratio of 22.18, a current ratio of 12.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 32.33. The stock’s fifty day moving average is C$41.96 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$42.20. The stock has a market capitalization of C$39.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.86.

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The company reported C$1.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of C$0.99 by C$0.05. The firm had revenue of C$20.21 billion for the quarter. Great-West Lifeco had a return on equity of 10.28% and a net margin of 7.95%. Research analysts anticipate that Great-West Lifeco will post 4.137561 EPS for the current year.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 31st will be given a dividend of $0.555 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 31st. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.26%. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 75.77%.

Insider Activity at Great-West Lifeco

In related news, Senior Officer Linda Kerrigan sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.95, for a total transaction of C$214,750.00. In other news, Senior Officer Dervla Mary Tomlin sold 5,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.33, for a total transaction of C$228,590.10. Also, Senior Officer Linda Kerrigan sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.95, for a total transaction of C$214,750.00. Insiders sold a total of 13,300 shares of company stock worth $566,402 in the last 90 days. 70.57% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About Great-West Lifeco

Great-West Lifeco Inc engages in the life and health insurance, retirement and investment services, asset management, and reinsurance businesses in Canada, the United States, and Europe. The company offers life, accidental death and dismemberment, disability, critical illness, health and dental protection, and creditor insurance products; and retirement and wealth savings, income and annuity products, and other specialty products to individuals, families, businesses, and organizations.