Teacher Retirement System of Texas Boosts Holdings in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Teacher Retirement System of Texas increased its holdings in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 10,314.3% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 421,467 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 417,420 shares during the period. Teacher Retirement System of Texas owned 0.06% of MetLife worth $34,510,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC purchased a new position in MetLife in the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Sierra Ocean LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Values First Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife during the 4th quarter worth approximately $36,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife during the 4th quarter worth approximately $44,000. Finally, Atala Financial Inc purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife during the 4th quarter worth approximately $45,000. 94.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

MetLife Stock Performance

Shares of MetLife stock opened at $82.68 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $83.44 and its two-hundred day moving average is $82.57. The company has a market capitalization of $56.33 billion, a PE ratio of 13.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a quick ratio of 0.16, a current ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. MetLife, Inc. has a 52 week low of $67.30 and a 52 week high of $89.05.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.08 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.13 by ($0.05). MetLife had a net margin of 6.19% and a return on equity of 20.42%. As a group, analysts expect that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 earnings per share for the current year.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 4th were given a dividend of $0.545 per share. This represents a $2.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.64%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 4th. MetLife’s payout ratio is 36.52%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently issued reports on MET shares. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on MetLife from $92.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 19th. StockNews.com cut MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, January 9th. TD Cowen upped their price objective on MetLife from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on MetLife from $86.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price target on MetLife from $101.00 to $109.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, February 28th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, MetLife has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $94.58.

About MetLife

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.