Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” from Brokerages

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) has been assigned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the eight analysts that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is C$47.63.

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$47.00 to C$51.00 in a research report on Friday, November 8th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$48.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Barclays increased their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$43.00 to C$45.00 in a report on Friday, November 8th. CIBC boosted their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$51.00 to C$55.00 in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Finally, Scotiabank upped their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$50.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th.

Great-West Lifeco Trading Up 0.5 %

TSE GWO opened at C$46.77 on Friday. The business’s fifty day moving average is C$48.00 and its 200-day moving average is C$44.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61, a current ratio of 37.46 and a quick ratio of 22.18. The stock has a market capitalization of C$43.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.75, a PEG ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84. Great-West Lifeco has a one year low of C$38.44 and a one year high of C$50.99.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be issued a $0.555 dividend. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.75%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 3rd. Great-West Lifeco’s payout ratio is currently 55.78%.

Insider Activity at Great-West Lifeco

In other Great-West Lifeco news, Director Paul Mahon sold 146,826 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$49.88, for a total value of C$7,323,842.39. Also, Director Richard Henry Linton sold 35,800 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, October 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$46.27, for a total transaction of C$1,656,344.28. In the last three months, insiders have sold 209,851 shares of company stock worth $10,327,502. 70.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Great-West Lifeco Company Profile

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.