Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Reaches New 52-Week High – What’s Next?

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO)’s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as C$47.87 and last traded at C$47.82, with a volume of 7368 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at C$47.20.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have weighed in on GWO. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$47.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$48.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Scotiabank increased their price target on shares of 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. Barclays set a C$43.00 price objective on shares of Great-West Lifeco and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Thursday, September 5th. Finally, CIBC upped their price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$46.00 to C$51.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of C$46.38.

Great-West Lifeco Trading Up 0.7 %

The firm has a market cap of C$44.32 billion, a PE ratio of 11.95, a PEG ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of C$46.00 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$42.83. The company has a current ratio of 37.46, a quick ratio of 22.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61.

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported C$1.11 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of C$1.05 by C$0.06. The business had revenue of C$8.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$9.83 billion. Great-West Lifeco had a net margin of 11.32% and a return on equity of 13.21%. Equities analysts forecast that Great-West Lifeco Inc. will post 4.4525194 EPS for the current year.

Great-West Lifeco Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 27th were given a $0.555 dividend. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.67%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio is currently 55.78%.

Insider Activity at Great-West Lifeco

In related news, Director Richard Henry Linton sold 35,800 shares of Great-West Lifeco stock in a transaction dated 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 other Great-West Lifeco news, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 25,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$44.72, for a total value of C$1,135,888.00. Also, Director Richard Henry Linton sold 35,800 shares of Great-West Lifeco stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$46.27, for a total transaction of C$1,656,344.28. 70.70% of the stock is currently owned by corporate 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.