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

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) has received a consensus rating of “Hold” from the eight analysts that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have given a hold recommendation and one has given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is C$47.63.

Several research analysts have recently commented on GWO shares. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on 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. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$50.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. TD Securities lifted their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$43.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Barclays lifted their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$43.00 to C$45.00 in a report on Friday, November 8th. Finally, CIBC lifted their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$51.00 to C$55.00 in a report on Friday, November 8th.

Insider Buying and Selling at Great-West Lifeco

In other Great-West Lifeco news, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 25,400 shares of Great-West Lifeco stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$44.72, for a total transaction of C$1,135,888.00. Also, Director Richard Henry Linton sold 35,800 shares of the business’s 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 value of C$1,656,344.28. In the last three months, insiders have sold 88,425 shares of company stock valued at $4,139,548. 70.70% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Great-West Lifeco Price Performance

TSE:GWO opened at C$49.56 on Wednesday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of C$46.82 and a 200 day moving average of C$43.37. Great-West Lifeco has a 52-week low of C$38.44 and a 52-week high of C$49.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61, a quick ratio of 22.18 and a current ratio of 37.46. The firm has a market capitalization of C$46.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.45, a P/E/G ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84.

Great-West Lifeco Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 3rd will be paid a $0.555 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 3rd. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.48%. Great-West Lifeco’s payout ratio is presently 55.78%.

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.