Verity & Verity LLC Has $19.54 Million Holdings in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Verity & Verity LLC boosted its position in shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 4.4% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 238,667 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 10,097 shares during the period. MetLife makes up approximately 1.8% of Verity & Verity LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest position. Verity & Verity LLC’s holdings in MetLife were worth $19,542,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of MET. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of MetLife by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 9,464 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $781,000 after buying an additional 123 shares during the last quarter. Abacus Planning Group Inc. raised its stake in MetLife by 1.0% during the third quarter. Abacus Planning Group Inc. now owns 12,301 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,015,000 after acquiring an additional 127 shares in the last quarter. First Commonwealth Financial Corp PA lifted its holdings in shares of MetLife by 0.8% in the third quarter. First Commonwealth Financial Corp PA now owns 16,675 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,375,000 after acquiring an additional 133 shares during the last quarter. Avestar Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of MetLife by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter. Avestar Capital LLC now owns 4,264 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $352,000 after purchasing an additional 133 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Financial Management Professionals Inc. grew its holdings in shares of MetLife by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 6,984 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $576,000 after purchasing an additional 136 shares during the last quarter. 94.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

MetLife Stock Up 1.1 %

MetLife stock opened at $86.83 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $83.29 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $79.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a current ratio of 0.16. MetLife, Inc. has a 52-week low of $64.61 and a 52-week high of $89.05. The firm has a market cap of $60.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.51, a PEG ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 1.07.

MetLife Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 4th will be issued a $0.545 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 4th. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.51%. MetLife’s payout ratio is 43.95%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MET has been the subject of several research reports. StockNews.com downgraded shares of MetLife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 9th. TD Cowen raised their price objective on MetLife from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on MetLife from $93.00 to $92.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Barclays increased their target price on MetLife from $90.00 to $96.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Piper Sandler boosted their price target on MetLife from $85.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 2nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $89.92.

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.