MetLife (NYSE:MET) Rating Lowered to Hold at StockNews.com

MetLife (NYSE:MET) was downgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued on Thursday.

A number of other analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on MetLife from $92.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on MetLife from $89.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, September 27th. Barclays increased their price objective on MetLife from $90.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, January 6th. Piper Sandler increased their price objective on MetLife from $85.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 2nd. Finally, TD Cowen raised their price target on MetLife from $97.00 to $99.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, MetLife presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $90.00.

MetLife Stock Performance

Shares of MET opened at $80.30 on Thursday. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $82.97 and its 200 day simple moving average is $78.92. The stock has a market capitalization of $55.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.07. 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 has a 52-week low of $64.61 and a 52-week high of $89.05.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in MetLife by 244.4% during the third quarter. MeadowBrook Investment Advisors LLC now owns 310 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 220 shares during the last quarter. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. raised its stake in MetLife by 131.9% during the third quarter. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. now owns 327 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 186 shares during the last quarter. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC raised its stake in MetLife by 374.3% during the third quarter. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC now owns 351 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 277 shares during the last quarter. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in MetLife during the third quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Fortitude Family Office LLC raised its stake in MetLife by 177.3% during the third quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 416 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 266 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.99% of the company’s stock.

MetLife Company Profile

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.