Aptus Capital Advisors LLC Acquires 498 Shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Aptus Capital Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 4.8% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 10,885 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 498 shares during the period. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC’s holdings in MetLife were worth $898,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Carmichael Hill & Associates Inc. raised its position in MetLife by 131.9% in the 3rd 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 lifted its position in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 277 shares in the last quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC boosted its holdings in MetLife by 177.3% during the third quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 416 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 266 shares during the last quarter. Bank & Trust Co bought a new stake in MetLife in the 2nd quarter worth about $39,000. Finally, Crewe Advisors LLC increased its stake in MetLife by 602.5% in the 2nd quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC now owns 562 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 482 shares during the last quarter. 89.81% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

MetLife Trading Up 0.7 %

Shares of MET stock opened at $82.60 on Friday. MetLife, Inc. has a 1 year low of $61.61 and a 1 year high of $86.94. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $81.30 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $75.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.16 and a quick ratio of 0.16. The stock has a market capitalization of $57.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.65, a PEG ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 1.05.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 5th will be issued a $0.545 dividend. This represents a $2.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.64%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, November 5th. MetLife’s payout ratio is 43.95%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Bank of America reduced their target price on MetLife from $99.00 to $96.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on MetLife from $85.00 to $92.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 2nd. Citigroup lifted their target price on MetLife from $83.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on shares of MetLife from $89.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, September 27th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of MetLife from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, MetLife presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $88.46.

MetLife 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.