Analysts Set Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) Price Target at C$44.00

Shares of Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) have earned an average rating of “Hold” from the seven analysts that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and one has assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is C$44.00.

GWO has been the subject of several analyst reports. National Bankshares boosted their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$43.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$45.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, May 3rd. TD Securities cut their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$44.00 in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$45.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Friday, May 3rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$46.00 in a report on Friday, May 3rd.

Insider Activity at Great-West Lifeco

In other news, Director Olivier Desmarais sold 1,029 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$40.88, for a total transaction of C$42,065.52. 70.58% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Great-West Lifeco Trading Up 0.6 %

Shares of Great-West Lifeco stock opened at C$39.33 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.96, a current ratio of 37.37 and a quick ratio of 22.18. Great-West Lifeco has a 1 year low of C$37.06 and a 1 year high of C$45.18. The company has a market capitalization of C$36.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.21, a P/E/G ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.87. The business has a 50 day moving average price of C$41.13 and a 200 day moving average price of C$42.31.

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 1st. The company reported C$1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of C$1.02 by C$0.07. Great-West Lifeco had a return on equity of 11.74% and a net margin of 10.05%. The firm had revenue of C$7.88 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of C$10.58 billion. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Great-West Lifeco will post 4.2812813 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 31st will be paid a dividend of $0.555 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 31st. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.64%. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio is presently 63.25%.

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.