Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) Receives C$45.00 Average Target Price from Analysts

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) has been given an average rating of “Hold” by the eight brokerages that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have assigned a hold recommendation and one has issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is C$46.38.

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on GWO shares. CIBC increased their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$46.00 to C$51.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday. Scotiabank increased their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$50.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Barclays set a C$43.00 target price on Great-West Lifeco and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 5th. TD Securities upped their price target 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. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$48.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Performance

Shares of GWO stock opened at C$47.37 on Friday. 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 cap of C$44.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.90, a P/E/G ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is C$45.64 and its 200-day moving average price is C$42.59. Great-West Lifeco has a one year low of C$38.12 and a one year high of C$47.76.

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported C$1.11 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of C$1.05 by C$0.06. Great-West Lifeco had a return on equity of 13.21% and a net margin of 11.32%. The company had revenue of C$8.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of C$9.83 billion. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Great-West Lifeco will post 4.4525194 EPS for the current year.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 27th were given a dividend of $0.555 per share. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.69%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 55.78%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Great-West Lifeco news, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 25,400 shares of Great-West Lifeco stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$44.72, for a total value of C$1,135,888.00. In other Great-West Lifeco news, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 25,400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 4th. The shares were 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 Great-West Lifeco stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$46.27, for a total transaction of C$1,656,344.28. 70.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

About Great-West Lifeco

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.