Desjardins Issues Optimistic Estimate for TSE:GWO Earnings

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) – Investment analysts at Desjardins upped their FY2024 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Great-West Lifeco in a report issued on Thursday, November 7th. Desjardins analyst D. Young now anticipates that the company will earn $4.47 per share for the year, up from their prior forecast of $4.42. The consensus estimate for Great-West Lifeco’s current full-year earnings is $4.45 per share. Desjardins also issued estimates for Great-West Lifeco’s Q4 2024 earnings at $1.14 EPS.

GWO has been the subject of a number of other reports. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$43.00 to C$45.00 in a research report on Friday, November 8th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$47.00 to C$51.00 in a report on Friday, November 8th. Scotiabank upped their target price on Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$50.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$48.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, CIBC upped their price objective on Great-West Lifeco from C$51.00 to C$55.00 in a research report on Friday, November 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of C$47.63.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Performance

Shares of TSE GWO opened at C$48.92 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of C$45.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.26, a PEG ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84. Great-West Lifeco has a 12 month low of C$38.44 and a 12 month high of C$49.64. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of C$46.29 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$43.02. The company has a current ratio of 37.46, a quick ratio of 22.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61.

Insider Buying and Selling at Great-West Lifeco

In other news, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 25,400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$44.72, for a total transaction of C$1,135,888.00. In other news, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 25,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 the firm’s 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 corporate insiders.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.555 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 3rd. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.54%. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio is currently 55.78%.

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.