Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Price Target Increased to C$45.00 by Analysts at TD Securities

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) had its target price lifted by TD Securities from C$44.00 to C$45.00 in a report issued on Friday, BayStreet.CA reports. They currently have a hold rating on the stock.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Scotiabank boosted their price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. National Bankshares upped their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$40.00 to C$42.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, CIBC upped their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$46.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, February 16th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of C$43.11.

Great-West Lifeco Price Performance

Shares of GWO opened at C$40.22 on Friday. Great-West Lifeco has a 1-year low of C$37.06 and a 1-year high of C$45.18. The stock has a market cap of C$37.50 billion, a PE ratio of 13.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 32.33, a current ratio of 12.42 and a quick ratio of 22.18. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of C$42.52 and a 200 day moving average price of C$42.07.

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 14th. The company reported C$1.04 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of C$0.99 by C$0.05. Great-West Lifeco had a net margin of 7.95% and a return on equity of 10.28%. The firm had revenue of C$20.21 billion during the quarter. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Great-West Lifeco will post 4.137561 EPS for the current year.

Great-West Lifeco Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th were paid a dividend of $0.555 per share. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.52%. This is a positive change from Great-West Lifeco’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 28th. Great-West Lifeco’s payout ratio is 75.77%.

Insider Transactions at Great-West Lifeco

In other news, Senior Officer Dervla Mary Tomlin sold 5,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.33, for a total transaction of C$228,590.10. In other Great-West Lifeco news, Senior Officer Dervla Mary Tomlin sold 5,400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.33, for a total transaction of C$228,590.10. Also, Senior Officer Linda Kerrigan sold 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.95, for a total transaction of C$214,750.00. Insiders have sold a total of 13,300 shares of company stock worth $566,402 over the last ninety days. 70.57% of the stock is currently 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.