National Bankshares Boosts Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Price Target to C$43.00

Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) had its price objective boosted by National Bankshares from C$42.00 to C$43.00 in a report published on Thursday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has a sector perform rating on the stock.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. CIBC upped their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$46.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, February 16th. TD Securities dropped their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$44.00 in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Scotiabank upped their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of C$43.60.

Great-West Lifeco Stock Performance

GWO opened at C$42.23 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of C$39.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.41, a PEG ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.86. 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 50 day simple moving average of C$41.95 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$42.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 32.33, a current ratio of 12.42 and a quick ratio of 22.18.

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

Great-West Lifeco Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 31st will be paid a dividend of $0.555 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 31st. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.26%. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 75.77%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Great-West Lifeco news, Senior Officer Bradley John Fedorchuk sold 2,900 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.44, for a total value of C$123,062.08. In other news, Senior Officer Bradley John Fedorchuk sold 2,900 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.44, for a total value of C$123,062.08. Also, Senior Officer Dervla Mary Tomlin sold 5,400 shares of Great-West Lifeco stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.33, for a total transaction of C$228,590.10. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 13,300 shares of company stock worth $566,402. Company insiders own 70.57% of the company’s stock.

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.