Easterly Investment Partners LLC Sells 15,047 Shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Easterly Investment Partners LLC decreased its position in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) by 7.7% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 179,438 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 15,047 shares during the period. MetLife accounts for about 1.2% of Easterly Investment Partners LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest position. Easterly Investment Partners LLC’s holdings in MetLife were worth $14,692,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Sierra Ocean LLC bought a new position in shares of MetLife during the 4th quarter worth $32,000. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC bought a new position in MetLife during the 4th quarter worth about $32,000. Graney & King LLC bought a new stake in shares of MetLife in the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. Values First Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife in the 4th quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich bought a new position in shares of MetLife during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $48,000. Institutional investors own 94.99% of the company’s stock.

MetLife Stock Up 0.2 %

NYSE:MET opened at $83.91 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.16 and a quick ratio of 0.16. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $83.50 and its 200-day moving average price is $82.80. MetLife, Inc. has a 1-year low of $67.30 and a 1-year high of $89.05. The firm has a market capitalization of $57.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.05, a PEG ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.04.

MetLife (NYSE:MET) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.08 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.13 by ($0.05). MetLife had a return on equity of 20.42% and a net margin of 6.19%. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 EPS for the current year.

MetLife Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 4th were issued a dividend of $0.545 per share. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.60%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, February 4th. MetLife’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 36.52%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have weighed in on MET shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their target price on MetLife from $100.00 to $98.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of MetLife from $101.00 to $109.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, February 28th. Barclays cut their price objective on shares of MetLife from $96.00 to $95.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 7th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of MetLife from $92.00 to $97.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 19th. Finally, Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of MetLife in a report on Friday, March 7th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $94.58.

About MetLife

MetLife, Inc, a financial services company, provides insurance, annuities, employee benefits, and asset management services worldwide. It operates through six segments: Retirement and Income Solutions; Group Benefits; Asia; Latin America; Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and MetLife Holdings. The company offers life, dental, group short-and long-term disability, individual disability, pet insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, vision, and accident and health coverages, as well as prepaid legal plans; administrative services-only arrangements to employers; and general and separate account, and synthetic guaranteed interest contracts, as well as private floating rate funding agreements.