Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Hits New 52-Week High on Analyst Upgrade

Shares of Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO) hit a new 52-week high on Thursday after Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on the stock from C$42.00 to C$48.00. Jefferies Financial Group currently has a hold rating on the stock. Great-West Lifeco traded as high as C$47.19 and last traded at C$47.15, with a volume of 594595 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$46.83.

Other research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$45.00 to C$47.00 in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Barclays set a C$43.00 price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Thursday, September 5th. Finally, TD Securities upped their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$43.00 to C$44.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Great-West Lifeco presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of C$45.00.

Insider Transactions at Great-West Lifeco

In other news, Director Richard Henry Linton sold 35,800 shares of the 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. In related news, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 25,400 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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. Also, Director Richard Henry Linton sold 35,800 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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. Insiders own 70.70% of the company’s stock.

Great-West Lifeco Price Performance

The company has a market cap of C$44.40 billion, a PE ratio of 11.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84. The business’s 50 day moving average price is C$44.89 and its 200-day moving average price is C$42.35. The company has a quick ratio of 22.18, a current ratio of 37.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61.

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

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 27th were issued a $0.555 dividend. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.66%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 30th. Great-West Lifeco’s dividend payout ratio is presently 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.