Aware Super Pty Ltd as trustee of Aware Super Buys New Stake in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Aware Super Pty Ltd as trustee of Aware Super purchased a new position in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 286,518 shares of the financial services provider's stock, valued at approximately $23,460,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of MetLife during the fourth quarter worth about $730,716,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its holdings in MetLife by 109.2% during the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 8,826,658 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $722,727,000 after buying an additional 4,606,748 shares in the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC lifted its holdings in shares of MetLife by 43.7% in the fourth quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 5,663,177 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $463,701,000 after buying an additional 1,723,461 shares in the last quarter. Swedbank AB boosted its position in shares of MetLife by 76.0% during the fourth quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 3,466,808 shares of the financial services provider's stock worth $283,862,000 after acquiring an additional 1,496,645 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Nordea Investment Management AB grew its stake in MetLife by 16.8% during the fourth quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 4,238,087 shares of the financial services provider's stock valued at $347,735,000 after acquiring an additional 608,224 shares in the last quarter. 94.99% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of MetLife from $97.00 to $91.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 10th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on MetLife from $109.00 to $94.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 10th. Cowen restated a "buy" rating on shares of MetLife in a report on Friday, March 7th. UBS Group boosted their target price on MetLife from $94.00 to $98.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Finally, Barclays reduced their target price on MetLife from $95.00 to $88.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, April 11th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $92.46.

MetLife Stock Up 1.1 %

MetLife stock traded up $0.79 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $72.49. 2,739,216 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,407,125. MetLife, Inc. has a 12 month low of $65.21 and a 12 month high of $89.05. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $79.19 and a two-hundred day moving average of $82.12. The company has a market cap of $49.38 billion, a PE ratio of 12.14, a P/E/G ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a current ratio of 0.16.

MetLife (NYSE:MET - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.08 earnings per share (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, analysts expect that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MetLife Company Profile

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.