Great-West Lifeco (TSE:GWO) Share Price Passes Above 200 Day Moving Average - Should You Sell?

Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSE:GWO - Get Free Report)'s stock price crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of C$43.31 and traded as high as C$49.36. Great-West Lifeco shares last traded at C$49.17, with a volume of 8,226,585 shares traded.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$43.00 to C$45.00 in a report on Friday, November 8th. Scotiabank upped their price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$44.00 to C$50.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. CIBC increased their target price on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$51.00 to C$55.00 in a research report on Friday, November 8th. TD Securities upped their price target 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. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on shares of Great-West Lifeco from C$42.00 to C$48.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of C$47.63.

Great-West Lifeco Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of C$46.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.84. The company has a 50-day moving average price of C$46.72 and a 200-day moving average price of C$43.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 29.61, a quick ratio of 22.18 and a current ratio of 37.46.

Great-West Lifeco Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.555 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 3rd. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.48%. Great-West Lifeco's payout ratio is currently 55.78%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Richard Henry Linton sold 35,800 shares of Great-West Lifeco stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$46.27, for a total transaction of C$1,656,344.28. Also, Director Charles Donald Harvey Henaire sold 25,400 shares of the business'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. 70.70% 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.