Korea Investment CORP Has $50 Million Stock Holdings in MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET)

Korea Investment CORP decreased its stake in shares of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET - Free Report) by 17.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 610,639 shares of the financial services provider's stock after selling 127,544 shares during the period. Korea Investment CORP owned approximately 0.09% of MetLife worth $49,999,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Sierra Ocean LLC bought a new position in MetLife during the 4th quarter worth about $32,000. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC bought a new position in shares of MetLife during the fourth quarter worth about $32,000. Graney & King LLC acquired a new stake in MetLife in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Values First Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in MetLife in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich bought a new position in shares of MetLife during the 4th quarter worth approximately $48,000. 94.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

MetLife Stock Performance

MET stock traded up $0.89 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $81.18. 3,249,786 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,281,628. MetLife, Inc. has a 1-year low of $67.30 and a 1-year high of $89.05. The stock has a market capitalization of $55.30 billion, a PE ratio of 13.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.04. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $83.04 and a 200-day simple moving average of $83.01. The company has a current ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 0.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54.

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MetLife (NYSE:MET - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The financial services provider reported $2.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.13 by ($0.05). MetLife had a return on equity of 20.42% and a net margin of 6.19%. On average, equities analysts forecast that MetLife, Inc. will post 9.65 earnings per share for the current year.

MetLife Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 11th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 4th were paid a $0.545 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 4th. This represents a $2.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.69%. MetLife's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 36.52%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently commented on MET. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their target price on shares of MetLife from $100.00 to $98.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Barclays decreased their price objective on MetLife from $96.00 to $95.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 7th. BMO Capital Markets began coverage on MetLife in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. They set a "market perform" rating and a $97.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded MetLife from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 9th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on MetLife from $101.00 to $109.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, February 28th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $94.58.

MetLife 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.